Network Analysis of Freight Diversion and Capacity Issues in Tennessee

The objective of this task is to use the existing intermodal freight GIS network to perform freight diversion and capacity analysis in Tennessee. To date, the network has been populated with terminal delays, throughput times, volumes and risk-related attributes (population within 5 miles, crash and incident rates). All network links in Tennessee will be extracted and the following three analyses performed:

Truck alternate routes: analyze all interstate segments of Tennessee and determine the shortest detour length, parallel routes (if applicable) and identify truck issues with some of the detours (e.g., bridge weight limitations, bridge clearances, accident locations, etc.). Each interstate corridor will be profiled to highlight these issues.

Network vulnerability: model the effects of a long-term infrastructure-disabling event (including bridge failure, rockslide, etc.) as well as deployment of new infrastructure (including bridges, terminals, rail lines and interstates) in Tennessee. This work will be performed using a series of case studies to illustrate how the network can assist in answering questions about scenarios such as adding capacity or evaluating options after a major event that disables a key piece of transportation infrastructure.

This will be a joint activity involving faculty and staff from the University of Memphis and Vanderbilt University. The analyses listed above will make extensive use of GIS, TDOT aerial photography, and TDOT databases (geometrics, traffic, accident and confidential rail waybill databases).

Please contact James Dobbins or Mark Abkowitz for more information about this project.