The Freight, Rails, Ports & Waterway Division is a unique branch of the department and is one of only a handful of state departments of transportation which operate a true multimodal program in the country.
This branch was created by joining two separate divisions—the Rails and the Ports Waterways section, combined with the creation of a new Freight section to act as one new division. Its mission is to create a comprehensive and coordinated state multimodal program to facilitate freight between and among local, national, and international markets. The division was formed to address the growing demand for freight transportation, the capacity of the states rail, and water transportation systems.
Studies show the U.S. population reached 300 million in October 2006 and estimated to reach 380 million by 2035. By the year 2025, U.S. domestic freight tonnage is anticipated to double, while international freight tonnage will nearly triple. This will place unprecedented demands on the state of Mississippi—our highways, railroads, airports, and ports & waterways. Mississippi is currently planning to accommodate this growth by enhancing our competitiveness in our local and global market, thus generating economic benefits to the community and state.
In the past, state departments of transportation have treated their modes as separate identities—stove pipes if you will. MDOT has addressed this age old thinking, while understanding the importance of a multimodal freight program.
The Freight, Rail, Ports and Waterways Division, will coordinate and act as one component, the following are the areas of its responsibility:
Freight -
The freight and goods movement planning portion of the division is responsible for the process of identifying, evaluating, and selecting needed projects and actions that will improve the movement goods and connectivity of other modes. Mississippi DOT has worked continuously over the last several years to develop and maintain a freight and goods movement program.
Rail -
The rail portion focuses on the development and safety of the state’s rail transportation system for future freight and passenger service, through a comprehensive program of capital improvement and strategic planning. The rail portion strives to preserve and enhance the state’s rail system, and provides the states agricultural and industrial shippers a needed transportation choice that is vital for continued economic development.
Rail Inspectors
The Rails portion also includes a five regional Rail Inspectors, who have the responsibility for the overall safety, inspection, and good repair of the railroad tracks located throughout the state. They are usually the first responders in hazardous material spills, derailments, and collisions. Inspections are completed annually at railroad crossings to comply with State and Federal safety regulations. Inspectors also investigate complaints concerning the railroads and insure that corrective actions were successfully completed relating to issues of concern from the general public.
Statewide Rail Needs Assessment
In March of 2007, Mississippi DOT completed an intensive rails needs assessment, to evaluating Class I and Class III rail lines throughout the entire state. The final report documents the present and economic analysis for each of the Class I and Class III railroads, and suggests an investment strategy for each of the railroads. Statewide, there are currently five Class I railroads and twenty-six Class III shortline railroad.
Ports & Waterways -
Currently, there are 16 public ports in Mississippi: the state controls 2 of the 16 ports and the remaining 14 ports are locally owned and operated. Mississippi’s ports contribute $1.4 billion to the State economy, representing almost 3 percent of the Gross State Product and including some 34,000 direct and indirect jobs paying $765 million in wages and salaries.
Waterborne commerce has historically called at ports along the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi River. Completion of the Tennessee-Tombigbee (Tenn-Tom) Waterway in the northeastern portion of the State created a direct, navigable waterway for additional barge traffic serving this inland region. The inland ports primarily handle general and bulk cargo, while the Gulf Coast ports handle containers and refrigerated products in addition to general and bulk cargo
Northern Region:
The Tenn-Tom Waterway extends from the Tombigbee River to the Tennessee River. The six ports located on the Tenn-Tom in the northeastern portion of the State of Mississippi from north to south, are as follows: Yellow Creek Port, Port Itawamba, Port of Amory, Port of Aberdeen, Port of Clay County and Lowndes County Port.
Western & Eastern Region:
The six Mississippi River ports located on the western side of the State of Mississippi from north to south are as follows: Port of Rosedale, Port of Greenville, Yazoo County Port, Port of Vicksburg, Port of Claiborne County and Port of Natchez. The Yazoo County Port is located on the Yazoo River, a tributary of the Mississippi River.
South Region:
The four Gulf Coast ports, located in the southern most region of the State of Mississippi along the Gulf of Mexico, from east to west include: Port of Pascagoula, Port of Biloxi, Port of Gulfport and Port Bienville.
On the Ports & Waterways website you will be able to find the locations of these ports, satellite images, and more detailed information of their facilities.
The division’s responsibility in the area of ports and waterways includes planning, promotion, serving as an advocate of ports, collecting data, and providing technical assistance. The department also provides direction and assistance to the Corps of Engineers maintenance of the federal projects and the entire Mississippi Intracoastal waterway.
Combined, the Freight, Rails, Ports an Waterways division will act as a mechanism, to better connect, develop, and assure a manner that will maximize use of existing facilities and optimum integration and coordination of the various modes of transportation, including the combined utilization of both government owned and privately owned resources.
The MDOT Visionary
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Robby Burt, Freight, Rails, Ports & Waterways Division Director
Administration Building, 8th Floor
Phone: 601-359-7910
Fax: 601-359-7855
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