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INLAND WATERWAYS REPORT

Image Credit: Carlisle & Bray port on automotive barge transport. Pointing to the article study of Midwestern intermodal transportation and logis- he asks: “Back to the future?” Maybe, he asks, automobiles tics. Carlisle, along with CORBA Vice-Chair Jeff Stewart, from KY assembly plants, for example, could be driven, on President of Cincinnati Barge & Rail Terminals, has met trailers, right onto barges, pushed downriver to St. Louis, with NKU leadership to help plan the study’s scope and for example, and driven off to regional markets. direction. Janaina Siegler, PhD, Assistant Professor Supply But, what Carlisle is really getting at involves larger Chain at NKU, updated CORBA members at the January questions: if that exact activity can’t happen again, what meeting. Information from CORBA will be a critical part can happen? What are the new possibilities for inland ma- of the foundational database.

rine commerce, given very congested highways, projec- In addition, the Ohio Department of Transportation tions for increased freight demands and environmental (ODOT) announced that it is investigating how it might concerns? “How do we incentivize people to use water- foster water freight transport. ODOT reps met with a ways?” Carlisle asks. “We know the regular stuff. We need CORBA team immediately prior to the January meet- to focus on ‘what ifs.’” ing – literally “new business” for the agenda. ODOT will convene similar meetings in February and March with

Future Plans freight and logistics experts in Marietta and Steuben-

Carlisle’s big-picture questions will get attention in 2017. ville, OH, and Huntington, WV. These meetings will

Northern Kentucky University’s business school will start a help set next steps.

May 2017

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