Monday, September 10, 2007

New Hub for Asian Imports in Southern Dallas?

The current plan for an intermodel facility( Inland Port) in southern Dallas is very import to the economic growth of the area along with creating a tax base in the southern sector of Dallas that will help the overall vitality of the city of Dallas. It has been predicted that this Inland Port (Dallas Logistics Hub)will create over 60,000 jobs in the southern sector. These jobs are needed in this area of Dallas because most of the southern sector jobs are going to suburban cites like Duncanville, DeSoto, Cedar Hill and Lancaster. We need the tax base in Dallas.

Currently Union Pacific (UP) has an intermodel terminal in Dallas handling international
cargoes-one capable of loading and off-loading the containers that can go from cargo ship to railway cars to trucks but there is a hangup with Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). BNSF has optioned land for an intermodel terminal of its own at Dallas Logistics Hub. To make this work, BNSF would have to cross the TRE (Trinity Rail Express) track that are owned by DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) and The T (Forth Worth Transit Authority).

For over a year BNSF has tried to get their trackage right agreement with TRE changed to allow them the access that they would need to facilitate them being able to create an intermodel terminal at Dallas Logistics Hub. There are some complications with this because Fort Worth could keep Dallas down in favor of its own inland port, Alliance Texas, run by Ross Perot, Jr.
in Fort Worth. The agreement to change BNSF's trackage right agreement must be agreed on by both DART and The T.

The Dallas Logistics Hub is a work in progress, but a very vital part of the development of the inland port is BNSF's intermodel facility. What is councilman Tennell Adkins (District 8 councilman), Dwaine/Dwayne/Dewayne Caraway (Deputy Mayor Pro-Tem) and Mayor Tom Leppert doing to make this happen? I understand that other councilperson are waiting for the leadership of these individuals and so is the community. We need the development and the jobs in southern Dallas.

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