St. Louis doesn’t have as good of pizza and bagels as New York, or any Hollywood premiers and sandy beaches like Los Angeles. However, the Midwest city is darned to prove itself as a competitive peer of these larger, more notable, hubs when it comes to its contributions towards America’s freight network.
Seasoned supply chain professionals would understand where St. Louis is coming from. The city’s location in the heart of the U.S. and accessibility to various transportation modes renders it a special role for domestic and international freight movement.
Being smack dab in the country means the city is, at most, four days out from major U.S. markets. All while, access to the Mississippi River, Class I railroad networks, and interstates presents shippers multiple options with moving freight.
Already renowned as one of the country’s top inland ports, St. Louis is not standing pat. The city’s regional transportation systems are undergoing ever-changing improvement projects. City officials are touting the collaborative efforts and infrastructure advancements made in 2023.
STL Region breaks ground on large projects
The transportation authority, and unofficial hype man, hovering over the region is the St. Louis Regional Freightway, an organizing body established in 2015 and designed to enhance the region’s freight infrastructure and industrial markets.
“St. Louis is a world-class freight hub, and we retain this position by constantly looking for ways to improve our freight infrastructure and strengthen our resiliency so this region is ready to deliver as supply chains continue to be impacted by any number of disruptions,” remarked Mary Lamie, the head of the St. Louis Regional Freightway (STL Region). “The investments made over [2023] support future competitiveness and growth in the region.”
Behind Lamie’s verbal assurance is a list of several projects in the region that kicked off last year. With one of these being the new Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River, which is currently under construction. The execution to break ground on this $496 million project is the result of successful planning and fundraising between Missouri’s and Illinois’ respective transportation departments.
The new bridge will replace an older bridge and include space for six 12-foot lanes and 10-foot shoulders. Carrying Interstate 270 over the Mississippi, the completed bridge will add needed capacity for truckload freight movement.
Over the past several years, STL Region listed this project as its top priority. The group applauds the collaborative efforts of freight industry leaders, the states of Illinois and Missouri, and governing councils of nearby communities.
The bridge is a part of a greater plan to improve a 22-mile section of I-270, from near the St. Louis Lambert International Airport to Illinois Route 157. Construction on this new corridor will include new interchange designs, additional traffic lanes, and other improvements. Organizers have already secured more than $1 billion in funding for the project, with some of the work already completed. Most recently, transportation officials celebrated a completed $278 million makeover of an eight-mile stretch of the interstate in north St. Louis County.
STL Region, railroads collaborate on accessibility
STL Region has also been working with Class I railroads and economic development organizations to identify rail-accessible building sites for businesses.
“Essentially, we are streamlining site selection for rail-accessible industrial sites in the bi-state St. Louis region, creating a pipeline of rail-served sites for the future and spotlighting rail sites that are currently ready to go,” said Lamie. “The sites that made it onto our list include service by at least one of the region’s six Class I railroads that connect to the East, West and Gulf Coasts. Sites that include BNSF, Union Pacific, CSX and Norfolk Southern provide routes with high volume and scheduled service to East and West Coast ports. With help from the region’s four interstates and strategic location on the Mississippi River, 90% percent of freight from the St. Louis region moves throughout North America in two days and 100% in three days. This list is a new tool that will enhance our region’s economic development marketing efforts.”
Final Thoughts
St. Louis is also known as the “Agriculture Coast of America” for the city’s 15-mile stretch along the Mississippi River which features 16 barge transfer facilities with capacity to handle 150 barges per day. To this day, St. Louis’ prowess on the river is unmatched by any other U.S. city.
“As we celebrate all of the accomplishments of 2023, the St. Louis Regional Freightway looks forward to continued success in fostering economic development, enhancing connectivity, and maintaining the region’s status as a global logistics and manufacturing hub,” Lamie said.
Contact one of our team members if you have any questions regarding this topic or any others in domestic logistics.
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