Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) Marine Vessel Trafficc Analysis LA 23 New Orleans Gulf Coastt Railway Relocation PE/NEPA Project Jefferson and Plaquemines Parishes, Louisiana RPC Task LA23RR1 RPC/FRA Grant # FR RLD 0032 14 01 00 Prepared by: HDR Engineering, Inc. and Burk Kleinpeter, Inc. August 2015
Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION... 1 1.1 Methodology... 1 2.0 MARINE VESSEL TRAFFIC PATTERNS... 3 2.1 Summary Information... 3 2.2 Bridge Operation Trends... 5 2.3 Vessel s... 7 2.4 Algiers Lock... 8 3.0 REGIONAL NAVIGATION... 9 3.1 Regional Clearances and Obstructions... 9 3.2 Planned Projects... 11 4.0 FINDINGS... 12 List of Figures and Tables Figure 1. Project Area Map... 2 Figure 2. Regional Overview Map... 6 Figure 3. Total Marine Traffic on GIWW Annual Comparison by Month... 6 Figure 4. Vessels by : Number and Percent of Total... 8 Figure 5. Regional Navigational Clearances and Obstructions... 10 Table 1. Bridge Tender Report Annual Summary... 4 Table 2. Comparison of Number of Vessels According to Previous Studies... 7 Table 3. USACE Algiers Lock Marine Traffic... 8 Table 4. Regional Navigational Restrictions Summary... 11 August 2015 i
1.0 INTRODUCTION The New Orleans Gulf Coast (NOGC) Railway is a former Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) branch line traversing the west bank of Jefferson, Orleans, and Plaquemines Parishes. It is a 32 mile long railroad that interchanges with the UPRR in Westwego. The railroad provides a single track with accompanying sidings, serving over twenty switching and industrial customers and is the only railroad operating east of Avondale, LA on the Westbank. This marine vessel traffic study is being undertaken as part of an environmental assessment (EA) for the relocation of the NOGC Railway. The EA will consider alternatives to reroute the NOGC Railway away from Louisiana Highway 23 (LA 23)/Belle Chasse Highway towards the Harvey Canal industrial area. The NOGC Railway currently crosses the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) with a 387 foot long vertical lift bridge providing 125 feet of horizontal clearance, 5 feet of vertical clearance above mean high water when closed and 102 feet of vertical clearance when open. The NOGC Rail Bridge is paralleled by the Louisiana Highway 23 (LA 23)/Belle Chasse Highway Perez Bridge which was constructed in 1968. The Perez Bridge is a vertical lift bridge, providing 40 feet of vertical clearance above mean high water when closed and 100 feet of vertical clearance when open. It also provides 125 feet of horizontal clearance. Both the NOGC Rail Bridge and the Perez Bridge are operated by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD). 1.1 Methodology The scope of this marine vessel traffic study is to identify current marine vessel characteristics and use this data to inform the design of a new railway bridge over the GIWW near the future Peters Road Extension and its associated bridge over the GIWW (see Figure 1). It should be noted that empirical field data are limited to the Belle Chasse/LA 23 Bridge as no other moveable spans are located on the Algiers Cut off Canal segment of the GIWW. This will include a determination of frequency of bridge openings by vessel size through the analysis of bridge tenders reports. This information was supplemented by a review of existing studies and correspondence with LADOTD, United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and United States Coast Guard (USCG). August 2015 1
GIWWMarineVesselTrafficAnalysis LA23NewOrleansGulfCoastRailwayRelocationPE/NEPAProject Figure1.ProjectAreaMap August2015 2
2.0 MARINE VESSEL TRAFFIC PATTERNS Whereas the NOGC Rail Bridge remains in the raised position unless a train is approaching, marine vessel traffic patterns for the portion of the GIWW extending from the GIWW junction with the Harvey Canal to the GIWW junction with the Mississippi River at the Algiers Lock are documented by bridge tender reports for the Perez Bridge. The daily logs document each occurrence when the bridge is raised for a marine vessel to pass below. At each opening, the bridge tender records the date and time of the opening as well as the vessel s name, height, vessel type, and direction of travel. For this report, only the date and heights of vessels passing under the Perez Bridge and subsequently the NOGC Rail Bridge were of concern. As these reports only document when the bridge is raised, the following analysis reflects those vessels requiring an opening. Data on total marine traffic on the canal, including vessels less than 40 feet in height, which do not require an opening, are not available and therefore are not included in the analysis that follows. As such, when marine traffic is referenced in this report, it refers only to that traffic which was recorded in the LADOTD s tender reports. 2.1 Summary Information Bridge tender reports dating from January 2012 to December 2014 were analyzed using Microsoft Excel to determine trends in bridge operation activity and vessel characteristics. The reports were grouped by year and then by month. Table 1 shows the summary data, by month, year, and for the two year study period, of each quantifiable characteristics found in the bridge tender s report. This includes: In 2012, the 6,099 vessels passed under the bridge while raised, averaging 47.0 feet in height and 8 openings per day. In 2013, the 3,715 vessels passed under the bridge while raised, averaging 47.4 feet in height and 6 openings per day. In 2014, the 5,744 vessels passed under the bridge while raised, averaging 47.4 feet in height and 7 openings per day. Over the three year study period, the bridge opened for 15,558 vessels, averaging 47.3 feet in height and 7 openings per day. August 2015 3
Table 1. Bridge Tender Report Annual Summary Average Number of Average Maximum 85% Percentile 2012 Openings per Vessels Day January 7 450 46.1 90 50 February 7 342 46.8 95 50 March 8 508 46.8 86 50 April 8 471 46.6 79 50 May 8 553 47.6 75 50 June 9 565 47.7 95 52 July 8 564 46.8 75 50 August 9 496 47.8 75 52 September 9 646 46.6 80 50 October 8 550 47.3 90 50 November 7 458 47.6 80 52 December 8 496 46.6 75 50 Annual 8 6,099 47.0 83 50 2013 Average Openings per Day Number of Vessels Average Maximum 85% Percentile January 8 495 47.2 75 50 February 7 343 46.8 85 50 March 7 392 47.7 90 52 April 2 19 46.5 50 50 May 2 12 49.6 55 52 June 2 26 49.9 75 51 July 7 244 47.4 85 50 August 7 471 47.3 98 51 September 8 475 46.9 80 50 October 7 456 46.2 75 50 November 7 392 46.8 75 50 December 6 390 46.9 86 50 Annual 6 3,715 47.4 77 50 August 2015 4
Table 1. Bridge Tender Report Annual Summary (Continued) Average Number of Maximum 85% Percentile 2014 Openings per Average Vessels Day January 6 369 46.8 65 50 February 7 353 47.6 70 51 March 8 580 47.5 90 51 April 8 496 47.2 80 50 May 8 454 47.8 85 51 June 8 501 47.6 90 51 July 8 521 47.3 90 50 August 8 514 47.7 99 51 September 7 452 47.3 100 50 October 7 478 47.1 80 50 November 8 581 47.6 99 50 December 6 445 47.3 99 50 Annual 7 5,744 47.4 87 50 Three Year Averages/ Total * 7 6,000/ 15,558 * 47.3 83 50 Data Source: Perez Bridge Tenders Reports, 2012 2014. Note: Although the maximum vertical clearance is generally 102 above mean high water, during lower water conditions slightly larger vessels can be accommodated. 2.2 Bridge Operation Trends During the observation period, marine traffic tended to remain relatively static throughout the year, with variability not following seasonal or monthly patterns. Below, Figure 3 shows a year to year comparison of total marine traffic passing under the Perez Bridge on the GIWW by month. The low numbers of vessels counted during the 3.5 month period (April to mid July) in 2013 is likely due to major repairs made to the USACE operated Algiers Lock located just over 3.5 miles northeast of the Perez Bridge. 1 Also of note, after Hurricane Isaac in late August 2012, no other major tropical storms/ hurricanes made landfall along the Gulf Coast throughout 2013 and 2014 (see Figures 2 and 5 for Regional Overview). 1 Based up on email communication with USACE Administrator Victor Landry on April 7, 2015. August 2015 5
LA 23 New Orleans Gulf Coast Railway Relocation PE/NEPA Project Figure 2. Regional Overview Map Figure 3. Total Marine Traffic on GIWW Annual Comparison by Month Data Source: Perez Bridge Tenders Reports, 2012 2014. Note: Major repairs to the USACE Algiers Lock occurring over several months during 20133 caused significant reductions along this section of the GIWW. Similar studies of marine traffic for the Perez Bridge were conducted in 1996 2 and 2008 3, using bridge tender reports from 1993 1994 and 2006 2007, respectively.. Based on comparison of 2 Belle Chas sse Highway Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway: Planning/Line and Grade Study. Conducted by BKI in June 1996. 3 Replace Belle Chasse Tunnel and Bridge Stage 0 Feasibility Study. Conducted by BKI in 2008. August 2015 6
results of those studies and the findings of analysis conduct here, average monthly traffic has increased from 284 vessels to 432 vessels. This represents a 34 percent increase in vessel traffic from 1993 to 2014 and an 18 percent increase since 2007. Table 2 shows the comparative data. This is somewhat in conflict with anecdotal reports that traffic on this portion of the GIWW is declining as maritime industries move west towards the Houma Thibodeaux area. Table 2. Comparison of Number of Vessels According to Previous Studies Month Average Number of Vessels 1993 1994 2006 2007 2012 2014 January 303 174 347 February 270 320 329 March 281 346 371 April 261 400 310 May 340 465 337 June 380 397 July 387 336 August 470 340 September 322 351 October 297 385 387 November 263 344 392 December 267 318 341 Average 284 356 432 Data Sources: Perez Bridge Tenders Reports, 1993 1994, 2006 2007, and 2012 2014; Belle Chasse Highway Bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway: Planning/Line and Grade Study. Conducted by BKI in June 1996. 1993 1994 data not available for June September. 2.3 Vessel s The Perez Bridge has a closed vertical clearance of 40 feet and an open vertical clearance of 100 feet. 4 According to monthly and annual summaries compiled from bridge tenders reports, the average vessel traveling on this portion of the GIWW has a height of 47.3 feet. The 85th percentile height is 50 feet. These statistics do not account for vessels that did not require the bridge to be opened because the vessels were smaller than the 40 foot clearance. Figure 4 shows the number and percent of vessels that required the bridge to open during the 2012 4 Bridge can be opened higher than 100 ft. by bridge engineer (electrician) as per activity log, February 21, 2012. August 2015 7
LA 23 New Orleans Gulf Coast Railway Relocation PE/NEPA Project 2014 study period by height. The data shows that 75 percent of vessels had a height of 49 feet or less and 33 percent of vesselss were less than 45 feet. Figure 4. Vessels by : Numberr and Percent of Total 2.4 Algiers Lock In 2012 and 2013, the Algiers Lock, which records all vessels traversing the lock, recorded 32,047 and 20,743 vessels for each respective year. Comparing these annual statistics to the annual number of vessels traveling under the Perez Bridge as reported by the two years of bridge tenders reports studied, approximate ely 18 percent 19 percent of the vessels that use this stretch of waterway require an opening at the highway bridge (Table 3). Records from 2012 indicate that this lock, constructed in 1956, processes vessels carrying an annual total tonnage of 23,837,472. As mentioned previously, the decreased number of vessels counted during 2013 is likely due to major repairs made by the USACE to the Algiers Lock. 5 Number of Vessels Based on annual totals, 2012 2014 Algiers Lock Table 3. USACE Algiers Lock Marine Traffic Perez Bridge 2012 GIWW Marine Traffic Required 40 + Vertical Clearance 32,047 6,0999 19% Algiers Lock Data Sources: Perez Bridge Tenders Reports 2012 2014; USACE Lock Statistics Report 2013. Perez Bridge 20,743 3,715 2013 GIWW Marine Traffic Required 40 + Vertical Clearance 18% 5 Based up on email communication with USACE Administrator Victor Landry on April 7, 2015. August 2015 8
3.0 REGIONAL NAVIGATION The GIWW was created through a series of Congressional Acts as an inland coastal waterway from the Apalachee Bay, Florida to the Mexican border. Its importance is attributed to its connection to the Mississippi River and other inland waterways, providing for waterborne trade throughout the eastern and southern seaboards, the Midwest and the Great Lakes. The minimum authorized channel depth for the GIWW is 12 feet mean sea level. The horizontal clearance of the cross section of the channel is 125 feet. 3.1 Regional Clearances and Obstructions A 2001 study 6 prepared for the Jefferson Parish Port District identified obstructions and clearances in the roughly 6 mile corridor of the Algiers Canal/GIWW from its junction with the Mississippi River to the Harvey Canal. The following structures/navigation restrictions, shown on Figure 5, set the vertical and horizontal clearances for this section of waterway: 1. At mile 0.0, the Algiers Lock provides a horizontal clearance of 75 feet; it is 797 feet long (760 feet useable), has 13 foot depth over the sills and handles lifts to 18 feet. There is a nearby overhead power cable that has a vertical clearance of 126 feet. 2. At mile 1.0, the General DeGaulle (LA 407) fixed span bridge provides a vertical clearance of 100 feet and a horizontal clearance of 250 feet. Nearby overhead power cables provide a vertical clearance of 112 feet. 3. At mile 3.7, the Perez Bridge, a lift bridge, provides a vertical clearance of 40 feet down and 100 feet up, and a horizontal clearance of 125 feet. The NOGC Railroad Bridge, also a lift bridge, provides a clearance of 2 feet down and 100 feet up. 4. Finally, there is an overhead power cable at mile 8.4 with a vertical clearance of 117 feet. From the juncture with the Harvey Canal, the GIWW continues in a southwesterly direction until it splits off into two courses. This section of waterway, just below the Harvey Canal, but before the split, includes the following obstructions which set the navigational clearances: 5. GIWW West Closure Complex at mile 9.4 with an unlimited vertical clearance and a horizontal clearance of 225 feet. 6. There is one overhead power cable at mile 10.1 with a vertical clearance of 99 feet. 7. The LA 3134/Crown Point Bridge (mile 11.9 south of Bayou Barataria measured from Harvey Lock) is a fixed highway bridge with a vertical clearance of 73 feet and a horizontal clearance of 150 feet. 6 Analysis of the Navigation Routes from the Harvey Canal to the Gulf of Mexico. Conducted for Jefferson Parish by BKI, February 2001. August 2015 9
Figure 5. Regional Navigational Clearances and Obstructions Below the Crown Point Bridge (location 7 in Figure 5), the GIWW continues to the west, whereas the Barataria Waterway diverges to the south. The GIWW from the Harvey Canal to Houma is approximately 50 miles. From that point, the GIWW continues to southwest Louisiana, while the Houma Navigation Canal heads south for 40 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. This route s (from Harvey Canal to Houma) maximum vertical clearance of 70 feet is set by the Southern Pacific Railroad Bridge at mile 58.9. Its maximum horizontal clearance is 125 feet, set at several locations. The other route to the Gulf of Mexico, the Barataria Waterway (starting from the GIWW near Jean Lafitte), is 42 miles in length from the Harvey Canal. The bar channel at Barataria Pass, like all channels discharging to the Gulf of Mexico, has a history of shoaling that causes the depth at the pass to vary from 5 feet to 14 feet. The maximum vertical clearance for the route is 74.5 feet, set by the Kerner Bridge in Lafitte (LA 302). The maximum horizontal clearance (73 feet) for the route is set by the Crown Point Bridge, noted above. The regional navigation restrictions are summarized in Table 4. August 2015 10
Table 4. Regional Navigational Restrictions Summary Name Milepost Type Vertical Limit when raised (when down) Horizontal Limit USACE Algiers Lock 0.0 Lock structure n/a 75 General DeGaulle/ LA 407 Bridge Belle Chasse Highway/ LA 23 Bridge 1.0 Fixed Bridge 100 250 3.7 Moveable Bridge 100 (40 ) Overhead power cable 8.4 Cable 117 n/a USACE GIWW West Closure Complex 125 9.4 Lock structure n/a 225 Overhead power cable 10.1 Cable 99 n/a Crown Point/ 11.9 Fixed Bridge 73 150 LA 3134 Bridge Data Sources: Analysis of the Navigation Routes from the Harvey Canal to the Gulf of Mexico. Conducted for Jefferson Parish by BKI, February 2001; and USACE New Orleans, 2015. Note: The USACE maintains the GIWW navigation channel at a depth of 12 MSL. 3.2 Planned Projects Along the Algiers Cut off Canal segment of the GIWW, two on going projects relate to automobile crossings of the GIWW. Peters Road Extension This 100 foot vertical clearance fixed bridge project has been granted a FONSI by the Federal Highway Administration. The three construction portions of the bridge development include the south side approach, north side approach, and bridge section. The south side approach has been constructed, while the north side is in the permitting process and the bridge section is still awaiting full project funding. Replace Belle Chasse Bridge (Perez Bridge) and Tunnel This project will replace the aging LA 23 bridge and tunnel crossings of the GIWW. It is currently in Stage 1, Environmental, with an unknown completion date. There are movable and fixed alternatives being considered, while vertical and horizontal clearances are undetermined as well. August 2015 11
4.0 FINDINGS The analysis of bridge tenders reports and navigational clearances in the surrounding area provide insight into marine vessel traffic patterns for consideration in the LA 23 Rail Relocation NEPA Project. These findings include: 1. Vessels traveling through the portion of GIWW within the study area have maintained relatively similar heights over the last two decades. Figure 4 shows the percentage of marine traffic that would require a bridge opening at various bridge clearances. While this chart uses existing numbers to predict potential trends, no bridge tender reports exist which have recorded heights of vessels below 40 feet. 2. Navigational clearances in the surrounding waterways vary. Based on relatively recent discussions with the USCG and the navigation industry, 150 feet appears to be the current minimum horizontal clearance which the USCG will consider on the GIWW. The actual clearance required at the proposed new railroad bridge location will be determined after meeting with USCG and USACE representatives. The existing NOGC Railway bridge over the GIWW has a closed vertical clearance of 5 feet with an open vertical clearance of 100 feet. August 2015 12