Issue Date: November 16, 2007

Intermodal Matters

By Jody Zink
Licensed Realtor in Ohio & Michigan

Imagine looking down on planet earth from outer space, zeroing in on North America. Take note of the highways, railroads and waterways. I-75 and I-80 span the entire nation in all directions. Three of North America's largest railroads operate at our doorstep: Canadian National, Norfolk Southern and CSX. The Great Lakes provide a source of fresh water at a time when some parts of our country are pretty thirsty. And
of course, there's the airports.

The busiest intersection of the entire continent is Toledo, Ohio.

Toledo has what no one else does. It was the heart of conversation at last Thursday's networking night sponsored by the Toledo Home Builders Association. By the time I scrambled to get there, it was standing room only.

Nearly 200 people showed, including developers, builders, politicians,lenders and many others with a stake in our area's prosperity.

Brian McMahon of Danberry National took the mic for a while, sharing some insight from his research, which points to Toledo as an ideal spot for an intermodal hub.

Intermodal? The term isn't one that I've used much (or ever). So I looked it up. Intermodal: involving transportation by more than one form of carrier during a single journey. Ah, I get it.  Sort of like run, bike, swim.

Draw a 300-mile radius around Toledo. Within the Lake Erie West Region, more than 4 billion square feet of industrial space is accessible. That's more than Chicago, according to McMahon's statistical data. Over 30 percent of industrial space in the U.S. and 54 percent of Canadian industrial space can be accessed within a round-trip, one day drive. And fewer days and hours in transit saves companies time and money.
McMahon says, "Where else in North America can a business get these kinds of demographics? We have something no one else has.

With regards to warehousing and logistics, we've got the most bang for the business buck. Understanding it ourselves plays a big role in enhancing our self image. Toledo's at the intersection. Right there on the corner. Not Cincinnati.  Not Cleveland. And there's no deep water port to Columbus.

I think we all agree, everyone here wants to help create a Lake Erie West success story. As a Realtor, I have a sincere interest in people knowing the truth about our region. We have a lot going for us here. Local development groups are pounding the pavement to tell our story around the world, but sometimes the people who actually live here don't follow their lead. The next time someone asks you what's going on in Toledo, take the opportunity to spread some good news. Just tell them the truth.

And if you really want to impress them, drop the word intermodal in your conversation a few times.

Jody Zink is a licensed REALTOR in Ohio and Michigan with the Loss Realty Group. Her column appears every other week in the Toledo Free Press. She can be reached at jody@jodyzinkrealtor.com or 419-725-1881.