The Kansas City area could end up with two large rail-truck intermodal hubs. Burlington Northern-Santa Fe announced this week that it now has a partner to help develop a freight center along Interstate 35 just south of the metro area.

According to The Kansas City Star, the Allen Group, a San Diego-based industrial development firm, has an agreement with BNSF to develop the proposed 1,000-acre logistics hub, expected to be operational by late 2008.

BNSF estimates that the hub could generate 10,000 truck trips a day within 20 years.

Meanwhile, a large real estate company is working with Kansas City Southern Railroad in developing a separate intermodal hub at a former air force base near Kansas City.