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The threat of a nationwide strike by railroad workers that could have shut down the nation’s freight trains exposed vulnerabilities in the supply chain that could have proved devastating to the economy.

Hours before Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that emergency road and bridge repairs to Pine Island had been completed ahead of schedule on Oct. 5, cheers and a little laughter greeted some of the first motorists — including a Publix truck — to cross a temporary bridge built to restore access by land to the island, which took much of the brunt from Hurricane Ian.

Legislation designed to expedite emergency recovery aid recently advanced to the president’s desk amid renewed calls for enhancing infrastructure resilience.

GXO Logistics Inc. has received unconditional regulatory clearance in the United Kingdom to acquire Clipper Logistics, the contract logistics provider announced Oct. 4.

CHICAGO — Since as early as 1848, some 12 years before the Civil War, Chicago has been a major center for transportation given its central location in the country, access to newly built railroad lines and the five Great Lakes. Now, more than 170 years later, millions of products pass through its massive transportation network for trucks, rail and air each day.

Major ports and rail facilities across the U.S. Southeast have halted operations as one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the country advances as a tropical storm, causing disruptions along the way and resulting in another blow for already strained supply chains.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Hurricane Ian rapidly intensified as it neared landfall along Florida’s southwest coast Sept. 28, gaining top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Damaging winds and rain lashed the state, and the heavily populated Naples to Sarasota region was at highest risk of a devastating storm surge.

OMAHA, Neb. — A union that rejected its deal with the nation’s freight railroads earlier this month now has a new tentative agreement, but officials cautioned that the contract dispute won’t be fully settled until all 12 rail unions approve their agreements this fall.

North Dakota is joining a handful of states that are merging their long-term freight and rail plans into a single document to maximize multimodal synergies and streamline federal reporting requirements.

It’ll cost more to mail letters and packages this holiday season. Starting Oct. 2, the U.S. Postal Service is increasing its rates for both commercial and retail products.