Norfolk Southern will construct on Elliston site

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) issued a Notice to Proceed to Norfolk Southern Railway, authorizing the railroad to initiate construction of the Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility at the Elliston site in Montgomery County, VA. The facility will provide significant economic benefits for the region, with up to 2,900 jobs and $71 million in tax revenue annually.

Since 2006, DRPT has worked with localities in the Roanoke region to consider potential sites for the facility, which is part of the Heartland Corridor project. The Heartland Corridor project is a multi-state freight rail initiative with significant Virginia benefits. The project will save 1.5 days of shipping time between the Port of Virginia and markets in the Midwest, remove 1.9 million trucks from Virginia's highways, save 189 million gallons of fuel and reduce carbon emissions by 700,000 tons in the first 15 years of operation.

The decision to construct the intermodal facility at the Elliston site was based on two years of review and analysis. In March 2008, DRPT released the Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility Summary Report that concludes that the Elliston site is the only feasible site for the intermodal facility.

On April 4, 2008, Governor Kaine requested that, based on the complete set of reports and information available, the localities provide their recommendation on the project within thirty days. To facilitate discussion, the Roanoke Alleghany Regional Commission hosted a regional meeting of elected officials on April 25, 2008, where Secretary of Transportation Pierce Homer and DRPT Agency Director Matthew Tucker provided additional information and answered questions during the meeting to help reach a consensus on next steps. Subsequently, the region affirmed its commitment to the Heartland Corridor project, including the intermodal facility.

DRPT has authorized Norfolk Southern to commence facility construction activities by winter 2008, with the goal of project completion by 2010. Throughout the construction process, Norfolk Southern will coordinate with Montgomery County, the Virginia Department of Transportation, DRPT and other organizations to minimize the local impact of site construction.