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Location |
Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio |
Project Sponsor / Borrower |
FHWA Eastern Federal Lands Division |
Program Areas |
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Mode |
Intermodal / Freight |
Description |
Due to Norfolk Southern's rail network, the Port of Virginia (Newport News) has always had good rail access to the Midwest markets. The Heartland Corridor project makes the most direct rail route to the major markets of Columbus and Chicago accessible to double-stack container trains, shortening the trip to Chicago, for example, by over 200 miles by obviating the need to travel via Harrisburg and then west or to Knoxville and then north. Extending through Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio, the Heartland Corridor consists of series of five separate intermodal projects designed to improve mobility and increase freight capacity. They include:
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Cost |
Total: $363 million Heartland Central Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Project: $191 million (Extensions to Cincinnati: $6.1 million) Separate but complementary projects not involving FHWA include:
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Funding Sources |
Heartland Central Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Project
Extension to Cincinnati
Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility
Rickenbacker Intermodal Terminal
Commonwealth Railway Relocation
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Project Delivery / Contract Method |
Heartland Central Corridor Double-Stack Clearance Project: Design-Bid-Build Commonwealth Railway Relocation: Design-Build |
Private Partner |
Design-builder (Commonwealth Railway Relocation): Commonwealth Railway, Inc/Moffatt and Nichol/Branscome, Inc. (awarded July 1, 2006) Equity partner: Norfolk Southern Railroad |
Project Advisors / Consultants |
Tunnel enlargements: Johnson Western Gunite, LRL Construction, RJ Corman Railroad Construction Prime Design Consultant: Hatch Mott MacDonald Construction Management: STV |
Lenders |
Not applicable |
Duration / Status |
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Financial Status |
Closed |
Innovations |
The first time that the private freight rail industry has worked together with U.S. DOT (FRA, FTA, and FHWA) to develop and finance a rail improvement project. Norfolk Southern is investing $44.4 million in the Central Corridor Double-Stack initiative. This in turn has leveraged $105.6 million in public funding, including a $90 million earmark in SAFETEA-LU. While the project will benefit Norfolk Southern's operations, it will also enhance the competitiveness of ports in the Tidewater region. |
Related Links / Articles |
FHWA
Eastern Federal Lands Highway - Heartland Corridor Clearance Project |
Contacts |
Federal money and project oversight administered by: Dr. Robert Martinez |