Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility will build at Elliston starting this winter

Updated Tuesday 3:00 p.m.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation announced today they will start construction of the Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility at the Elliston site in Montgomery County.

The facility will provide significant economic benefits for the region, with up to 2,900 jobs and $71 million in tax revenue annually.

From the DRPT:
“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 which 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.

About the Heartland Corridor and the Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility

The Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility is part of the multi-state Heartland Corridor freight rail project, which will increase capacity and reduce freight shipping time between Hampton Roads, Va. and Chicago by up to 1.5 days.

Intermodal facilities serve as a transfer point for freight shipping between trucks and rail. Just one intermodal train has the equivalent carrying capacity of 200 long haul trucks, providing a competitive shipping option and reducing the number of trucks on highways.“

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The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation says they will make a major announcement about the Roanoke Regional Intermodal Facility Tuesday afternoon.

The announcement is expected at 2:00 p.m. at the VDOT Salem District Office.

The project is a multi-state freight rail improvement that would double intermodal freight capacity along the rail line that parallels Route 460 through Virginia.