Dewberry to develop master plan for Carolina Connector

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor
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Dewberry, a privately held professional services firm, has been selected by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) to develop a transportation and freight master plan for the new Carolina Connector (CCX) intermodal train hub in Rocky Mount, N.C. This facility will serve as a major intermodal transportation center for CSX in the southeast.

Dewberry’s efforts will focus on the transportation connections to potential freight nodes across the state and the strategic infrastructure investments that will be crucial to the success of the facility. In addition, the firm will identify key markets for targeted future investment to facilitate continued growth for the benefit of the Eastern North Carolina region and the state.

“The new intermodal hub and its surrounding development will generate tremendous economic opportunities for North Carolina residents,” said Rachel Vandenberg, PE, Dewberry vice president and project manager. “Our engineers and planners are excited to be part of such an impactful undertaking.”

Benefits of the project and supportive investments will go beyond the intermodal facility’s anticipated direct railroad employment of more than 1,500 new jobs. Targeted road and rail investments and proposed adjacent land uses identified in the transportation and freight master plan are expected to lower shipping costs for businesses, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by shifting regional freight traffic from truck to rail and attract new logistics and manufacturing jobs to the eastern part of the state.

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