National Gateway Honored as “Competitiveness Project of the Year”

Written by jrood

The National Gateway coalition has been honored as "Competitiveness Project of the Year" by the North American Strategic Infrastructure Leadership Forum, a leading infrastructure identification and development group. The award recognizes the National Gateway as the "project that contributes most to the [North American] region's capacity for global competitiveness."

The National Gateway is an
$842-million, multi-state public-private infrastructure initiative that will
create a more efficient freight rail route between Mid-Atlantic ports and
Midwestern markets. This is achieved by raising bridges, increasing tunnel
clearances and building terminals along an existing rail corridor to support
the movement of double-stacked containers on rail cars.

The project will improve
American competitiveness in global markets, create jobs, reduce
transportation-related emissions and alleviate congestion on roads and
highways. Every dollar invested in the National Gateway returns $6 of public
benefits by significantly increasing freight capacity and reducing transit times
between East and West Coast ports and major population centers by 24 to 48
hours.

To date, the project has
received $395 million in funding commitments from freight transportation
company CSX Corporation and its affiliates. States involved in the project are
expected to fund $189 million, with an additional $258 million requested from
the federal government.

The National Gateway has
the support of Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland,
Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, West Virginia
Governor Joe Manchin and North Carolina Governor Bev Purdue. The National Gateway
coalition includes more than three dozen United States Senators and
Representatives, as well a large coalition of state officials, business groups
and environmental advocates. For a complete list of supporters, visit
www.nationalgateway.org.

"Today there is an
urgent need for strategic investment in transportation infrastructure,"
said Carl Warren, director of strategic infrastructure for CSX Intermodal.
"This award is an acknowledgement of the National Gateway’s role in
meeting those critical needs."

Warren thanked the states
of Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina for
their leadership in this partnership to enhance the region’s competitiveness.

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