NS to invest $11 million in Philadelphia Navy Yard IM facility

Written by jrood

Norfolk Southern and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are investing $11 million in the railroad's Philadelphia Navy Yard intermodal facility to expand track and parking capacity. The expansion is part of Norfolk Southern's multi-state Crescent Corridor initiative to establish a high-speed intermodal freight rail route between the Gulf Coast and the Northeast. The proposed investment -- $6 million from Norfolk Southern and $5 million from Pennsylvania -- will create the capacity to handle more than 72,000 containers and trailers annually. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2010.

"Because of its
strategic location to Southeastern Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Delaware,
expansion of the Philadelphia Navy Yard intermodal facility is critical to the
success of our Crescent Corridor," said Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern’s
chief executive officer.

"Rail freight is an
important component of any transportation infrastructure discussion,"
Governor Edward G. Rendell said. "The Philadelphia Navy Yard intermodal
facility will serve Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, creating good jobs,
generating revenue locally, and helping reduce highway congestion. Pennsylvania
has invested heavily in rail freight because it is a smart, environmentally
friendly, cost-effective infrastructure investment. I will continue to advocate
for rail freight investments at the state and national level."

Norfolk Southern’s
Crescent Corridor initiative is a multistate network of infrastructure
improvements and facilities intended to enhance Norfolk Southern’s 2,500-mile
rail network that supports the supply chain from the Gulf Coast and Memphis to
Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and the New York metropolitan area and enable it to
handle more freight traffic faster and more reliably. The railroad is in the
process of implementing corridor projects, including straightening curves,
adding passing tracks, improving signal systems, and building new terminals.

Altogether, nearly $2.5
billion in Crescent Corridor projects have been identified, and based on the
public benefits of relief from highway congestion, NS plans to implement the
Crescent Corridor initiative through a series of public-private partnerships.
At completion, the Crescent Corridor is projected to divert more than one
million truckloads of freight from the highways to the rails annually, saving
the U.S. more than 170 million gallons of fuel per year.

When the Crescent
Corridor is fully operational, annual benefits to Pennsylvania are expected to
include nearly 700,000 long-haul trucks diverted to rail, almost 10 million
gallons of fuel saved, carbon dioxide reduction of 110,000 tons, more than $44
million in traffic congestion savings, and avoidance of an estimated $8.5
million in accident costs. Over the next 10 years 26,000 jobs in Pennsylvania
are expected to be created or enhanced by the Crescent Corridor. Norfolk Southern
is constructing a new $95-million intermodal facility in Franklin County, Pa.,
and has $52 million in improvements planned for its existing Harrisburg
intermodal terminal, along with $27 million in track and signal upgrades in
Berks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, and
Northampton counties.

Rail intermodal traffic
uses one-third of the fuel required by long-haul trucks and greatly reduces
highway congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and highway maintenance costs.
The Crescent Corridor will help the environment and reduce a large burden on
state budgets.

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