The Commonwealth Transportation Board has approved a Rail Industrial Access Grant that will improve rail access for private company Norfolk Terminal LP and increase exports from the Port of Virginia.
The CTB also adopted the framework to advance the Transit Ridership Incentive Program.
“The actions of the Board support a multimodal transportation network that moves critical cargo and connects people to jobs, services and healthcare,” said Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. “From the railroad tracks connecting companies to our Port, to the buses in our communities, transportation is driving Virginia’s economy and ensuring that the Commonwealth remains the #1 place to do business.”
The $450,000 grant to Norfolk Terminal, LP, through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s Rail Industrial Access Grant program, is for the construction of a new rail yard at its expanding facility. The grant will enhance the company’s $61 million capital investment project to receive, store, package and ship products through the Port of Virginia.
Norfolk Terminal’s 10,815-foot rail siding is expected to avoid approximately 10,200 trucks from Virginia’s highways per year by utilizing the rail network.
The construction of the industrial sidetrack is critical to Norfolk Terminal’s phase one capacity expansion, which also will create 31 additional jobs. The company is partnering with the City of Norfolk on workforce development, focusing on hiring individuals transitioning from active military duty as well as graduates of local colleges with degrees in maritime or logistics.
“The Rail Industrial Access program is an important tool to support Virginia’s efforts to attract jobs that have access to the Commonwealth’s multimodal transportation assets,” said DRPT Director Jennifer Mitchell. “We are proud to partner with Norfolk Terminal, LP, on this expansion to increase the company’s rail capacity to the Virginia Port while hiring local talent.
The CTB also approved the Policy for the Implementation of the Transit Ridership Incentive Program, which will allow DRPT to move forward to solicit applications for FY22 funding. This program has two distinct goals: improving the regional connectivity of urban areas; and increasing the ridership and accessibility of transit throughout the Commonwealth, specifically for low income populations.
The policy adopted by the Board provides the framework for the implementation of the program including eligibility requirements and evaluation criteria.
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