Hershey Chocolate of Stuarts Draft is the recipient of a $450,000 grant through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT)’s Rail Industrial Access Program.
The grant will support construction of a new 4,750-foot rail spur, which will grow capacity for 145 new annual carloads and create 111 new jobs. The new rail spur will divert nearly 1,500 trucks from Virginia highways each year in addition to the 3,995 trucks Hershey already diverts.
“The Rail Industrial Access grant program has proven again and again its immense value to Virginia’s economy and businesses,” Jennifer DeBruhl, Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, said. “We look forward to seeing the new growth and success of Hershey in Augusta County as the rail spur improves the movement of materials to the facility from the Midwest and the Southern United States.”
Hershey is responsible for a minimum of 30 percent match toward rail costs as part of the Rail Industrial Access grant. An estimated $5 million in railroad track construction and $140 million in capital investment will go into the facility.
DRPT freight rail programs have diverted more than 44 million trucks from Virginia highways since 2017. Companies awarded Rail Industrial Access grants diverted 28,332 trucks in 2022. The reduction of trucks on the road enables DRPT to fulfill its commitment to reducing road congestion and decreasing harmful emissions in Virginia.
Hershey Chocolate is an industry-leading snacks company with more than 80 brands including Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat, SkinnyPop and Jolly Rancher.
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Rebecca Barnabi
