STAR Solutions Officially Ends Participation in All Future Work in the I-81 Corridor!


HOME | WHO WE ARE | OUR VISION | PARTNERS | LOCAL GOV'T PARTNERS  
 
HOT TOPICS
I-81 Freight Rail Study and Norfolk Southern Cresent Corridor compared and contrasted in new paper for CTB
11/18/07
Because both are rail intermodal efforts affecting the I-81 Corridor, there has been public confusion over what these two projects are and how they differ. In a new paper prepared for the Commonwealth Transportation Board meeting in Roanoke on November 7, RAIL Solution details the differences and highlights some curious ways the new NS direction departs from the vision of its own CEO, Wick Moorman (2nd item below). Read more...
Response to
"I-81 Crescent Corridor" Initiative
7/9/07
RAIL Solution has been asked our views on Norfolk Southern's recently announced "I-81 Crescent Corridor" initiative. To understand its significance, one has to separate what's old from what's new. Read more...
Norfolk Southern's
I-81 Strategy

10/19/06
Norfolk Southern President, Chairman, and CEO Charles "Wick" Moorman made a major address at Hotel Roanoke, which he called a "coming out party" for the railroad's I-81 strategy. Read more...
Read local
press coverage
of the issues

A Multi-State Plan Needs Multi-State Involvement

RAIL Solution is reaching out to Tennesseans, Pennsylvanians, Marylanders, and
West Virginians.


“Our neighbors need to know that the H-1581 process offers opportunity for significant transport- ation improvements at less cost to taxpayers, highway users and our environment up and down the I-81 Corridor. These citizens need to be pressing their transportation planners to gain access to the intermodal rail planning process.”

Dave Foster
RAIL Solution Exec. Dir.
contact>

Excerpts from H-1581

...That the Commonwealth of Virginia, [shall complete] a comprehensive feasibility plan to … divert the maximum amount feasible of the long-haul, through-truck freight traffic to intermodal rail in the Interstate Route 81 Corridor…

A. Operating Characteristics

• Utilize existing VDOT or Norfolk Southern Shenandoah line right-of-way …

• Extend at least 500 miles, creating or expanding logical termini in Tennessee and Pennsylvania or New York with at least one intermediate terminal in Virginia;

• Utilize suitable "roll on/roll off" and other efficient rail technologies …

• Achieve truck-competitive transit times and reliability …

• Consider the option of a new rail right-of-way from Front Royal to Culpeper …


B. Financial Evaluation

• Capital cost of upgrading and construction for rail …

• Operating cost for the level of rail service needed to achieve truck-competitive speed and reliability;

• … performance criterion of 60% diversion rate for through-state freight to rail;

• Evaluate project financing alternatives …

• Include … cost savings from using rail compared to over-the-road driving;

• Include analysis of a full range of future fuel price scenarios…

See full text of H-1581

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT MEETING:
June 7th at 10am
Salem, VA


OF INTEREST
CSX's Innovative I-95 Corridor Proposal

Rail: Perpetually Underfunded

2006 Recap

PROBLEMS
with the
Tier 1 EIS

-Overview of DEIS.
-RS Response
-VDOT I-81 Site
-Write to VDOT>
-EIS Process Overview

Concerns for:
-Local Leaders
-Business Leaders
-Historic Sites
-Railroad Fans
-Environmentals


MEDIA COVERAGE
-Editorials/News
-Letters to Editor


LEARN MORE
RAIL Solution's I-81 Transportation Issues & Priorities

Maximize Rail/ Minimize Road Expansion


RESOURCES
-VA Gen. Assembly
-Analysis & Reports
-EIS Process
-PPTA Process
-Media Contacts
-Links
-Contact Us