Ohio touts National Gateway’s importance

The Ohio Rail Development Commission (ORDC) says Ohio will enhance its freight traffic importance with the signing of a series of agreements that allows engineering and construction to get under way on a key portion of the $183 million, multi-state CSX National Gateway project.

The joint agreements involve CSX, ORDC, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Eastern Federal Lands Division, along with the states of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, ORDC said.

ORDC made its statement as CSX prepares to open its new intermodal freight container yard at North Baltimore, Ohio, which will serve the National Gateway corridor. The 500-acre, state-of-the-art facility is scheduled to officially open next month and will employ approximately 200 full-time employees upon completion, with 60 positions to be filled by the January 2011 opening. Another 2,600 jobs could be spun off from the yard, according to a Cambridge Systematics study commissioned by CSX.

“CSX is committed to working with Ohio to make the National Gateway a reality. This critical infrastructure project will stimulate the State’s economy, create jobs and reduce carbon emissions,” said Louis Renjel, vice president of strategic infrastructure initiatives for CSX. “The clearance projects, coupled with the new state-of-the-art terminal in Northwest Ohio will revolutionize Ohio’s freight transportation system with increased capacity, efficiency and competitiveness.”

The initial portion of the National Gateway project will raise clearances to create a double-stack container rail corridor from Ohio through West Virginia, Pennsylvania and in to Maryland. In total, 40 clearance projects will be completed, including track lowering, bridge replacements, raisings or removals and work on several tunnels to create greater clearance for the taller double-stack trains. CSX estimates the project will create 10,000 construction jobs.

"ORDC’s structure allows us to play a critical role in the development of this project that once again reinforces the importance of Ohio’s position in country’s logistics and supply chains”, says ORDC Executive Director Matt Dietrich. “We couldn’t be happier with the partnerships we have established with CSX, the other states and FHWA EFLD. Without this team effort, this project could not become a reality.”