HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of today's address to the General Assembly regarding the 2009-2010 budget, Governor Ed Rendell proposed a $27 million investment by the commonwealth in freight rail infrastructure, in addition to the $30 million that is available annually through the Rail Transportation Assistance Capital Bond Program. Norfolk Southern strongly supports the commonwealth's efforts.
"Pennsylvania is the home of more freight railroads than any other state in the U.S., and Norfolk Southern is proud to be Pennsylvania's largest railroad," said Wick Moorman, Norfolk Southern's chief executive officer. "As part of our Crescent Corridor project, over the next several years Norfolk Southern intends to spend tens of millions of dollars in Pennsylvania to build new intermodal facilities and add track capacity, which will, in turn, create new jobs and economic development opportunities. We commend Gov. Rendell, PennDOT Secretary Alan Biehler, and the members of the General Assembly for their collective vision in recognizing the commercial and environmental benefits freight railroads provide in Pennsylvania."
Norfolk Southern's Crescent Corridor is a 2,500 mile rail network between Pennsylvania and the Gulf Coast, and more than $2 billion in projects have been identified to improve freight rail service and reduce interstate highway congestion. When the project is complete, freight train speeds and reliability will be greatly improved, resulting in the reduction of an estimated 1 million trucks annually from the highways, including Interstates 81, 78, 76, and 70 in Pennsylvania. For the Crescent Corridor to maximize its potential, public funding is required. To date, the Commonwealth of Virginia has provided $45 million to the project.
For the Crescent Corridor segment in Pennsylvania, Norfolk Southern plans to significantly improve existing rail terminals in Harrisburg, Bethlehem and Philadelphia, and construct a new intermodal terminal in the south-central part of the commonwealth. Norfolk Southern will also upgrade the existing track and signals between Franklin County and the Lehigh Valley.
Norfolk Southern Corporation is one of the nation's premier transportation companies. Its Norfolk Southern Railway subsidiary operates approximately 21,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia, serving every major container port in the eastern United States and providing superior connections to western rail carriers. Norfolk Southern operates the most extensive intermodal network in the East and is North America's largest rail carrier of metals and automotive products.
