NORFOLK, Va. -- Norfolk Southern commended its partners in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee for their leadership in supporting the Crescent Corridor program to increase rail freight transportation capacity and improve mobility and the environment.
"On behalf of Norfolk Southern, I thank our partners for their farsighted support of the Crescent Corridor," said CEO Wick Moorman. "The Crescent Corridor is a tremendous economic advantage for the states and the nation. It will stimulate jobs, tax revenue, and business growth, while delivering substantial public benefits for communities and customers. Governors Ed Rendell, Tim Kaine, Bob Riley, Haley Barbour, and Phil Bredesen are leading the way in showing how public-private partnerships can create safe, affordable, green solutions to America's transportation infrastructure challenges."
Lead state Pennsylvania on Sept. 14 submitted "The Crescent Corridor Intermodal Freight Application" to apply for federal stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program.
The application seeks $300 million in support of new independent intermodal facilities at Memphis, Birmingham, and Franklin County, Pa.; and the expansion of intermodal terminals in Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Track improvements in the five partner states will include 10 passing tracks, 557 individual speed improvements, and 393 miles of track improved with upgraded rail.
These projects will help the Crescent Corridor -- an existing 2,500-mile rail network supporting the supply chain from Memphis and New Orleans to New Jersey -- handle more rail freight traffic, faster and more reliably, creating or benefiting some 47,000 green jobs and producing these estimated annual benefits:
$326 million in tax revenues to states and communities
1.3 million long-haul trucks diverted from interstates
$146 million in accident avoidance savings
1.9 million tons in CO2 reduction
$575 million in congestion savings
$92 million in highway maintenance savings
169 million gallons in fuel savings
In their TIGER application, the five partner states described the Crescent Corridor as, "one of the single largest additions of new freight transportation capacity in America since the Interstate Highway System. Building the last long haul intermodal freight distribution supply chain is one of the best transportation investments of our time."
(The preceding release was distributed September 15, 2009, by Reuters.)
Nicely done NS! Wonder who planned that sca... That great idea? Public pays for private industry, and cuts NS a big, fat check in the bargain... Way ta go Wicky! NS praises Crescent Corridor state partners
Norfolk Southern Corp. has commended its Crescent Corridor state partners, including Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, for supporting the Crescent Corridor program designed to increase NS freight transportation capacity and mobility in the eastern U.S.
"On behalf of Norfolk Southern, I thank our partners for their farsighted support of the Crescent Corridor," said NS CEO Wick Moorman (pictured at left) in a statement. "The Crescent Corridor is a tremendous economic advantage for the states and the nation. It will stimulate jobs, tax revenue, and business growth, while delivering substantial public benefits forcommunities and customers. Governors Ed Rendell, Tim Kaine, Bob Riley, Haley Barbour, and Phil Bredesen are leading the way in showing how public-private partnerships can create safe, affordable, green solutions to America's transportation infrastructure challenges."
NS says lead state Pennsylvania on Monday submitted "The Crescent Corridor Intermodal Freight Application" to apply for federal stimulus money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Program.
The application seeks $300 million in support of new independent intermodal facilities at Memphis, Birmingham, and Franklin County, Pa.; and the expansion of intermodal terminals in Harrisburg and Philadelphia. Track improvements in the five partner states will include 10 passing tracks, 557 individual speed improvements, and 393 miles of track improved with upgraded rail, NS says.
The Crescent Corridor stretches 2,500 miles, linking New Orleans and Memphis with northern New Jersey. In their TIGER application, the five partner states described the Crescent Corridor as "one of the single largest additions of new freight transportation capacity in America since the Interstate Highway System. Building the last long haul intermodal freight distribution supply chain is one of the best transportation investments of our time."
NS says the improvements planned will generate $326 million in tax revenues to states and communities, divert 1.3 million long-haul trucks from Interstate highways, generate $146 million in accident avoidance savings, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.9 million tons, generate $575 million in congestion savings, generate $92 million in highway maintenance savings, and offer fuel savings of 169 million.
__________________
Hmm. That address doesnt look right. It looks like the link pointing here was faulty.
