Railroad Project Could Cut I-81 Truck Traffic

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Updated: 1:41 PM Feb 18, 2008 Railroad Project Could Cut I-81 Truck Traffic State and railroad officials say improvements to a rail bottleneck in western Virginia will help cut truck traffic on Interstate 81. Posted: 1:10 PM Feb 18, 2008

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February 18, 2008

(AP) State and railroad officials say improvements to a rail bottleneck in western Virginia will help cut truck traffic on Interstate 81.

Crews are beginning work this month on the project between Manassas and Front Royal, an area of freight-train congestion.

The state will spend $40 million and Norfolk Southern $17 million for new track and signal equipment.

Norfolk Southern spokesman Robin Chapman says that when the work is done later this year, it will allow longer and more frequent north-south trains and haul more goods to and from Norfolk's ports.

State highway analysts predict that the work will cut 597,000 truck trips from Virginia highways during the following 15 years. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation says a new study on potential rail projects is expected to help officials determine what further improvements will do the most good.

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