Norfolk Southern has performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Tennessee-based Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility.
Around $105 million will be invested in the facility, which forms a part of the $2.5 billion Crescent Corridor initiative to build a high-capacity intermodal freight rail route linking the Northeast and the South over the Norfolk Southern's rail network. The proposed facility will be constructed on 380 acres of land in Fayette County and is anticipated to become functional in the later part of 2012.
The Memphis Regional Intermodal Facility will incorporate new terminal and gate automation technology to cut down the waiting time of vehicles coming through the terminal, thus minimizing the emissions and enhancing the productivity of the truck driver. The complex will also incorporate latest low carbon discharging cranes. The administration building in the complex will be constructed to meet LEED certification standards. The Intermodal facility is anticipated to generate around 6,200 job positions in Memphis in a period of 10 years and will be equipped to manage 327,000 trailers and containers every year.
The Crescent Corridor initiative includes a number of independent projects and programs that focus on constructing a 2,500 mile long intermodal route connecting New Jersey and Louisiana. The proposed route reaches 26% of the national population and 30% of the production output. It also offers the shortest two-way route between the Northeast and the South. The route, when fully functional, will easily manage goods traffic and generate over 73,000 clean green jobs by the year 2030.
Source: http://www.nscorp.com/