Cargo Business Newswire

Friday, July 24, 2015

Top Story

Port of Virginia breaks ground on major transportation projects

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx (pictured) attended a groundbreaking ceremony at Norfolk International Terminals this week to celebrate the start of construction on two big local transportation projects.

Foxx said the port is a "critical, critical hub on our East Coast."

Projects include:

- A $31 million expansion of the North Gate complex at NIT, one of the port's big container facilities.

- A $175.6 million stretch of four-lane highway - the Interstate 564 Intermodal Connector - extending nearly 3 miles from the existing I-564 and linking to NIT and Norfolk Naval Station.

"We're in a great place today," McAuliffe said. "This is a big deal for the port."

The I-564 Intermodal Connector will take about two years to complete, and is expected to get an estimated 740 trucks a day off crowded streets, and

Photo credit: Steve Earley/The Virginian-Pilot

will ease access for the 80,000 vehicles going to and from the Navy base daily.

McAuliffe also announced the port is forecast to turn a $16.1 million profit for the 2015 fiscal year — a $31.5 million improvement compared with the previous fiscal year.

For more of the Virginia Pilot Online story: hamptonroads.com