Frequently Asked Questions
Heartland Corridor Clearance Project Web Site
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Commonwealth Mainline Safety Relocation Project?
2. What is the purpose of the project?
3. Who is the State Agency in charge of the project?
4. When did construction work begin on the project?
5. When did construction begin on the Route 17 bridge?
6. When will construction work be completed?
7. What will happen to the existing rail line?
8. How does the rail line traverse from Route 164 to Interstate-664?
9. Will high speed trains use the new median rail line?
10. Who can I contact with additional questions about the project?
12.
When will trains travel over the existing rail line?
1. What is the Commonwealth Railway Mainline Safety Relocation Project?
Please see the Project Overview page for a brief description of the Commonwealth Railway Mainline
Safety Relocation Project.
2. What is the purpose of the project?
To improve public safety by eliminating 14 at-grade rail crossings in the cities of Portsmouth and Chesapeake.
3. Who is the State Agency in charge of the project?
The Virginia Port Authority.
4. When did construction work begin on the project?
July 9, 2007.
5. When did construction begin on the Route 17 bridge?
Test piles for the bridge were driven on June 20, 2008 and construction of the mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) retaining walls for the bridge approaches began August 5, 2008.
6. When will construction work be completed?
The project, including the Route 17 bridge, is scheduled for completion by December 31, 2009.
7. What will happen to the existing rail line?
When the Median Rail Safety Relocation Project is completed, the existing rail lines will be closed to rail traffic and abandoned. While not part of the Median Rail Project, at some future time Commonwealth Railway will remove (at their own expense) the existing ties and rails to be salvaged for use elsewhere by their firm. The existing rail right-of-way will then be conveyed to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Any subsequent plans for the rail right-of-way will be decided by the Commonwealth at some future time.
8. How does the rail line traverse from Route 164 to Interstate-664?
I-664 and Route 164 were constructed to accommodate the required crossings. The rail line will also cross Highway 17. The bridge being designed to create a grade separation at Highway 17 will be constructed as a part of this project. Highway 17 will be carried over the rail line via this bridge.
9. Will high speed trains use the new median rail line?
No. Only double-stack trains traveling at a maximum of 25 mph will use the median rail line.
10. Who can I contact with additional questions about the project?
Please visit the Contact Us page in order to submit a question about the project. Please be sure to include your address, phone or e-mail so that we may contact you regarding your question.
11. How many trains per day will use the existing rail line during the period from the opening of the APM Maersk terminal until the CRMSRP is completed in 2009?
The number of trains will depend on the amount of business at the APM terminal and the amount of cargo that can be put on intermodal trains. While this cannot be predicted with exact certainty, it is expected that about 4 to 6 trains per day will be sufficient to serve APM's customers. The number of trains may fluctuate as APM/Maersk's business fluctuates.
12. When will trains travel over the existing rail line?
The train schedules will depend on the level of APM/Maersk business and the Class I ( Norfolk Southern and CSX) train schedules. The schedules are still being worked out; however, the railroads are aware of concerns about nighttime operations and are working to limit train movements to the hours between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm.
