The Commonwealth Railway Mainline Safety Relocation Project

Commonwealth Railway (CWRY) owns and operates approximately 4.5 miles of rail through the urban neighborhoods of Portsmouth and Chesapeake. The Commonwealth Railway Mainline Safety Relocation project consists of the relocation of this rail line to the Western Freeway (Route 164/I-664) Median Rail Corridor through Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Suffolk, Virginia.

In the early 1980s, both Route 164 and I/664 were built to accommodate a dual set of rail tracks in their medians. This rail-ready corridor will be used to serve both the planned Craney Island Marine Terminal and the recently completed APM/Maersk Marine Terminal. The APM/Maersk Terminal represents a private investment of $500 million. The $2.1 billion Craney Island Marine Terminal is in the planning stages and scheduled to open in 2017. Rail traffic from these two facilities is expected to exceed one million TEUs annually.

Relocating the existing rail line to the Route 164/I-664 Median Rail-Ready Corridor will:

Move the rail line away from densely populated areas of Chesapeake and Portsmouth, Virginia, to a secure, fenced-in rail corridor away from pedestrian and motor traffic,
Eliminate the potential for rail-related accidents at the 14 at-grade crossings currently used by motorists and pedestrians,
Limit the noise levels and pollution emissions from automobiles idling at railroad crossings as well as from trains passing through the neighborhoods in the vicinity of the existing lines,
Divert containerized cargo traffic away from regional highways, thereby reducing highway congestion and improving highway safety,
Allow commercial trains to travel at faster speeds than along the existing residential corridor, therefore getting their cargo to its destination more quickly and efficiently, and
Foster regional economic growth by supporting operations at the APM/Maersk Terminal and the future Craney Island Marine Terminal.

The Commonwealth Railway Mainline Safety Relocation Project will be completed by CWRY. The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) will serve as the Commonwealth of Virginia's designated Lead Agency for the Project.


Project Overview Project Status & Schedule Traffic Info Photo Galleries Frequently Asked Questions Presentations Contact Us Environmental Assessment VPA Engineering Web Site Heartland Corridor Clearance Project Web Site	Project Overview Commonwealth Railway (CWRY) owns and operates approximately 4.5 miles of rail through the urban neighborhoods of Portsmouth and Chesapeake. The Commonwealth Railway Mainline Safety Relocation project consists of the relocation of this rail line to the Western Freeway (Route 164/I-664) Median Rail Corridor through Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Suffolk, Virginia. In the early 1980s, both Route 164 and I/664 were built to accommodate a dual set of rail tracks in their medians. This rail-ready corridor will be used to serve both the planned Craney Island Marine Terminal and the recently completed APM/Maersk Marine Terminal. The APM/Maersk Terminal represents a private investment of $500 million. The $2.1 billion Craney Island Marine Terminal is in the planning stages and scheduled to open in 2017. Rail traffic from these two facilities is expected to exceed one million TEUs annually. Relocating the existing rail line to the Route 164/I-664 Median Rail-Ready Corridor will: Move the rail line away from densely populated areas of Chesapeake and Portsmouth, Virginia, to a secure, fenced-in rail corridor away from pedestrian and motor traffic, Eliminate the potential for rail-related accidents at the 14 at-grade crossings currently used by motorists and pedestrians, Limit the noise levels and pollution emissions from automobiles idling at railroad crossings as well as from trains passing through the neighborhoods in the vicinity of the existing lines, Divert containerized cargo traffic away from regional highways, thereby reducing highway congestion and improving highway safety, Allow commercial trains to travel at faster speeds than along the existing residential corridor, therefore getting their cargo to its destination more quickly and efficiently, and Foster regional economic growth by supporting operations at the APM/Maersk Terminal and the future Craney Island Marine Terminal. The Commonwealth Railway Mainline Safety Relocation Project will be completed by CWRY. The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) will serve as the Commonwealth of Virginia's designated Lead Agency for the Project.	Project Map Typical Section Example Rail Corridor Route 17 Bridge Elevation Route 17 Bridge - Transverse Section Route 17 Bridge - Plan View
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