Received the following via email.
Federal Highway Administration Approves Construction Alternative for CSX’s
Virginia Avenue Tunnel Project
Final action on Federal environmental review allows CSX to complete design work
and seek construction permits
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2014)– The Federal Highway Administration has
approved a preferred construction alternative for CSX’s Virginia Avenue Tunnel
project, enabling CSX to complete the tunnel’s design and initiate the
construction permitting process. The decision marks the completion of an
extensive environmental review of the project conducted jointly with the
District of Columbia Department of Transportation, which incorporates three
years of input from residents, businesses and government agencies in the
southeast Washington, D.C., neighborhood around the tunnel.
The Federal government approved a proposal to modernize the 110-year old tunnel
which will improve the flow of freight traffic through the District of Columbia
and eliminate a rail-traffic bottleneck that also impacts commuter and
passenger trains in the region. The new structure will accommodate trains that
can carry enough freight to remove the equivalent of 280 trucks per train from
the nation’s highways.
“The Virginia Avenue Tunnel is a critical piece of our national and regional
transportation infrastructure,” said Louis E. Renjel, Jr., vice president of
strategic infrastructure initiatives for CSX. “Reconstructing the aging
tunnel will eliminate a long-standing rail bottleneck that impacts freight and
commuter rail, and it will increase the network’s capacity ahead of anticipated
growth in freight-rail traffic. Through CSX’s commitment to the community,
neighbors will enjoy improved streetscapes, additional green spaces, a new bike
trail and other improvements as part of the project.
“While this decision is the end of the Federal environmental review process, it
is just the beginning of a new phase of CSX’s relationship with the community,”
Renjel said. “Input from residents shaped many features of this project and we
are appreciative of their involvement. We are committed to doing this project
the right way; safely, respecting our neighbors and working closely with
residents and businesses to minimize impacts and to ensure that they are
informed about construction plans.”
CSX plans to use a new website, social media, events, briefings and other tools
to maintain the flow of information to area residents and businesses. The
company has an established community office in the neighborhood that is staffed
during regular hours to allow visitors to learn more about the project and ask
specific questions of company representatives.
CSX and its design/build contractor, Clark/Parsons, will now finalize the
tunnel design and begin applying for construction permits in compliance with
D.C.’s established construction-permitting process. Following the initial
permitting process, utility relocations and other preliminary efforts will
begin. Major construction is expected to begin in the next several months,
following receipt of the required permits.
The CSX Virginia Avenue Tunnel team has voluntarily committed to hire workers
and select contractors consistent with the spirit of the District of Columbia’s
First Source and Certified Business Enterprise programs.
In response to feedback from nearby residents, the alternative selected
through this process has the shortest construction timespan (30 to 42 months)
of any of the construction alternatives considered and ensures that trains
will always operate in enclosed tunnels in front of nearby residences. The plan
includes significant measures to reduce the construction impacts on nearby
residences and businesses, including dust, noise and vibration monitoring and
control plans; limited construction hours; and maintenance-of-traffic plans
that ensure continued pedestrian access and vehicle mobility for all essential
services throughout the process.
The Virginia Avenue Tunnel is part of CSX’s National Gateway, an initiative to
improve the flow of rail traffic throughout the nation by increasing the use of
double-stacked intermodal trains and creating more efficient rail routes that
link Mid-Atlantic ports with Midwestern markets for domestic and imported
products. It is one of several infrastructure investments CSX is making to meet
the growing demand to move more freight by rail across its network. The
Virginia Avenue Tunnel, one of the largest components of the National Gateway
program, is receiving no Federal funds.
The record of decision is available for review and downloading at
www.virginiaavenuetunnel.com.
About CSX
CSX, based in Jacksonville, Florida, is a premier transportation company. It
provides rail, intermodal and rail-to-truck transload services and solutions to
customers across a broad array of markets, including energy, industrial,
construction, agricultural, and consumer products. For more than 185 years, CSX
has played a critical role in the nation's economic expansion and industrial
development. Its network connects every major metropolitan area in the eastern
United States, where nearly two-thirds of the nation's population resides. It
also links more than 240 short-line railroads and more than 70 ocean, river and
lake ports with major population centers and small farming towns alike. More
information about CSX Corporation and its subsidiaries is available at
www.csx.com. Like us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/OfficialCSX) and foll
ow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CSX).
Contact:
Rob Doolittle
Rob_Doolittle@csx.com
202-626-4939
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