National Gateway and West Virginia
The National Gateway proposes a state-of-the-art rail corridor linking the East Coast's international deepwater ports and major consumption markets with the population and manufacturing centers of the Midwest. With improved clearances, new terminals and greater capacity, the National Gateway will improve the flow of freight by rail, enhancing West Virginia's consumer options and augmenting the State's ability to deliver goods to world markets.
While the route structure is already in place, the National Gateway will provide the necessary capacity, facilities, and equipment for highly efficient, environmentally-friendly advanced rail service. Funding for development will come from both public and private sources, with public benefits of $22 expected for every $1 of public money invested.
Expanding capacity on our nation's railways will bolster environmental health and promote economic growth. The National Gateway delivers over $190 million of public benefits to West Virginia by:
- Reducing CO2 emissions by over 400,000 tons
- Enhancing rail transportation infrastructure, including a new intermodal terminal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to serve the region
- Reducing the State's highway congestion by shifting almost 300 million freight truck miles from the highway to rail, saving over $14 million in highway maintenance costs
- Saving almost $75 million in logistics costs for the State
More Rail Options:
The National Gateway will expand rail service to and through West
Virginia, connecting the state to major East Coast and Western
markets via a new intermodal terminal near Pittsburgh, PA. These
new service options will make West Virginia more competitive in
both the United States and the global marketplace.
Highway Relief:
By creating an additional freight transportation option, the
National Gateway will reduce traffic congestion and lower highway
maintenance costs. One train can carry the load of more than 280
trucks, clearing space for over 1,100 cars. The National Gateway
will shift more than 300 million freight truck miles from West
Virginia's highways to rail. Any effort to shift freight from
highways to railways greatly improves safety, the environment and
traffic.
Logistics Savings:
By expanding rail access and providing new shipping options, the
National Gateway is expected to reduce overall freight shipping
costs on goods entering and leaving West Virginia by almost $75
million.
Emission Reductions:
Over the first ten years, the National Gateway will reduce CO2
emissions in West Virginia by over 400,000 tons. This is almost 15%
of the total project reduction of nearly 20 million tons. The
National Gateway's environmental benefits in West Virginia can be
measured in a number of different ways:
- Reduces CO2 emissions by over 400,000 tons
- Reduces fuel consumption by over 45 million gallons of gasoline
- Saves the equivalent emissions as taking almost 75,000 cars off the road
- Eliminates the same amount of carbon sequestered by over 10 million tree seedlings growing for 10 years
