U.S. 220 Multimodal Corridor

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1 U.S. 220 Multimodal Corridor Traversing the southwestern part of Virginia from North Carolina to Roanoke, the U.S. 220 Corridor connects to the national freight transportation system via several highway and rail facilities, including I-81, U.S. 58, and U.S Manufacturing, on a relative basis, is more concentrated within the U.S. 220 Corridor than it is in Virginia as a whole. Over 77 percent of tonnage moving within the U.S. 220 Corridor is pass-through freight. Recommendations to improve the flow of freight through the U.S. 220 Corridor include the widening of U.S. 220 between the North Carolina border and Ridgeway and the widening of I-81 from four to eight lanes between VA 641 south of Salem to U.S. 220 north of Roanoke. Geographic Definition Functional Classification: U.S. Route U.S. 220 (U.S. 220) runs north-south through the western part of the State from North Carolina through Roanoke, and on into West Virginia. It enters the Commonwealth from the south near Martinsville and is a fourplus lane highway for most of the distance between Martinsville and Covington. It then continues as primarily a two-lane highway until exiting into West Virginia. This profile covers only the southern portion of U.S. 220 from the North Carolina border through Roanoke and includes the following jurisdictions (see Figure 1.) Cities Martinsville Roanoke Salem Counties Franklin Henry Roanoke Significant rail facilities within the Corridor include the Norfolk Southern s Heartland Corridor and Crescent Corridor lines that cross U.S. 220 in Roanoke. Another Norfolk Southern line runs parallel to U.S. 220 in from Roanoke to the North Carolina border. There are no significant port facilities within the U.S. 220 Corridor. Roanoke Regional Airport is located within the Corridor and is the fourth largest cargo airport in the Commonwealth handling just under 11 million pounds of freight in Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 1

2 Figure 1. The U.S. 220 Multimodal Corridor Economic Profile The growth of freight transportation volumes in Virginia and the U.S. 220 Corridor will be influenced by the interplay of a variety of factors that will have a bearing on transportation demand. These factors include population growth, changes in national and global logistics patterns, and the evolution of the Corridor s industry structure. Industries, ranging from manufacturing to construction have specific freight transportation needs, and their growth will affect freight transportation demand on the U.S. 220 Corridor. Already, it is clear that heavy users of freight transportation, such as distribution and warehousing, have located on or nearby the Corridor, notably in proximity to U.S. 58 in Martinsville and I-81 in Roanoke. On the supply side, U.S. 220 represents a key component of Virginia s and North Carolina s transportation systems as it provides a direct link between Roanoke (and I-81) with the populous I-40 Corridor markets (Piedmont Triad and Raleigh-Durham) in North Carolina. U.S. 220s ability to carry freight efficiently will affect, positively or negatively, the overall competitiveness of the larger regional economy. The population growth and industry trends that will influence the freight transportation demands placed on the U.S. 220 Corridor are reviewed in this section. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 2 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

3 Population Growth Population growth has a direct impact on freight transportation demand. More people take more trips, require more services, and need more goods to sustain themselves. The U.S. 220 Corridor is experiencing slow population growth, 1.1 percent from 2000 to 2007, significantly slower than the Nation s (+7.2 percent). Despite the relatively slow population growth within the Corridor, U.S. 220 does provide a direct connection between faster growing parts of the region (e.g., Northern Virginia and I-40), stimulating freight traffic. As of 2007, the U.S. 220 Corridor was home to 329,508 residents and accounted for 4.3 percent of Virginia s population. According to state population projections, the U.S. 220 Corridor is expected to add 18,393 people during the next 23 years (see Figure 2) and will reach a population of 347,901 by The rate of projected population growth in the U.S. 220 Corridor through 2030 is lower than either Virginia s or the Nation s. The U.S. 220 Corridor s slow, but steady growth in population and its location between highly populated Southeastern U.S. regions puts pressure on the facility to accommodate the economic needs of the Corridor communities, as well as those of the larger Virginia-North Carolina region. The U.S. 220 Corridor must continue to be a major economic asset for southern Virginia while accommodating the mobility, consumer, and logistics needs of residents, workers, and businesses in a reliable, safe, and efficient manner. For these reasons, the decision-making process regarding the future of freight transportation-related infrastructure and services on U.S. 220 needs to incorporate and respond to these growth conditions. Figure 2. Historic and Forecast Population Growth , , , , , , ,000 50, Source: Virginia Employment Commission. Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 3

4 Economic Structure The U.S. 220 Corridor s defining economic characteristic compared to the nation and Virginia is the relative size of its manufacturing sector. In 2005, manufacturing accounted for 15 percent of the Corridor s jobs compared to 11 percent and nine percent, respectively, for the nation and Virginia. Figure 3 illustrates the contribution of each major sector to total jobs in the U.S. 220 Corridor and the relatively large size of the Corridor s manufacturing sector can be easily seen. The area has particular concentrations in tires, plastics, and wood furniture production. Manufacturing is more dependent on transportation than most other industry sectors and counts on the reliability and connectivity provided by the road, air, and rail networks to produce and deliver products. Manufacturers keep inventories low to reduce costs and this requires a dependable, multimodal supply chain. Reflecting the importance that manufacturing places on transportation, including proximity to Interstate highways (e.g., U.S. 220 connects with I-81 in Roanoke and to I-40, I-85, and I-73 in Greensboro, North Carolina, about 70 miles south of the State line), it is not surprising that the U.S. 220 Corridor is a favored location for manufacturers in Virginia. Figure 3. Economic Structure Shares of Employment by Major Industry Sector, United States, Virginia, and U.S. 220 Industry Share of Total Employment 25% 20% 15% Freight Intensive Goods Movement Retail 10% 5% 0% Educational and Health Services Professional and Business Services Retail Trade Manufacturing Leisure and Hospitality Construction Financial Activities Transportation and Utilities Wholesale Trade Government Other Services Information Natural Resources and Mining Unclassified Percent of U.S. Employment Percent of VA Employment Percent of U.S. 220 Employment Source: Virginia Employment Commission and U.S. Department of Labor. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 4 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

5 With its manufacturing sector commanding a disproportionately large part of its jobs, the U.S. 220 Corridor s economy is generally less dependent than the U.S. and Virginia economies on service-related industries, including professional and business services. An exception, however, is the relatively large size of the healthcare and education services industry (due in part to the presence of a range of colleges and universities in Roanoke and Martinsville and large hospitals in Roanoke) within the U.S. 220 Corridor. Growth in these service industries will have a significant impact on freight transportation in the U.S. 220 Corridor. Service industries tend to have more frequent shipments of smaller, more timesensitive goods. The trucking and air industries have historically dominated these types of shipments. Growth in service industries is driven by increasing business and consumer demand. Businesses demand increasingly efficient communication, finance, transportation, and distribution services in order to develop competitive advantages and as essential inputs into the production of goods and other services. For consumers, as personal income grows so does demand for services, such as banking, telecommunications, tourism, and entertainment. Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 5

6 Concentration of Goods Movement and Freight-Intensive Industries The relationship between freight transportation activity and the U.S. 220 Corridor s economy is strong and multifaceted. For example, freight-intensive industries, including manufacturing, mining, and agriculture rely heavily on the efficient movement of goods, both for the outbound shipments of their products to reach worldwide markets, as well as for inbound shipments of intermediate goods required for production. These freightintensive industries contributed some 20,000 jobs to the Corridor in 2005, accounting for about five percent of the Virginia total (see Figure 4). In addition to freight transportation s importance to these freight-intensive industries, efficient multimodal freight transportation systems Freight-Related Clusters While an efficient multimodal transportation system is important to every sector of the economy, certain sectors are particularly dependent on the transportation system for freight movement. These sectors are grouped into three clusters as defined below: Freight-Intensive Industries includes most subsectors within natural resources and mining, all construction, and manufacturing. Goods Movement includes the wholesale trade sector and some subsectors within transportation and utilities. Retail Trade includes all subsectors within the retail trade sector. can help to minimize the cost of consumer goods, benefiting consumers and the retail industry. In 2005, the U.S. 220 Corridor included some 23,000 retail jobs. Transportation infrastructure improvements that reduce costs by either: 1) lowering travel times; or by 2) increasing the reliability of on-time shipments translate directly into benefits for the U.S. 220 and Virginia economies. Finally, the goods movement industry (e.g., trucking, rail, distribution, airports, etc.) also provides a significant number of jobs and income to U.S. 220 Corridor residents working for the businesses that process, ship, and deliver goods bound for destinations within Virginia, as well as to other locations within the United States and throughout the world. The goods movement industry employed nearly 11,000 people in the U.S. 220 Corridor in The U.S. 220 Corridor includes major distribution facilities in Roanoke (access to I-81) and in Martinsville (access to U.S. 58 and direct linkages via U.S. 220 to I-81, I-85, I-73, and I-40). Combined, the freight-intensive, retail, and goods movement industries account for 33 percent of total U.S. 220 employment, somewhat greater than the 31 percent average for Virginia, overall (see Figures 5 and 6). Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 6 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

7 Figure 4. Employment by Freight-Related Cluster in U.S. 220 Corridor and Virginia Employment 450, , , , , , , ,000 50,000 0 Freight Intensive Industries Goods Movement Retail Source: Virginia Employment Commission. U.S. 220 Employment VA Employment Figure 5. Share of Employment by Cluster U.S. 220 Figure 6. Share of Employment by Cluster Virginia Retail 14% Freight Intensive Industries 12% Retail 13% Freight Intensive Industries 13% Goods Movement 7% Goods Movement 5% Remaining Industries 67% Remaining Industries 69% Source: Virginia Employment Commission. Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 7

8 Commodity Profile The two primary measures of freight transportation activity are tonnage and value. Value is a good indicator of economic activity associated with freight transportation, while tonnage is a good indicator of the demand that freight movement places on transportation infrastructure. Freight also moves in different directions: Inbound freight is moved from somewhere outside of the U.S. 220 Corridor to a destination within the U.S. 220 Corridor. Outbound freight is moved from somewhere within the U.S. 220 Corridor to a destination outside of the U.S. 220 Corridor. Internal freight is moved from one point within the U.S. 220 Corridor to another point within the U.S. 220 Corridor. Pass-through freight is moving from an origin outside of the U.S. 220 Corridor to a destination outside the U.S. 220 Corridor while at some point passing through the Corridor. Figures 7 and 8 describe show that about 77 percent of the total tonnage moving into, out of, within, or through the U.S. 220 Corridor is hauled by trucks with most of the remaining hauled by rail. A large majority of the value (99 percent) is hauled by trucks. Figure 7. Mode Share of Total Corridor Freight Tonnage 2004 Figure 8. Mode Share of Total Corridor Freight Value 2004 Water 0% Air 0% Truck 77.4% Rail 22.6% Water 0.0% Air 0.0% Rail 0.5% Truck 99.5% Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 8 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

9 Figures 9 and 10 describe the direction of travel for Virginia s domestic commodities along the U.S. 220 Corridor, based on tonnage and on value. Figure 9. Directional Proportion of Total Corridor Freight Tonnage 2004 Figure 10. Directional Proportion of Total Corridor Freight Value 2004 Through 89.2% Inbound 3.8% Outbound 5.1% Internal 1.8% Through 89.3% Inbound 3.3% Outbound 7.2% Internal 0.2% By tonnage, the leading commodities moving domestically are nonmetallic minerals and secondary traffic (U.S. warehouse and distribution) followed by lumber and wood products; clay, concrete, glass and stone; and chemicals and allied products. By value, secondary traffic is the leading commodity followed by nonelectrical machinery. Table 1. Critical Commodities Inbound, Outbound, and Internal on U.S. 220 Corridor by Tons 2004 Commodity Tons Percent Share Nonmetallic Minerals 7,714,301 24% Secondary Moves 6,004,998 20% Lumber/Wood 4,434,471 14% Clay/Concrete/Glass/Stone 3,770,279 12% Chemicals/Allied 1,249,819 4% All Others 7,483,339 24% Total 30,612, % Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 9

10 Table 2. Critical Commodities Inbound, Outbound, and Internal on U.S. 220 Corridor by Value 2004 Commodity Dollars Percent Share Secondary Moves $39,180,033,253 53% Machinery Excluding Electrical $10,422,229,588 14% Chemicals/Allied $4,592,083,856 6% Electrical Machinery/Equipment/ Supplies $3,133,507,971 4% Transportation Equipment $2,347,603,943 3% All Others $14,411,733,106 19% Total $74,087,191, % For trade in Virginia s critical commodities that is, inbound and outbound tonnage, excluding pass-through traffic the leading trading partner regions are mainly within the Commonwealth followed by the southern east coast states and the Illinois/Indiana/Ohio/ Michigan region. Table 3. Trading Partners by Tonnage for the U.S. 220 Corridor Domestic Inbound and Outbound 2004 Partner Region Tons Percent Rest of Virginia 13,060,819 53% South Atlantic 5,539,132 22% East North Central 2,183,261 9% Middle Atlantic 1,046,913 4% East South Central 932,772 4% New England 880,715 4% West South Central 536,295 2% West North Central 228,032 1% Pacific 157, % Canada/Mexico 116, % Mountain 115, % Grand Total 24,796, % Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 10 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

11 Table 4. Trading Partners by Value for the U.S. 220 Corridor Domestic Inbound and Outbound 2004 Partner Region Dollars Percent Rest of Virginia $34,507,983,961 47% South Atlantic $12,995,443,423 18% East North Central $6,686,004,422 9% New England $4,859,157,412 7% Middle Atlantic $4,040,950,939 6% East South Central $3,459,825,181 5% West South Central $2,352,486,557 3% West North Central $1,606,883,051 2% Pacific $1,006,699,129 1% Mountain $955,973,472 1% Canada/Mexico $363,252, % Grand Total $72,834,660, % Transportation System Facilities and Performance The U.S. 220 Corridor contains a highway and freight rail network with centers of activity Roanoke. Major freight connections along U.S. 460 include I-81 (in Roanoke) and U.S. 58 (in Martinsville). Table 5. U.S. 220 Intermodal Connections Significant Roadway Connections Significant Airport Connections Significant Port Connections I-81 Roanoke Airport None I-581 U.S. 58 U.S. 221 U.S. 460 U.S. 11 Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 11

12 Highway U.S. 220 is a divided four-lane highway from the North Carolina border to the City of Roanoke where it is eight lanes wide. The number of lanes, along with roadway geometry, intersection spacing, etc., determines how much traffic a given roadway segment can accommodate in a given period of time and provides a sense of the capacity of the roadway. A summary of the lane widths of U.S. 220 is shown in Table 6. Table 6. U.S. 220 Summary of Lane Widths Section Length Width (Total Lanes) Henry County Franklin County Roanoke County City of Roanoke Virginia maintains a statewide vehicle count program on its major highways, including collection and/or estimation of truck counts and percentages. U.S. 220 extends from the North Carolina border through Roanoke and on to West Virginia (however the freight corridor designation for this study does not include the portion north of Roanoke). With the exception of the City of Roanoke the U.S. 220 Corridor passes primarily through rural parts of the Commonwealth. Figure 11 below shows the average Virginia AADT (all vehicle types) for all segments of a given route as columns, and the corresponding average truck percentages as points. U.S. 220s AADT varied from just under 15,000 in the City of Martinsville to over 36,000 in the City of Roanoke in Truck percentages vary from around two percent in Martinsville to over 12 percent in Roanoke County. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 12 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

13 Figure 11. Average AADT and Truck Percentages 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 City of Roanoke Roanoke County Franklin County Henry County City of Martinsville Weighted AADT Total CU Truck Percent 14.0% 12.0% 10.0% 8.0% 6.0% 4.0% 2.0% 0.0% Table 7 describes average bridge and pavement condition and performance across all U.S. 220 highway segments. The reference IRI stands for the International Roughness Index. IRI measures the cumulative deviation from a smooth surface in inches per mile in other words, the sum of all the up-and-down road imperfections, from potholes to barely noticeable bumps or road roughness, which a vehicle will encounter over one mile. The ranges of values correspond to the pavement condition as follows (IRI in inches per mile): very good (0 to 85); good (86 to 110); fair (111 to 140); poor (141 to 175); very poor (more than 175). There also are road condition measures that apply to bridges; as presented in the National Bridge Inventory, red is the lowest of the three levels of General Condition Ratings that can be assigned to a bridge. Overall U.S. 220s pavement quality ranks in the good category. Its average rating is 91, just six points from being considered very good. Table 7. U.S. 220 Road Condition by Jurisdiction Physical Jurisdiction 2003 Weighted IRI Percent of Bridges in Red Condition Overall % Henry County 83 4% Franklin County 97 0% Roanoke County 91 0% City of Roanoke 94 0% Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 13

14 Another important aspect of a freight transportation system is the intermodal terminal network. These facilities provide the interface between freight rail and other transportation modes, including highway and water, and permit the transfer of goods from one mode to another. Figure 12 displays the rail-highway intermodal terminals along U.S. 220, as well as additional system facilities. Figure 12. U.S. 220 Intermodal Facilities Rail The Commonwealth of Virginia s rail system is operated by 10 freight railroads and two passenger operators. Of the 9 freight railroads, two are Class I national railroads and the remaining eight are Class III or terminal/switching railroads (see Table 8). Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 14 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

15 Table 8. Virginia s Freight Railroads Freight Railroad Name Class I Class III Terminal/ Switching Miles Operated in Virginia Norfolk Southern Corporation 2,100 CSX Transportation 1,051 Buckingham Branch Railroad 278 Bay Coast Railroad 68 Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad 29 Winchester and Western Railroad 26 Commonwealth Railway, Inc. 17 North Carolina and Virginia Railroad 4 Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line 4 The majority of Virginia s freight rail track infrastructure is in the possession of the two Class I railroads, Norfolk Southern (approximately 60 percent) and CSX (approximately 30 percent). Norfolk Southern s Heartland Corridor and Crescent Corridor lines cross U.S. 220 in Roanoke. Another Norfolk Southern line runs parallel to U.S. 220 in Virginia from Roanoke to the North Carolina border. Bottlenecks Virginia s freight transportation system contains segments that are stressed or over capacity to the point that they are defined as bottlenecks. Bottlenecks whether existing or emerging prohibit the efficient flow of freight through the system and across the Commonwealth. Currently, Virginia s primary freight transportation bottlenecks generally correspond to: Major urbanized regions with high levels of congestion; Intersections of major highway arteries; and Rail system points where infrastructure provides inadequate freight transportation capacity or dimension, especially where growing freight and passenger needs must be accommodated over shared infrastructure. No major highway bottlenecks exist along U.S. 220 (see Figure 13.) Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 15

16 Figure 13. Virginia Freight Transportation Bottlenecks Waterways and Ports There are no waterway or port facilities within the U.S. 220 Corridor in Virginia. Distribution Centers Virginia has experienced marked growth in large-scale warehousing development often associated with high-volume, or big box importers. These importers supply chains are highly dependent upon the uninterrupted flow of cargo primarily containerized through Virginia s ports, and subsequently through its highways and rail connections. Six major distribution centers are located along the U.S. 220 Corridor. These are in the areas of Roanoke and Martinsville (see Table 9). Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 16 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

17 Table 9. U.S. 220 Warehouse and Distribution Facilities Company Location Area (Square Feet) Orvis Company Roanoke 340,000 Advance Auto Parts Roanoke 442,000 Home Shopping Network Roanoke 255,000 Hanover Direct Roanoke 550,000 Hooker Furniture Corporation Martinsville 580,000 Nautica Martinsville 525,000 Air Cargo The Roanoke Regional Airport (the fourth largest cargo airport in Virginia) is located within the U.S. 220 Corridor. It handled over 10 million pounds of freight in 2006 (see Table 10). Table 10. Cargo Airport Performance Airports 2006 Freight Pounds Percent Change versus 2005 Roanoke (ROA) 10,957, % Alternative Scenarios The Virginia Statewide Model (VSM) was run several times to estimate future freight transportation activities through Virginia. Each run used the same algorithm to process a different set of input parameters. These runs included a base case which estimated freight transportation activity in 2035 assuming no improvements in the highway or rail network. The output from this run provides a baseline to which the results of the remaining runs are compared. The final three runs, Scenarios A, B, and C, each represent different sets of roadway, rail, and marine improvements as well as travel pattern adjustments. Scenario A generally reflects the situation in the year 2035 given that only certain projects identified in the six-year improvement program are implemented. Scenario B includes everything from Scenario A plus key improvements from the Virginia 2025 State Highway Plan and a draft version of the 2035 State Highway Plan. Scenario C included everything from Scenario B plus implementation of other important freight transportationrelated projects and policies. Public-Private Transportation Act (PPTA) projects are included in the scenarios as well. A description of the types of improvements included in each scenario is provided below. Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 17

18 Scenario A Scenario B Scenario C Highway Improvements identified in the Virginia Six-Year Plan dated February 2009 that: (1) Add significant capacity (generally those that add at least one-lane mile to the facility); and (2) Are located on any of the 11 freight corridors. No distinction was made between projects funded for preliminary engineering, rightof-way, or construction. Rail Improvements to: (1) Completion of Heartland Corridor project. (2) Relocate Commonwealth Railway mainline tracks to the medians of I-664 and the Western Freeway (Route 164); and (3) Other Virginia Port Authority CIP projects. Port Miscellaneous improvements by the Virginia Port Authority to support anticipated growth. Airport None. Highway All highway improvements in Scenario A plus selected improvements from the VDOT 2025 State Highway Plan and from a preliminary draft version of the VDOT 2035 State Highway Plan that: (1) Add significant capacity (generally those that add at least one-lane mile to the facility); and (2) Are located on any of the 11 freight corridors. Rail All rail improvements from Scenario A. Port All port improvements from Scenario A. Airport None. Highway All highway improvements in Scenarios A and B plus the following: (1) Hampton Roads Third Crossing; (2) U.S. 460 Expressway between U.S. 58 Bypass and I-295; (3) Capacity improvements on U.S. 17 and U.S. 29 near Warrenton; (4) U.S. 58 Hillsville Bypass ; and (5) Tolling/pricing actions to shift time- of-day and/or mode choice decisions (also impacts rail mode). Rail All rail improvements in Scenarios A and B plus the following: (1) Crescent Corridor and National Gateway projects; (2) Short-haul rail projects to relieve Hampton Roads congestion; (3) Highway tolling/pricing actions to shift mode choice decisions; and (4) Craney Island on-dock rail and connection projects (also impacts port mode). Port All port improvements in Scenarios A and B plus the following: (1) Short-haul barge projects to relieve Hampton Roads congestion; and (2) Craney Island on-dock rail and connection projects (also impacts rail mode). Airport Full build-out of the airports master plans and implementation of the Virginia Air Transportation System Plan recommendations. The projects included in Scenarios A, B, and C are highlighted in Figure 14. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 18 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

19 Figure 14. Future Improvements to the U.S. 220 Corridor Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 19

20 The relative effectiveness of these scenarios in meeting the U.S. 220 Corridor s freight transportation needs is summarized in the figure below. The Freight Congestion Index (FCI) is a measure of available capacity and use by trucks. It is a function of truck volume, link length, and number of lanes (U.S. capacity). A value of 1.00 represents the average state for the no-build scenario across all 11 corridors. Figure 15. Freight Congestion Index for the U.S. 220 Corridor Index Ratio No-Build A B C Scenario Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 20 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

21 Key Project Recommendations Key recommendations for projects located within the U.S. 220 Corridor include: High-Priority Projects: Widen I-81 from four to eight lanes between VA 641 south of Salem to U.S. 220 north of Roanoke. This portion of I-81 experiences a high volume of truck traffic and high combination-unit truck percentages. This, combined with the background traffic associated with its proximity to the cities of Roanoke and Salem, causes high levels of congestion. Expanding I-81 from four to eight lanes here will alleviate this freight transportation bottleneck. Complete Crescent Corridor Project. Norfolk Southern s Crescent Corridor is a 2,500-mile rail network connecting New Jersey with Memphis and New Orleans. Improvements to the Virginia portion of the corridor will enable freight to move faster and more efficiently and divert truck traffic from I-81, I-77, I-85, I-95, and U.S Implement the Heartland Corridor project. This project will improve the economic competitiveness of the U.S. 220 Corridor and of the Commonwealth as a whole. A more detailed description of the freight transportation projects for the U.S. 220 Corridor is provided in Table 11. Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 21

22 Table 11. U.S. 220 Multimodal Corridor Project List Route Project Description From To Distance (Miles) Impact on Freight Transportation Activity a Scenario Included in Freight Plan? U.S Lane with Median (2 New Parallel Lanes) North Carolina State Line SCL Ridgeway Medium B U.S. 460 Widen to 3 Lanes with Curb and S/W Route 311 (Thompson Memorial Boulevard) 0.05 M E Intersect Kessler Mill Road Low A U.S. 460 Urban 6 Lane with Median Roanoke CL Route Medium B U.S. 460 Rural 4 Lane with Median Route 1430 Bedford CL Medium B U.S. 460 U.S. 460 Urban 4 Lane with Median Urban 6 Lane with Median Route 612 WCL Salem Low B ECL Roanoke Botetourt CL Medium B I-81 Widen from 4 to 8 Lanes Mile North of Route 641 MP I-81 Widen from 4 to 8 Lanes Mile North of Route 635 MP I-81 Widen from 4 to 8 Lanes 0.75 Mile North of Route 311 MP I-81 Widen from 4 to 8 Lanes Mile South of I-581 MP I-81 Widen from 4 to 8 Lanes Mile North of I-581 MP I-81 Widen from 4 to 8 Lanes Mile South of Route 648 MP Mile North of Route 635 MP Mile North of Route 311 MP Mile South of I-581 MP Mile North of I-581 MP Mile South of Route 648 MP Mile North of Route 779E 220 MP High A Yes High A Yes High A Yes High A Yes High A Yes High A Yes Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 22 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.

23 Route Project Description From To I-81 Add Southbound Truck Climbing Lanes 0.43 Mile North Route Mile North Route 710 Distance (Miles) Impact on Freight Transportation Activity a Scenario Included in Freight Plan? High A Yes Crescent Corridor High C Yes Heartland Corridor High A Yes a: The impact on freight transportation activity column indicates the relative impact a given project has on freight mobility as compared to the relative impact it has on mobility in general. It consists of three categories: High these projects provide a greater relative impact to the important activity of moving freight than other projects considered. Medium these projects benefit both freight and non-freight transportation activity to an important degree. Low while valuable to both freight and non-freight transportation activity, these projects have a lower relative impact on freight transportation activity than those in the medium- or high-level categories. Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 23

24 Conclusions The primary conclusions of the U.S. 220 Corridor freight profile are: The freight transportation infrastructure recommendations for the Corridor include the widening of I-81 from four to eight lanes between VA 641 to U.S. 220 north of Roanoke and the completion of the Crescent Corridor project (see recommendations section for details). Completion of the Roanoke Region Intermodal facility will provide a rail/truck connection to the Crescent and Heartland Corridors. The U.S. 220 Corridor s defining economic characteristic compared to the nation and Virginia is the relative size of its manufacturing sector. In 2005, manufacturing accounted for 15 percent of the Corridor s jobs compared to nine percent for Virginia. The goods movement industry employed over 2,000 people in the U.S. 220 Corridor in Combined, the freight-intensive, retail, and goods movement industries account for 33 percent of total U.S. 220 employment, somewhat greater than the 31 percent average for Virginia, overall. About 77 percent of the total freight tonnage (inbound, outbound, internal, and through) moving within the Corridor is hauled by truck with 22 percent hauled by rail. Nearly 90 percent of the total freight tonnage moving within the Corridor is through traffic. The overall pavement condition of U.S. 220 in Virginia is good. There are no air cargo or marine facilities in the U.S. 220 Corridor. Part III - U.S. 220 Corridor - Page 24 Cambridge Systematics, Inc.