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CSX Proposes Johnston County, NC Intermodal Terminal

[ January 16, 2016   //   ]

CSX recently announced plans to develop a major freight rail infrastructure project in Johnston County, NC, that will spur economic development in the region and help position eastern North Carolina as a major transportation logistics hub. The proposed intermodal rail terminal, the Carolina Connector, or CCX, will be a state-of-the-art facility that will create distinct competitive advantages for North Carolina businesses and ports while serving the metro-Raleigh area – one of the South’s largest and fastest growing markets.

Once operational, the terminal will serve as an intermodal transportation hub in the South, transferring a broad range of goods – from food to furniture to appliances – between trucks and trains.  Intermodal transportation combines the fuel efficiency and cost-effectiveness of rail and the door-to-door flexibility of trucks, thereby reducing transportation costs for businesses in the region while alleviating congestion on North Carolina roads and highways.

The terminal is expected to spur economic development in eastern North Carolina by enhancing transportation infrastructure, creating jobs and encouraging industrial growth. The terminal is forecast to produce more than $329 million in public benefits for the state over 30 years. The construction of the terminal is estimated to create 250 to 300 short-term construction jobs. Over time, up to 1,500 long-term jobs will be created statewide as a result of this development.

Total estimated project costs for CCX are $272 million.  CSX is committed to investing $150 million – the majority of funds needed to complete the project. The execution of the project is contingent on securing $100 million in infrastructure investment funds that have been proposed in the state of North Carolina’s Strategic Transportation Investment (STI) process.  The balance of the funding will come from other infrastructure and investment programs that are currently in place.

CSX has constructed similar terminals in North Baltimore, Ohio and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. These terminals have served as a catalyst for local economic development as businesses including warehouses and distribution centers have chosen to locate new facilities in those communities.

Earlier today CSX officials began reaching out to landowners in Johnston County to secure options on property east of Selma and close to Interstate 95 where the proposed facility would be constructed.

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