Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
U.S. 58 Multimodal Corridor
U.S. 58 lies along the southern border of the Commonwealth of Virginia from east to west,
and connects to the national freight transportation system via several highway, rail, seaport, and airport facilities, including; I-64, I-95, I-85, I-77, I-81, U.S. 29, U.S. 220, U.S. 17,
and U.S. 13; Norfolk Southern and CSX rail facilities; and marine terminal and air cargo
facilities in Hampton Roads. The length of the U.S. 58 Corridor makes its economy
diverse, varying from the beach destinations and marine-related industries in the east to
machinery, furniture, and synthetic fiber manufacturing in the west. Plastics, tiremaking, and food processing have a strong presence in the central counties of the Corridor.
About 77 percent of tonnage moving within the U.S. 58 Corridor is pass-through freight with
inbound and outbound freight comprising 12 and 13 percent respectively.
Recommendations to improve the flow of freight through the U.S. 58 Corridor include construction of the U.S. 460 Expressway between Suffolk and I-295 near Petersburg, the
widening of U.S. 13/U.S. 58/U.S. 460 between I-664 and the Suffolk Bypass, the widening
U.S. 58 from Manning Bridge Road to the Suffolk Bypass, and the construction of the
Hampton Roads Third Crossing.
Geographic Definition
Functional Classification: U.S. Route
U.S. 58 (U.S. 58) stretches 509 miles along the Southern border of Virginia,
from the Cumberland Gap in the west to Virginia Beach in the east. It is a
mix of four-lane, divided highway and two-lane, undivided highway and
traverses mostly rural areas of Virginia. U.S. 58 “bypasses” many towns in
Virginia, with narrow business routes passing through them. The highway
expands to eight lanes in parts of Virginia Beach, its busiest section. The
U.S. 58 Corridor is comprised of the following jurisdictions (see Figure 1):
Cities
•
Bristol
•
Franklin
•
Norton
•
Chesapeake
•
Galax
•
Portsmouth
•
Danville
•
Martinsville
•
Suffolk
•
Emporia
•
Norfolk
•
Virginia Beach
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Counties
•
Brunswick
•
Henry
•
Scott
•
Carroll
•
Isle of Wight
•
Southampton
•
Floyd
•
Lee
•
Smyth
•
Grayson
•
Mecklenburg
•
Washington
•
Greensville
•
Patrick
•
Wise
•
Goochland
•
Pittsylvania
•
Halifax
•
Russell
Significant rail facilities within the Corridor include Norfolk Southern’s Heartland
Corridor that runs parallel to U.S. 58 from Hampton Roads in the east to the West Virginia
border in central Virginia. CSX’s north-south mainline (National Gateway) intersects the
U.S. 58 Corridor near Emporia. Norfolk Southern’s Shenandoah and Piedmont lines
(Crescent Corridor) also intersect the U.S. 58 Corridor in western and central Virginia
respectively. Other railroads providing service within the U.S. 58 Corridor include the
Commonwealth Railway (serving the APM Terminal and Craney Island) the Bay Coast
Railroad, the Chesapeake and Albemarle Railroad, the Norfolk and Portsmouth Beltline,
the North Carolina and Virginia Railroad, and the Virginia Southern Railroad.
Many marine facilities are located in the U.S. 58 Corridor in and around Hampton Roads.
Over 5,000 commercial vessel sailings occur annually destined for Hampton Roads. More
than 10,000 sailings occur annually when military vessels and commercial vessels destined
for Baltimore are included. The recently inaugurated “64 Express” barge service (a Marine
Highway Initiative) now operates between Hampton Roads and Richmond.
Air cargo facilities at Norfolk International Airports are located within the U.S. 58
Corridor.
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Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Figure 1. The U.S. 58 Multimodal Corridor
Economic Profile
The growth of freight transportation volumes in Virginia and the U.S. 58 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 and distribution to construction and agriculture have specific freight
transportation needs, and their growth will affect freight demand on the U.S. 58 Corridor.
U.S. 58, due to its 500-mile length, represents a cross-section of the Virginia economy,
capturing the intensive port-related activities, including warehousing and distribution,
congregating in Hampton Roads, numerous educational institutions, agricultural crops,
tourist destinations, and manufacturers. U.S. 58 represents a crucial component of
Virginia’s transportation system and its ability to carry freight efficiently will affect,
positively or negatively, the overall competitiveness of the State’s economy. The
population growth and industry trends that will influence the freight demands placed on
the U.S. 58 Corridor are reviewed in this section.
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. 58 Corridor is experiencing slow-to-moderate population growth, 2.6 percent from
2000 to 2007, slower than both the State’s and the Nation’s. As of 2007, the U.S. 58
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Corridor was home to 1,721,790 residents and accounted for 22.3 percent of Virginia’s
population. According to state population projections, the U.S. 58 Corridor is expected to
add some 247,130 people during the next 23 years (see Figure 2) and will reach a population of 1,968,830 by 2030 (this growth is the equivalent to adding the present-day population of the City of Norfolk to the Corridor). The rate of projected population growth in the
U.S. 58 Corridor through 2030 is lower than either Virginia’s and about the same as the
Nation’s.
The U.S. 58 Corridor’s moderate pace of population growth puts pressure on the facility. In
particular, the Corridor must accommodate the mobility, consumer, and logistics needs of
an increasing number of residents, workers, and businesses, and do so reliably, safely, and
efficiently within a variety of urban, suburban, rural, and mountainous terrains. For these
reasons, the decision-making process regarding the future of freight transportation-related
infrastructure and services on U.S. 58 needs to incorporate and respond to diverse growth
conditions.
Figure 2. Historic and Forecast Population Growth
1990-2030
2,500,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
0
1990
2000
Source: Virginia Employment Commission.
2010
2020
2030
Economic Structure
The length of the U.S. 58 Corridor makes its economy diverse, varying from the beach
destinations and marine-related industries in the east to machinery, furniture, and synthetic fiber manufacturing in the west. Plastics, tire-making, and food processing have a
strong presence in the central counties of the Corridor. Numerous farms also are located
throughout the Corridor except for mountainous areas in the western section. The economic structure of the U.S. 58 Corridor varies somewhat from Virginia’s. Compared to the
State, the U.S. 58 Corridor is more concentrated in healthcare and education, manuPart III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 4
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facturing, tourism, and logistics-related industries (transportation and wholesale trade).
On the other hand, the Corridor does not share the same industry concentration in professional and business services (a defining characteristic of the State economy) as Virginia,
overall. In 2005, health care and education accounted for 22 percent of the Corridor’s jobs
compared to 21 percent and 20 percent, respectively, for the nation and Virginia. Figure 3
illustrates the contribution of each major sector to total jobs in the U.S. 58 Corridor and the
relatively large size of the Corridor’s healthcare and education services sector can be easily
seen. Major universities on the Corridor, including Old Dominion University as well as
several smaller universities and colleges located along the length of U.S. 58, contribute to
the strength of the Corridor’s healthcare and education sector. Healthcare and educationrelated industries, like other services industries, tend to move smaller, more time-sensitive
goods. The trucking and air industries have historically dominated these types of
shipments.
Figure 3. Economic Structure
Shares of Employment by Major Industry Sector,
United States, Virginia, and U.S. 58
Industry Share of Total Employment
25%
Freight Intensive
20%
Goods Movement
15%
Retail
10%
5%
0%
Educational
Retail
Leisure and
Financial
Natural
Other
and Health
Trade
Hospitality
Activities
Resources
Government
Services
Services Professional
and Mining
Construction
Manufacturing
Transportation
Wholesale
and
Information
Unclassified
and Utilities
Trade
Business
Services
Percent of U.S. Employment
Percent of VA Employment
Percent of U.S. 58 Employment
Source: Virginia Employment Commission and U.S. Department of Labor.
Although the healthcare and education services sector commands a relatively large portion
of its jobs, the U.S. 58 Corridor’s economy also possesses a large manufacturing sector, an
intensive user of transportation services. While many large-scale manufacturers, several
related to defense, congregate in the Hampton Roads area at the eastern terminus of the
Corridor, the City of Danville and adjoining Pittsylvania County about 195 miles to the
west, also have particular concentrations in manufacturing. Farther west, Henry, Smyth,
Washington Counties and the cities of Galax and Martinsville also have economies with
large manufacturing sectors. The manufacturing industries (food, metals, transportation
equipment, chemicals, furniture, and rubber) concentrated on the U.S. 58 Corridor are
more dependent on transportation than most other industry sectors and count on the
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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. The use of U.S. 58 as a reliable and time-efficient
connector to ports, airports, suppliers, markets, and the Interstate system (U.S. 58 intersects I-81, I-77, I-85, and I-95) is crucial to the success and competitiveness of the U.S. 58
Corridor’s manufacturers.
Concentration of Goods Movement and Freight-Intensive Industries
The relationship between freight transportation activity and the U.S. 58 Corridor’s economy is strong and multifaceted. For example, “freight-intensive” industries, including
manufacturing,
construction,
Freight-Related Clusters
and agriculture rely heavily on
the efficient movement of
While an efficient multimodal transportation system is
goods, both for the outbound
important to every sector of the economy, certain
shipments of their products to
sectors are particularly dependent on the transportation
reach worldwide markets, as
system for freight movement. These sectors are
well as for inbound shipments
grouped into three clusters as defined below:
of intermediate goods required
for production. These freightFreight-Intensive Industries includes most subsectors
intensive industries contributed
within natural resources and mining, all construction,
some 90,000 jobs to the Corridor
and manufacturing.
in 2005, accounting for about
Goods Movement includes the wholesale trade sector
22 percent of the Virginia total
and some subsectors within transportation and utilities.
(see Figure 4). In addition to
freight transportation’s imporRetail Trade includes all subsectors within the retail
tance to these freight-intensive
trade sector.
industries, efficient multimodal
freight transportation systems
can help to minimize the cost of consumer goods, benefiting consumers and the retail
industry. In 2005, the U.S. 58 Corridor included some 90,000 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. 58 and Virginia economies. Finally, the “goods movement” industry (e.g., trucking,
ports, distribution, airports, etc.) also provides a significant number of jobs and income to
U.S. 58 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 37,000
people in the U.S. 58 Corridor in 2005. The U.S. 58 Corridor, with access via Interstate and
other U.S. highways to major Virginia and North Carolina markets, is lined with many
major distribution facilities, including those for furniture, food, consumer products, apparel, and telecommunications equipment. Combined, the freight-intensive, retail, and
goods movement industries account for 34 percent of total U.S. 58 employment, higher
than the 31 percent average for Virginia, overall (see Figures 5 and 6).
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Figure 4. Employment by Freight-Related Cluster in U.S. 58 Corridor
and Virginia
Employment
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
Freight Intensive Industries
Goods Movement
U.S. 58 Employment
Retail
VA Employment
Source: Virginia Employment Commission.
Figure 5. Share of Employment
by Cluster
U.S. 58
Retail
14%
Figure 6. Share of Employment
by Cluster
Virginia
Freight
Intensive
Industries
14%
Retail
13%
Goods
Movement
6%
Remaining
Industries
66%
Freight
Intensive
Industries
13%
Goods
Movement
5%
Remaining
Industries
69%
Source: Virginia Employment Commission.
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 tonCambridge Systematics, Inc.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 7
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
nage 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. 58 Corridor to a destination within the U.S. 58 Corridor.
•
Outbound freight is moved from somewhere within the U.S. 58 Corridor to a destination outside of the U.S. 58 Corridor.
•
Internal freight is moved from one point within the U.S. 58 Corridor to another point
within the U.S. 58 Corridor.
•
Pass-through freight is moving from an origin outside of the U.S. 58 Corridor to a
destination outside the U.S. 58 Corridor while at some point passing through the
Corridor.
Figures 7 and 8 describe show that about 78 percent of the total tonnage moving into, out
of, within, or through the U.S. 58 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 Figure 8. Mode Share of Total Corridor
Freight Value
Freight Tonnage
2004
2004
Water
1.2%
Truck
77.5%
Air
0%
Rail
21.0%
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 8
Water
0.2%
Air
0.0%
Truck
99.2%
Rail
0.5%
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Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Figures 9 and 10 describe the direction of travel for Virginia’s domestic commodities along
the U.S. 58 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
71.2%
Through
80.1%
Inbound
6.7%
Inbound
11.9%
Outbound
10.9%
Outbound
12.8%
Internal
4.1%
Internal
2.3%
By tonnage, the leading commodities moving domestically are coal and nonmetallic minerals followed by secondary traffic (U.S. warehouse and distribution); petroleum and coal
products; and clay, concrete, glass and stone. By value secondary traffic is by far the
leading commodity, followed by transportation equipment.
Table 1. Critical Commodities Inbound, Outbound, and
Internal on U.S. 58 Corridor by Tons
2004
Commodity
Tons
Percent Share
Coal
35,657,604
18%
Nonmetallic Minerals
32,909,897
16%
Secondary Moves
23,792,447
12%
Petroleum/Coal
21,059,499
10%
Clay/Concrete/Glass/Stone
16,867,543
8%
All Others
72,425,264
36%
Total
202,712,254
100%
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Table 2. Critical Commodities Inbound, Outbound, and
Internal on U.S. 58 Corridor by Value
2004
Commodity
Dollars
Percent Share
Secondary Moves
$154,866,086,050
42%
Transportation Equipment
$63,229,402,601
17%
Tobacco
$24,274,402,135
7%
Machinery Excluding Electrical
$19,853,391,402
5%
Chemicals/Allied
$12,684,320,708
3%
All Others
$91,916,462,186
25%
Total
$366,824,065,083
100%
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 east south central
region.
Table 3. Trading Partners by Tonnage for the U.S. 58 Corridor
Domestic Inbound and Outbound
2004
Partner Region
Tons
Percent
Rest of Virginia
54,527,742
32%
South Atlantic
40,097,294
23%
East South Central
16,751,707
10%
East North Central
15,512,694
9%
Europe
10,735,111
6%
New England
9,466,987
6%
Middle Atlantic
6,829,990
4%
Asia
5,723,980
3%
South America
2,884,002
2%
West South Central
2,622,750
2%
All Others
5,793,080
3%
170,945,337
100%
Grand Total
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Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Table 4. Trading Partners by Value for the U.S. 58 Corridor
Domestic Inbound and Outbound
2004
Partner Region
Dollars
Percent
Rest of Virginia
$114,422,959,058
35%
South Atlantic
$47,171,400,962
14%
East North Central
$39,705,632,097
12%
New England
$22,240,090,200
7%
Asia
$20,835,295,586
6%
Europe
$18,371,464,496
6%
Middle Atlantic
$15,969,270,535
5%
South America
$14,607,374,497
4%
East South Central
$12,249,741,395
4%
West South Central
$8,465,645,380
3%
All Others
$15,240,161,574
5%
Grand Total
$329,279,035,780
100%
Transportation System Facilities and Performance
The U.S. 58 Corridor contains an extensive highway and freight rail network with centers
of activity in Hampton Roads, Danville, Martinsville, and Bristol. Major freight transportation connections along U.S. 58 include I-64 and U.S. 460 (in Hampton Roads), I-95 (in
Emporia) U.S. 29 (in Danville), I-77 (near Hillsville) and I-81 (in Bristol).
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Table 5. U.S. 58 Intermodal Connections
Significant Roadway Connections
Significant Airport Connections
•
I-81
•
Norfolk International Airport
•
I-77
•
I-85
• Hampton Roads Executive
Airport
•
I-95
•
I-64
•
I-264
•
I-464
•
U.S. 421
•
U.S. 23
•
U.S. 11
•
U.S. 19
•
U.S. 21
•
U.S. 221
•
U.S. 220
•
U.S. 29
•
U.S. 360
•
U.S. 501
•
U.S. 1
•
U.S. 13
•
U.S. 460
•
U.S. 17
•
U.S. 60
•
VA 164
Significant Port Connections
• Norfolk International
Terminals
•
Portsmouth Marine Terminals
• Newport News Marine
Terminal
•
APM Maersk Terminal
•
Craney Island Marine Terminal
Highway
U.S. 58 is an divided four-lane highway through much of Virginia, with several two-lane
segments in rural western areas, and six- to eight-lane segments through portions of the
Hampton Roads area. 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. 58 is shown in Table 6.
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Table 6. U.S. 58 Summary of Lane Widths
Section
Length
Width (Total Lanes)
Tennessee Line to Jonesville Camp Ground
31.5
4
Jonesville Camp Ground to U.S. 23
21.6
2
U.S. 23 to U.S. 23 Split
17.8
4
U.S. 23 Split to I-81
23.9
2
I-81 to Jeb Stuart Highway Exit
19.5
4
I-81 Exit to Galax
73.5
2
Galax, Virginia
1.5
4
Galax, Virginia
0.4
2
Galax to Hillsville
11.5
4
Hillsville to Stuart
35.2
2
Stuart, Virginia
4.5
4
Stuart, Virginia
2.7
2
125.0
4
3.1
2
109.0
4
I-664 to Hodges Ferry Road
1.9
3
Hodges Ferry Road to City Park Avenue
0.8
4
City Park Avenue to Portsmouth Boulevard
1.0
5
Airline Boulevard
1.6
4
London Boulevard
0.8
6
Martin Luther King Freeway
1.4
4
Midtown Tunnel
1.3
2
Brambleton Avenue
1.4
6
St. Pauls Boulevard
0.3
4
St. Pauls to Military Highway
4.5
6
Military Highway to Glenrock Road
0.4
8
Glenrock Road to Newtown Road
1.3
6
Newtown Road to Laskin/VBB Exit
7.8
8
Laskin Road Exit to U.S. 60
3.8
4
Stuart to Big Fork
Big Fork to South Hill
South Hill to I-664
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Virginia maintains a statewide vehicle count program on its major highways, including
collection and/or estimation of truck counts and percentages. 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. 58 AADT varied from roughly 2,200 in Floyd County to over 39,000 in the City of
Chesapeake in 2007. Truck percentages vary from less than one percent (Virginia Beach
and Franklin, for example) to over 17 percent in Greensville County.
Figure 11. Average AADT and Truck Percentages
18.0%
60,000
16.0%
50,000
14.0%
12.0%
40,000
10.0%
30,000
8.0%
6.0%
20,000
4.0%
10,000
0
2.0%
Arlington
County
City of
Falls
Church
Fairfax
County
Prince
Culpeper
Greene
City of
Amherst
Campbell
City of
William
County
County
Charlottesville
County
County
Danville
County
City of
Fauquier
Madison
Albemarle
Nelson
City of
Pittsylvania
Fairfax
County
County
County
County
Lynchburg
County
Weighted AADT
0.0%
Total CU Truck Percent
Table 7 below describes average bridge and pavement condition and performance across
all U.S. 58 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. 58’s pavement quality
ranks in the poor category. Its average rating is 168, just seven points from being considered very poor. Just three sections (City of Chesapeake, Pittsylvania County, and the
City of South Boston) are in good condition.
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Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Table 7. U.S. 58 Road Condition by Jurisdiction
2003 Weighted IRI
Percent of Bridges in “Red”
Condition
Overall
168
1.0%
Brunswick County
147
0%
Carroll County
119
0%
City of Bristol
143
0%
City of Chesapeake
101
0%
City of Danville
177
0%
City of Emporia
175
0%
City of Franklin
218
0%
City of Galax
222
0%
City of Martinsville
199
0%
City of Norfolk
205
0%
City of Norton
122
0%
City of Portsmouth
209
0%
City of Suffolk
184
0%
City of Virginia Beach
241
0%
Floyd County
116
0%
Grayson County
166
0%
Greensville County
194
0%
Halifax County
165
0%
Henry County
174
0%
Lee County
203
0%
Mecklenburg County
252
0%
Patrick County
134
0%
Pittsylvania County
102
0%
Russell County
114
0%
Scott County
145
0%
Southampton County
155
0%
Town of South Boston
86
0%
Washington County
194
11%
Wise County
219
0%
Physical Jurisdiction
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Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Another important aspect of a freight transportation system is its 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. The figure below displays the rail-highway intermodal terminals along
U.S. 58, as well as additional system facilities.
Figure 12. U.S. 58 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).
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Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
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 runs parallel to U.S. 58 from
Hampton Roads in the east to the West Virginia border in central Virginia. CSX’s northsouth mainline (National Gateway) intersects the U.S. 58 Corridor near Emporia. Norfolk
Southern’s Shenandoah and Piedmont lines (Crescent Corridor) also intersect the U.S. 58
Corridor in western and central Virginia respectively. Other railroads providing service
within the U.S. 58 Corridor include the Commonwealth Railway (serving the APM
Terminal and Craney Island) the Bay Coast Railroad, the Chesapeake and Albemarle
Railroad, the Norfolk and Portsmouth Beltline, the North Carolina and Virginia Railroad,
and the Virginia Southern Railroad.
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.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 17
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
No major highway bottlenecks exist along U.S. 58 with the exception of the section
between Suffolk and Portsmouth. This is where U.S. 460 and U.S. 13 run concurrent with
U.S. 58. This section is a major highway connection between Suffolk and the Cities of
Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Virginia Beach and is shown in red ink Figure 13.
Figure 13. Hampton Roads Freight Transportation Bottlenecks
Bottlenecks occur on the railroad lines within the U.S. 58 Corridor between Chesapeake
and Suffolk (and up toward Petersburg). These are shown in blue in Figure 14.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 18
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Figure 14. Virginia Freight Transportation Bottlenecks
Waterways and Ports
Virginia boasts the single best water transportation asset on the East Coast of the United
States: the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Cargo terminals are located predominately
along the natural deepwater harbors formed by the confluence of the rivers Elizabeth,
James, and Nansemond. The marine terminals at Hampton Roads are the only U.S. facilities on the Atlantic coast capable of handling next-generation “mega containerships,”
which require drafts of 50 feet or more.
Benefits from this natural harbor extend past the Hampton Roads area. Waterborne
freight entering Hampton Roads continues on to the Port of Richmond up the James River
and north to Baltimore and other major destinations. The “64 Express” service, for
example, makes use of the navigable James River to move containers by barge between
Richmond and Hampton Roads. There are over 350 miles of navigable channels with
drafts exceeding 22 feet. Over 5,000 commercial vessel sailings occur annually destined for
Hampton Roads. More than 10,000 sailings occur annually when military vessels and
commercial vessels destined for Baltimore are included.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 19
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Figure 15. Hampton Roads Navigation Channels With Locations
of Virginia Port Authority and Maersk Terminals
The U.S. 58 Corridor accesses the terminal facilities of Hampton Roads from the south and
east. From Hampton Roads, it runs along the southern edge of the Commonwealth and
provides an alternate route for trucks from the Hampton Roads area to access I-95 and
points south as well as I-85.
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.
Ten major distribution centers are located along the U.S. 58 Corridor. These are in the area
of Hampton Roads, and the cities of South Hill, South Boston, Danville, Martinsville, and
Bristol. QVC and Mid Mountain Foods have the largest distribution centers along the
route at 1,200,000 and 1,000,000 square feet, respectively.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 20
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Table 9. U.S. 58 Warehouse and Distribution Facilities
Company
Location
Area (Square Feet)
Bristol
1,000,000
Hooker Furniture Corp Inc.
Martinsville
580,000
Nautica
Martinsville
525,000
KB Toys
Danville
435,000
Diversified Distribution
South Boston
400,000
Dollar General
South Boston
750,000
South Hill
900,000
Sysco Food Systems
Suffolk
285,000
QVC Network
Suffolk
1,200,000
Dollar Tree Inc.
Chesapeake
514,000
Mid Mountain Foods
Jones Apparel Group Inc.
Air Cargo
One of the four major cargo airports for the Commonwealth of Virginia is located along
the U.S. 58 Corridor. The Norfolk International Airport handled over 15 million pounds of
freight in 2006 as shown in Table 10.
Table 10. Cargo Airport Performance
Airports
Norfolk International (ORF)
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
2006 Freight Pounds
Percent Change versus 2005
15,759,155
+0.57%
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 21
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
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.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 22
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Scenario A
• 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.
Scenario B
• 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.
Scenario C
• 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.1
The projects included in Scenarios A, B, and C are highlighted in Figure 17.
1
The Eastern Virginia Air System Study Phase II report recommends that once build out of the
existing airports’ master plans are achieved, planning for an international airport to provide widebody international service should be pursued. The eastern portion of the U.S. 58 corridor is in the
prime search area for this airport.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 23
Figure 16. Future Improvements to the U.S. 58 Corridor
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
The relative effectiveness of these scenarios in meeting the U.S. 58 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 17. Freight Congestion Index for the U.S. 58 Corridor
Index Ratio
0.18
0.16
0.14
0.12
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
No-Build
A
B
C
Scenario
Key Project Recommendations
Key recommendations for projects located within the U.S. 58 Corridor include:
High-Priority Projects:
•
•
Construct the U.S. 460 Expressway between Suffolk and I-295 near Petersburg.
U.S. 460 between the Suffolk bypass and I-295 has very heavy truck volumes and is a
key freight transportation route between the Port areas of Hampton Roads and the
Richmond Subregion. It also is a key freight transportation route to I-95 and points
north. This new limited access expressway will improve freight efficiency into and
out of the Hampton Roads area and between Hampton Roads and Richmond.
•
Widen U.S. 13/U.S. 58/U.S. 460 between I-664 and the Suffolk Bypass. Adding
capacity to this link will alleviate congestion and improve freight flows into and out
of the terminal facilities in Hampton Roads via the U.S. 460 Corridor. This
improvement will be especially helpful in conjunction with the U.S. 460 Expressway
project.
•
Widen U.S. 58 from Manning Bridge Road to the Suffolk Bypass. Traffic volumes
range from 33,000 to 34,000 on this segment with combination-unit truck percentages
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor -Page 25
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
in the 13 percent range. Widening this roadway will reduce congestion and improve
safety.
•
Complete Port-Related Rail Improvement Projects. These projects consist of capacity improvements for the Norfolk International Terminals on-dock rail yard and the
Norfolk and Portsmouth Belt Line rail yard, the Route 164 median rail connector,
and for the Craney Island Connector.
•
Construct the Hampton Roads Third Crossing. This project will improve total
mobility across the Hampton Roads Subregion, provide new access to Norfolk
International Terminals and Naval Base, improve access to the Newport News
Marine Terminal and Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry-Dock Company,
improve access to the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and Portsmouth Naval facilities,
and connect to existing expressways on the Peninsula and on the Southside.
•
Construct the I-564 Intermodal Connector. This project will extend I-564 and
freight rail lines to the Norfolk International Terminals. It will provide a safe, highspeed, highway and rail connection from existing I-564 to the Norfolk International
Terminals and the Norfolk Naval Station improving access to these facilities while
reducing vehicle and truck traffic on the adjacent local roadways.
•
Implement the National Gateway project. The National Gateway is a coordinated
program of multistate improvements to CSX rail lines aimed at improving doublestack rail connections between Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern markets.
•
Implement the Heartland Corridor project, the various Hampton Roads container
terminal on-dock rail access projects, and the new Maersk Terminal interchange.
These projects will improve the economic competitiveness of the U.S. 58 Corridor
and of the Commonwealth as a whole.
A more detailed description of the freight transportation projects identified for the U.S. 58
Corridor is provided in Table 11.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 26
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Table 11. U.S. 58 Multimodal Corridor Project List
Impact on Freight
Transportation
Activitya
Scenario
Route
Project Description
From
To
Distance
(Miles)
U.S. 58
Jonesville Bypass
Route 58 West
ALT Route 58 North
3.800
Medium
A
U.S. 58
Urban 4 Lane with
Median
Alternate Route 58
ECL Jonesville
0.740
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
ECL Jonesville
Route 640
2.260
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Route 640 1.06 Mile East
Route 421
8.620
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
West Route 612
Scott CL
1.800
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Lee CL
Route 604
3.900
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Route 615
Washington CL
4.170
Low
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Scott CL
WCL Bristol
6.240
Low
B
U.S. 58
Parallel Lane
0.320 KM East Route 11
(Abingdon)
0.237 KM East Route 638
East
2.950
Low
A
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Route 11
Route 1201
9.570
Low
B
U.S. 58
Parallel Lane
0.080 KM East Route 677
(Rhea Valley)
0.224 KM East Route 638
East
0.191
Low
A
U.S. 58
Parallel Lane – Corridor
Development Program
0.3 KM East Route 638
East
0.61 KM East Route 708
(Rhea Valley)
2.550
Low
A
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Included in
Freight
Plan?
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 27
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Distance
(Miles)
Impact on Freight
Transportation
Activitya
Scenario
Route
Project Description
From
To
U.S. 58
Parallel Lane – Corridor
Development Program
0.61 KM East Route 708
0.2 KM West WCL
Damascus
3.100
Low
A
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
N.W. Route 16
Route 703
15.000
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Route 703
Route 888
3.210
Low
B
U.S. 58
Independence Bypass
0.12 Mile West Route 703
0.81 Mile West Route 274
3.740
Low
A
U.S. 58
Independence Bypass
Route 21/221
Route 888
1.620
Low
A
U.S. 58
Hillsville Bypass – 4
Lanes
0.160 KM East Route 714
0.131 KM N South
Route 722E
5.270
Low
A
U.S. 58
Hillsville Bypass
Route 703
Route 52
1.200
Low
C
U.S. 58
Corridor Development
Program – 4 Lanes
0.660 KM East Route 714
Stuart Bypass
7.800
Low
A
U.S. 58
Hillsville Bypass
Route 52
Routes 58 and 670
1.470
Low
C
U.S. 58
Corridor Development
Program – 4 Lanes
0.131 KM West Route 820
0.492 KM East Big Reed
Island Creek
7.150
Low
A
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Route 669
Floyd CL
14.110
Low
B
U.S. 58
Corridor Development
Program – 4 Lanes
0.492 KM East Big Reed
Island Creek
0.4 KM East Route 632
(Mapleshade Road)
5.040
Low
A
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Carroll CL
Patrick CL
1.570
Medium
B
U.S. 58
Develop to 4 Lanes
0.44 KM West Existing
Route 600
0.04 KM West Existing
Route 795
2.710
Medium
A
U.S. 58
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
Route 758
Stuart Bypass
12.340
Medium
B
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 28
Included in
Freight
Plan?
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Impact on Freight
Transportation
Activitya
Scenario
Medium
A
Medium
A
Route
Project Description
From
To
Distance
(Miles)
U.S. 58
Corridor Development
Program – 4 Lanes
0.177 KM West Route 795
0.660 KM East Route 610
4.000
U.S. 58
Clarksville Bypass
Route 722
0.641 KM East of
Route 15 North
U.S. 58
Urban 6 Lane with
Median
Manning Bridge Road
Suffolk Bypass
2.230
High
B
U.S. 58
Martin Luther King Jr.
Freeway Extension
Project
Martin Luther King Jr.
Extension
I-264 – London
Boulevard
1.040
Low
A
U.S. 13
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
North Carolina State Line
Carolina Road
13.310
Low
A
U.S. 13
U.S. 58
U.S. 460
Capacity Improvements
I-664
Suffolk Bypass
5.270
High
C
U.S. 17
Widen to 4 Lanes
2.6 Mile South Cedar
Road
South Cedar Road
Interchange
2.600
Low
A
U.S. 17
Rural 4 Lane with
Median
George Washington
Memorial Highway
Cedar Road
4.000
Low
B
U.S. 17
Urban 6 Lane with
Median
Cedar Road
Great Bridge Boulevard
2.550
Low
B
U.S. 17
Urban 6 Lane with
Median
College Drive
Chesapeake CL
0.070
Low
B
U.S. 17
Urban 6 Lane with
Median
Bennets Pasture Road
Harbour View Drive
2.740
Low
B
U.S. 17
Urban 6 Lane with
Median
Brewers Neck Boulevard
South End James River
Bridge
2.400
Low
B
U.S. 220
4 Lane with Median
(2 new Parallel Lanes)
North Carolina State Line
SCL Ridgeway
3.390
Medium
B
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Included in
Freight
Plan?
Yes
Yes
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 29
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Impact on Freight
Transportation
Activitya
Scenario
Included in
Freight
Plan?
Route
Project Description
From
To
Distance
(Miles)
U.S. 460
Urban 4 Lane with
Median
Kings Fork Road
Suffolk Bypass
1.470
High
B
Yes
U.S. 460b
Route 460 Expressway
I-295
Suffolk CL
52.900
High
C
Yes
I-64
Widen to 6 Lanes + HOV
Lanes
1.17 Mile East Battlefield
Boulevard
0.87 Mile West
Southbound I-464
3.120
Low
A
I-64
Widen to 6 Lanes + HOV
L and CD Road
Battlefield Boulevard
I-464
1.080
Low
B
I-64
Widen 6 Lanes + 2 HOV
Lanes
I-464
I-264/I-664
8.22
High
B
Yes
I-77
Truck Climbing Lanes in
Selection Locations
Route 58
West Virginia SL
52.500
High
B
Yes
I-95
Rural 6 Lane with
Median
North Carolina SL
Bus Route 58
11.130
High
B
Yes
VA 164
Construct Maersk
Terminal Interchange
At Maersk Terminal
High
A
I-564
Intermodal Connector
I-564
High
A
Hampton Roads Third
Crossing
High
C
National Gateway
High
C
Yes
Crescent Corridor
High
C
Yes
Heartland Corridor
High
A
Yes
Port-Related Rail
Improvement Projects –
Including Craney Island
Connector
High
C
Yes
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 30
Norfolk Naval Base/
N.I.T.
1.600
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Route
Impact on Freight
Transportation
Activitya
Scenario
Included in
Freight
Plan?
Norfolk International
Terminal Projects
High
C
Yes
Portsmouth Marine
Terminal Projects
High
C
Yes
Craney Island Marine
Terminal
High
C
Yes
Short-Haul “Sprint
Trains”
High
C
Yes
Project Description
From
To
Distance
(Miles)
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.
b: A portion of relocated U.S. 460 Expressway is located within the U.S. 58 Corridor – the planned expressway continues to I-295 near
Petersburg.
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 31
Virginia Statewide Multimodal Freight Study, Final Report, 2010
Conclusions
The primary conclusions of the U.S. 58 Corridor freight profile are:
•
The highest priority freight transportation infrastructure recommendations for the
Corridor include construction of the U.S. 460 Expressway between Suffolk and I-295
near Petersburg, the widening of U.S. 13/U.S. 58/U.S. 460 between I-664 and the
Suffolk Bypass, the widening U.S. 58 from Manning Bridge Road to the Suffolk Bypass,
construction of the I-564 intermodal connector, the completion of the Heartland
Corridor, the completion of the port-related rail improvement projects, and the
construction of the Hampton Roads Third Crossing.
•
Combined, the freight-intensive, retail, and goods movement industries account for
34 percent of total U.S. 58 employment, higher than the 31 percent average for Virginia
as a whole.
•
Over 77 percent of the total freight tonnage (inbound, outbound, internal, and through)
moving within the Corridor is hauled by truck with 21 percent hauled by rail. Over
71 percent of the total freight tonnage moving within the Corridor is through traffic.
•
The overall pavement condition of U.S. 58 in Virginia is poor.
•
U.S. 58 is a freight transportation bottleneck in the Hampton Roads area from I-664
past the Suffolk Bypass.
•
The Norfolk Southern Virginia east-west mainline is a bottleneck from Hampton Roads
through Blackstone.
•
Norfolk International Airport lies within the U.S. 58 Corridor.
Part III - U.S. 58 Corridor - Page 32
Cambridge Systematics, Inc.