After three years of construction, Gov. Roy Cooper along with leaders from the N.C. Department of Transportation, CSX Corporation, and Carolinas Gateway Partnership held a ribbon cutting for the new Carolina Connector intermodal transportation facility in Edgecombe County.
The 330-acre site allows trucks to bring cargo containers to a rail yard where they are transferred to trains for transport. NCDOT invested $118 million for site development and road construction.
CSX contributed $40 million and is operating the facility that was built on the company’s main line. According to a news release, the facility will spur economic development by providing regional industries with efficient access to rail service.
The news release said construction of the Carolina Connector will also allow NC Ports to start the Wilmington Midwest Express, opening up new markets by connecting Port of Wilmington customers with daily direct freight rail service to the Midwest.
