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72 <br /> <br />A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE SUPPORT OF THE PORTSMOUTH CITY <br />COUNCIL FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN (NFD) <br />RAILROAD INTO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF THE WESTERN FREEWAY. <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the Churchland area of the City of <br />Portsmouth, the Western Branch area of the City of <br />Chesapeake and the northeastern portion of the City of <br />Suffolk have been developed primarily as residential areas <br />with related commercial activity; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the Norfolk Southern (NFD) Railroad traverses <br />portions of these areas intersecting with many heavily <br />traveled streets and highways and regularly transports <br />chemicals and other hazardous materials; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, at the insistence of this Council the Western <br />Freeway was redesigned to permit the relocation of the <br />existing railroad to the median of the highways to be <br />constructed from Boone in the City of Chesapeake to the <br />termination of the rail line in the City of Portsmouth. <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, relocating the railroad within the <br />right-of-way would: 1) reduce the possibility of tlaffic <br />congestion at crossings 2) reduce the possibility of <br />accidents involving hazardous chemicals and other <br />materials; and 3) facilitate the development of vacant land <br />in Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Suffolk; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, relocation of the railroad to the median <br />during the construction of the highways result in a <br />substantial cost savings and would not delay the progress <br />of construction of highways presently scheduled in <br />Portsmouth, Chesapeake or Suffolk; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Portsmouth deems <br />it essential that the railroad be relocated as soon as <br />possible. <br /> <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the <br />City of Portsmouth, Virginia, expresses its supporn for the <br />relocation of the Norfolk Southern (NFD) Railroad into the <br />right-of-way of the Western Freeway and creates the <br />Railroad Relocation Task Force to coordinate the efforts of <br />all affected jurisdictions to reach this goal. <br /> <br /> BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the cities <br />of Chesapeake and Suffolk are hereby requested to appoint <br />similar task forces to meet with our appointees and <br />coordinate the efforts to achieve the intent of this <br />resolution. <br /> <br /> <br />