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R-16-02 <br />A RESOLUTION IN <br />APPLICATION FOR <br />PROJECT. <br />SUPPORT OF A RAIL ENHANCEMENT FUND <br />THE COMMONWEALTH RAILWAY EXPANSION <br />WHEREAS, Commonwealth Railway desires to .file an application for funding <br />assistance from the Rail Enhancement Fund (REF) for a Marshalling Yard Expansion <br />Project ("Project") on the Commonwealth Railway, in support of the Virginia <br />International Gateway On-Dock Rail Expansion Project; and <br />WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth and the City of Norfolk are stakeholders in <br />this Project due to the utilities which must be relocated per Agreement with the Railroad <br />to accommodate the Commonwealth Railway yard expansion; and <br />WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth and the City of Norfolk estimate that utility <br />relocation will cost $15,000,000; and <br />WHEREAS, the Project application for REF funding will include 70 percent of <br />the estimated utility relocation cost as part of the Project budget, with the remaining 30 <br />percent of the estimated utility relocation cost apportioned between the City of Norfolk <br />and the City of Portsmouth; and <br />WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth recognizes the Project is an important <br />element of the regional, state, and national freight transportation system; and <br />WHEREAS, the Virginia International Gateway is vital to the economic <br />development of the area, and increased rail capacity provides relief to the highway <br />system by transporting freight, and provides an alternate means of transportation of <br />commodities; and <br />WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth supports the Project and the expansion of <br />on-dock rail service to maintain economic competitiveness in the world economy. <br />NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of <br />Portsmouth, Virginia, that the City of Portsmouth does hereby request that the <br />Commonwealth Transportation Board give priority consideration to the Marshalling Yard <br />Expansion Project for funding through the Rail Enhancement Fund. <br />ADOPTED by the Council of the City of Portsmouth, Virginia at a meeting held <br />on January 26, 2016. <br />Teste: <br />City Clerk <br />