Project to Bypass Freight Trains in Norfolk is Derailed

An underpass project that would have avoided delays and been a potential safety improvement in eliminating grade crossings in Norfolk is off track, according to media reports.

The Virginian-Pilot reported on how tens of thousands of motorists who commute to Norfolk Naval Station each weekday routinely stop for freight trains accessing and leaving Norfolk International Terminals.

“It’s a cost of reporting for duty at a base that sits next to one of the nation’s busiest container terminals,” the Virginian-Pilot reported.

The media report highlighted how improvements have stalled. In the summer of 2009, work began on a rail bridge that would route some of the port’s train traffic over a Hampton Boulevard underpass. According to reports, it was supposed to be finished by November 2012.

But the project stopped as it was nearing completion when Norfolk Southern Corp., whose trains will use the new crossing and the tracks on either side of it, unexpectedly rejected the line. The railroad claimed it failed to meet required safety standards.

“Though the parties say they’ve agreed to the necessary fixes, the earliest the project will be finished is next spring – 2½ years late. The delays have added millions of dollars to the cost,” the Pilot reported.

Our Norfolk railroad injury lawyers are well aware of the dangers of grade crossings. There are numerous dangers on crossings and, in some cases, a railroad may be liable for injuries or deaths if a crossing was poorly maintained or had bad visibility. If you have been hurt on the railroad, call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at 757.455.0077.