The Commonwealth Transportation Board on Jan. 14 voted to award the funding to Sims Metals, which will use it to construct more than 400 linear feet of track, including an in-track scale, as part of a total investment of $20 million, according to grant administrator Virginia DRPT. The project is expected to divert nearly 2,000 trucks per year from local roads and create new jobs.
Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line will serve Sims Metals’ scrap metal yard (see map below), which recycles electronic waste and ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal, and provides industrial, obsolete and demo scrap, and trucking and roll-off container services. A business division of Sims Limited, Sims Metals buys, processes, and sells ferrous and non-ferrous recycled metals and has operations in five continents, including the United States and Australasia.
“The Rail Industrial Access Program continues to play a vital role in supporting Virginia’s growing economy while enhancing the sustainability of our transportation network,” said Tiffany Robinson, who was hired last fall as DRPT Director. “By connecting SIMS Metals to the freight rail system, this project not only promotes environmentally responsible practices but also reduces truck traffic, creating safer and more efficient travel for residents and businesses in the region.”
Rail Industrial Access Program-supported projects include engineering, site preparation, track construction, track rehabilitation, track improvement, environmental mitigation, and main line railroad switch installation. Grants require a 30% match from the applicant. The Commonwealth Transportation Board in early 2024 approved increasing the maximum grant amount from $450,000 to $750,000.
