The I-81 Corridor has been a significant route of travel and trade for centuries.
It was heavily used before Europeans arrived. They called it the “great warrior’s path,” then the “Great Road,” stretching from New York to Georgia. Defined by geography, its primary features are I-81 and a single-track rail line. We invested in the interstate highway system, allowing the shift from rail to trucks for cargo, and passenger rail to cars for transportation. Rail is 3 to 4 times more efficient than trucks. Now we face dangerous, polluting interstates.
Annually, I-81 sees about 12 million trucks and suffers about 2,000 crashes, a quarter of which involve trucks. About half these 12 million trucks are simply passing through Virginia. RAIL Solution offers some relief. Entire trucks would be loaded onto specially-designed trains, with cars to accommodate drivers. This is used effectively in Europe. Big yards in Knoxville and Harrisburg could quickly load and off-load trucks, a win-win-win: Drivers get mandatory rest, while freight keeps moving. Rail makes money from the added traffic, and we get reduced carbon output, cleaner air and safer highways. Virtually everyone who drives on I-81 agrees; too many trucks!
We are now spending billions on I-81 adding lanes, extending entry and exit lanes, adding messaging signs and overnight parking for trucks. This will make I-81 more attractive to semi-trucks, likely increasing their number. Diesel particulates are especially critical in areas like the Roanoke Valley, which is a borderline non-attainment zone. An interstate lane costs about 10 million dollars a mile and requires 50 feet of land. An additional track takes about 12 feet, and requires no cement or asphalt.