Landside Connectivity: Virginia

Virginia Christens New NIT North Gate Complex

First truck rolls through North Gate
Photo/Port of Virginia

The Port of Virginia on June 27 christened North Gate, a 26-lane, technology-driven complex that will speed the flow of truck-borne cargo to and from Norfolk International Terminals (NIT).

Port partners, stakeholders, industry leaders and officials from the federal, state and local levels all gathered at NIT to celebrate the ceremonial "first move" by a motor carrier through the new gate complex. The North Gate opened to all motor carriers on June 30 and more than doubles gate capacity at the 567-acre terminal.

Two years ago, NIT’s North Gate was a small, four-lane facility staffed by full-time security personnel that processed container traffic, vendors’ vehicles and personal cars. Growing container volumes brought increasing pressure to bear on NIT’s 16-lane South Gate.

The $42 million North Gate project was funded by a $15 million federal TIGER grant and a $27 million port authority investment.

North Gate will soon have direct interstate connection via the I-564 Intermodal Connector. This road project will provide motor carriers serving NIT with safe, quick and direct access to I-564 while alleviating traffic congestion on local streets. Construction on the $169 million, four-lane roadway is underway. VDOT expects it to be in service by year’s end.

"We are within days of completing our best fiscal-year performance on record – 2.7 million TEUs – and the need for an expanded North Gate that provides safe, direct access to the interstate is greater than ever," said John F. Reinhart, CEO and executive director of the Virginia Port Authority. "As we expand our markets, add capacity and continue to improve efficiency across all our operations, more and more cargo is going to come to Virginia.

Virginia Port Authority CEO John Reinhart speaking at the North Gate dedication
Photo/Port of Virginia