Politics & Government

Del. Gaines Tells Greenbelt Council CSX Intermodal Destined for Baltimore

Beltsville may be off the hook. The Batimore-Washington Rail Intermodal Facility has found a location in Baltimore City, according to Delegate Gaines, who is awaiting official word.

Delegate Tawanna Gaines (D-Dist. 22) told the Greenbelt City Council that CSX has found the location for its intermodal facility and it is in Baltimore, though she said she is awaiting final confirmation.

The Greenbelt City Council has voted several times in favor of sending out letters in opposition to the facility locating to nearby Beltsville, MD.

"I heard just a few days ago that CSX has found some place in Baltimore," she told the council Monday.

Gaines said CSX has not sent a letter regarding $500,000 that Gaines said she and colleagues placed in the state budget, tying CSX to a Baltimore location.

But she said a colleague at an event a few days ago in Baltimore County told her that CSX had found a place in Baltimore City.

Find out what's happening in Greenbeltwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In an email to Patch Tuesday, Bob Sullivan, spokesperson for CSX, said the rail line was continuing to weigh all options in Maryland.

"CSX remains committed to working with the State of Maryland and will continue to carefully evaluate all options to develop an intermodal facility that will quickly address the needs of CSX customers, the state's growing freight transportation demands and the Port of Baltimore expansion," the email said.

In March 2011, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced it and CSX had identified Beltsville as one of four locations for a new Batimore-Washington Rail Intermodal Facility in central Maryland.

The targeted Beltsville site, between Sunnyside Avenue and Powder Mill Road near MD 201, would have put the train-truck transfer facility in close proximity to Greenbelt, with shared roads and waterways. 

Find out what's happening in Greenbeltwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Greenbelt residents began to voice concerns about the effect the industrial facility could have on streams, traffic, and noise and pollution levels, among other issues.

There are “at least 13 different reasons why” we oppose this plan, said Mayor Judith "J" Davis at an —including the impact such a facility would have on the area’s flood plain and “innumerable streams” connecting to Indian Creek.

Gaines called the apparent news that the intermodal would be located elsewhere "very exciting."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Greenbelt