Posted on September 11, 2023
The plan to bring an inland port to Southwest Virginia is moving forward.
The Virginia General Assembly approved a budget deal on Wednesday, which includes $10 million in funding going towards the inland port.
Del. Israel O’Quinn told News 5 a study performed by the Virginia Port Authority and Virginia Economic Development Partnership found Southwest Virginia to be a great location for the port — with Washington County in the running for a potential site.
An inland port is a site where freight is transferred from rail to truck, or vice versa.
O’Quinn adds the $10 million puts engineering and site development in place for the port.
“I know the Port of Virginia is very excited about this, the Secretary of Transportation is excited about this moving forward,” said O’Quinn. “Our delegation is certainly very excited about this as well. I think we all know the potential that the inland port holds for our region — for new jobs, for transportation and logistics.”
Lawmakers say they plan to continue discussions on this project during the 2024 legislative session.
