BergerWorld: 3rd Quarter 2008

Rail lines from inland port terminals are important components in connecting a region's freight system to the global economy. In an effort to accomplish this goal, AdvantageWest, the Appalachian Regional Commission, the state of North Carolina and Western Carolina University's Institute for the Economy and the Future initiated a feasibility study for locating an inland port facility in western North Carolina, and the Louis Berger Group, in cooperation with the Tioga Group, was retained to lead the study to determine freight demand and the facilities required to connect western North Carolina to seaports along the East Coast and other critical freight markets.

The Team's duties include studies to define the opportunities, demands and constraints for locating an inland port facility in the area and the most efficient type of inland port facility. A cost-benefit analysis will be conducted, including markets, infrastructure needs, capital outlay and long-term maintenance costs. The study will also be used to define future actions for various funding partners. Finally, the Team will visit with a number of major East and West Coast seaports to best determine how an inland port and rail line can complement their services.