By Jeff Sturgeon, The Roanoke Times; January 24, 2019
A trucks-to-rail strategy to unsnarl Interstate 81 in Virginia fascinated several members of the Roanoke Valley Transportation Planning Organization, one of whom declared, “I do love that concept.”
Those words from Billy Martin, chairman of the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors, echoed comments by Phil North, chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors. Putting trucks on trains is a fresh-sounding approach to I-81 congestion relief, the men said in response to a briefing Thursday by David Foster of Salem-based Rail Solutions.