Rocky Mount rides the rails to prosperitySuggested outlet: Rocky Mount TelegramBy Jim Gardner

CSX recently announced plans to build an intermodal rail terminal in Rocky Mount, N.C., bringing an

incredible opportunity for growth to our community. From job creation to economic investment to

infrastructure development, the Carolina Connector will put Rocky Mount, eastern North Carolina –

even the state as a whole – on track to prosperity.

As former lieutenant governor and U.S. congressman, I have spent decades looking out for North

Carolina’s best interests, and I have always worked to improve my hometown of Rocky Mount. Our city

now faces a transformative opportunity to create jobs, boost our economy, invest in critical

infrastructure and demonstrate our leadership on the state level through the Carolina Connector.

Many of us in Rocky Mount are all too familiar with our struggling economy, and the lack of good,

sustainable jobs that pay a living wage. The unemployment rate in Rocky Mount is 50 percent higher

than the statewide average, and the highest among all major metropolitan areas in North Carolina. A

significant portion of our residents currently live below the poverty line. But we have a chance to turn

things around by working with railroads, much like our forefathers who put Rocky Mount on the map in

the nineteenth century.

When the first trains came through Rocky Mount in 1840, they loaded up on Nash County’s “Old Nash”

apple brandy, a beverage that became the drink of choice across the region for special occasions. As the

line running through Rocky Mount merged with other local routes, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was

formed and hired a robust workforce, spurring development of new businesses and shops.

The Carolina Connector (CCX) will create 250-300 construction jobs to Rocky Mount, and more than 300

permanent jobs – from truck drivers to management to equipment operators. These are the type of jobs

we want too: annual CSX terminal salaries will average $60,000. CCX will also attract warehouses and

distribution and industrial businesses to the areas surrounding the terminal, resulting in increased

economic output and jobs.

This terminal has the potential to transform Rocky Mount’s economic landscape into one of the most

important transportation and logistics hubs in North Carolina and the entire Southeast.

The CCX terminal will significantly improve transportation infrastructure and enhance distribution

opportunities for small and large businesses across Rocky Mount and the state. The development will

improve access to national and global markets and lower shipping costs, introducing a new competitive

advantage for existing businesses in Rocky Mount and across the Twin Counties. As a result, the region

will continue to grow and attract additional businesses. The prospects for economic expansion as an

output of CCX are unlike anything Rocky Mount has seen in a long time.

Furthermore, a project with such a tremendous economic impact comes with noteworthy

environmental benefits. CSX is known for its efforts in environmental responsibility; the terminal will use

near-silent cranes and directional lighting onsite, and it will actually significantly reduce highway

congestion and emissions. When economic gains align with environmental benefits, projects like CCX

should be a no-brainer.

As a resident of Rocky Mount, the wellbeing of our community is also important to me. CSX has a proven

track record of investing and partnering with the communities in which it operates through local

partnerships, sponsorships, organized service days and more. For example, CSX employees at a similar

intermodal terminal in Northwest Ohio joined Habitat for Humanity in a new build project. The company

also provided a local high school with a new computer lab and equipment, and continues to support

community events and local organizations.

The Carolina Connector will position Rocky Mount as a logistical powerhouse in the region, and I ask my

friends and neighbors to join me in celebrating the arrival of such a transformational opportunity and

welcome CSX to expand in our community.

Jim Gardner, a Republican from Rocky Mount, served as lieutenant governor of North Carolina from 1989

to 1993 and co-founder of Hardee’s Food Systems, Inc.