(The Associated Press circulated the following on September 11.)
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. — Montgomery County officials have filed a lawsuit seeking to block the state’s plan to spend $40 million on a new Norfolk Southern rail yard.
A county spokeswoman said Thursday that the lawsuit has been filed challenging the constitutionality of using state tax money on private industry.
The state plans to build a connector highway and assist Norfolk Southern with development of the intermodal yard in Elliston. The yard will handle trailer-sized containers that can be transferred among trains, ships and trucks.
The yard will be part of the Heartland Corridor, a $249 million project to move freight containers between Columbus, Ohio, and the Norfolk port more efficiently.