CTB Approves Grant to Ashton Creek Industrial Park for Truck-to-rail Diversion
The $450,000 Rail Industrial Access Grant from DRPT Will Construct a New Rail Spur at Chesterfield County Facility
 RICHMOND — The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) announced today that Ashton Creek Industrial Park LLC will receive a $450,000 grant through the agency’s Rail Industrial Access Program to support the construction of a new 1,320-foot rail spur at its facility in Chesterfield County. The spur will serve the rail needs of the park’s tenant, Commonwealth Building Materials. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) approved the grant Tuesday.
DRPT administers the Rail Industrial Access Program with the goal of promoting truck diversion through grant assistance that connects new or expanding businesses to the freight railroad network. The Ashton Creek Industrial Park project will grow capacity for 1,365 new annual carloads and create 18 new jobs. The new rail spur along the CSX line will divert nearly 4,700 trucks from Virginia highways each year.
“The Rail Industrial Access grant program is an established asset to support Virginia’s economy and businesses,” said Jennifer DeBruhl, Director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. “We look forward to seeing the new growth and success of Ashton Creek Industrial Park and Commonwealth Building Materials in Chesterfield County as the rail spur improves the movement of sheetrock and drywall to the facility from North Carolina and Pennsylvania.”
As part of the Rail Industrial Access grant, Ashton Creek Industrial Park is responsible for a minimum 30 percent match toward rail costs. It is estimated that total railroad track construction costs will be $850,000 and total capital investment in the facility will be $3.5 million. The grant awarded to Ashton Creek Industrial Park follows a record year for the program with a total of eight projects, 2,895 new jobs, $3.5 million in state funding, and $867 million in private investments.
Since 2017, DRPT freight rail programs have diverted more than 44 million trucks from Virginia highways. Companies that have Rail Industrial Access grants diverted 28,332 of those trucks during Fiscal Year 2022. By reducing the number of trucks on the road, DRPT is fulfilling its commitment to reducing road congestion and decreasing harmful emissions in Virginia.
Ashton Creek Industrial Park applied for this grant to serve the rail needs of its tenant, Commonwealth Building Materials. The company’s South Richmond location provides staff expertise and a full stock of drywall, insulation, acoustical tiles, and steel framing to builders in the region.
About the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation
DRPT’s mission is to improve the mobility of people and goods while expanding transportation choices in the Commonwealth through rail, public transportation, and commuter services. DRPT is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in or denied the benefits of its services on the basis of race, color, or national origin as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights. For more information, please visit www.drpt.virginia.gov.
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