Julie McCombs
The Inland Port is beginning to show some definition with a roadway being cut and graded in the background, Norfolk and Southern traffic signals built where a double set of tracks will accommodate rail cars arriving and departing for the Port of Charleston.
Julie McCombs
Norfolk and Southern railroad crews are preparing tracks to be laid. This week, trains are having to reduce speed to make sure a new switch has been installed appropriately. Rail traffic is expected to resume normal speeds next week.
Julie McCombs
This overview shows the $13.4 million, 414,534 square foot BMW Manufacturing Co. warehouse that is being built on Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport property. A BMW official said the warehouse will be used for assembly vehicles in preparation for their being shipped to Charleston.
Julie McCombs
Railroad cross ties are stacked and grading has been completed in preparation for the laying of a second set of Norfolk and Southern tracks on the east end of the Inland Port.
Rain has not delayed the construction processes, according to officials managing various projects. The port’s scheduled operation is set to begin in September.
Construction took a brief respite over the July 4 holiday but activity was in full gear this week. Surprisingly, the port missed Monday’s downpours that added another inch of rain to some parts of the Upstate. There are two rain gauges at the port.
Norfolk and Southern Railroad put in a new switch and rail speed was slowed dramatically this week as crews were testing its progress. Grading and the laying of gravel is complete on the east end of the rail part of the port. Railroad ties have been proportionately stacked at at measured intervals in preparation for the laying of the second set of tracks.
There is 20,000 linear feet of rails on site.
Conditions were muddy at times this week but the cutting of roads and their grading is continuing.
GSP Logistics Parkway will be the only entry and exit at J. Verne Smith Parkway (Hwy. 80). International Commerce Way will be the road that trucks will travel within the port.
Concrete has been poured for a test strip for its stabilization. The depth of the concrete will range from 8-inches, to 9-inches for loaded containers and up to 13 inches where the three rubber-tiered gantry cranes will be anchored to load and unload the containers.
A second concrete test strip is where the operations, maintenance and wash rack will be located at the west end of the port.
When completed, the port will have had 180,000 yards of concrete poured.