Infrastructure

The Port of Virginia

The Virginia Port Authority oversees the Virginia International Gateway (VIG), a privately owned marine container terminal situated along the Elizabeth River in Portsmouth, Virginia. Commissioned in July 2007, VIG holds the distinction of being the largest privately-owned container terminal in the United States. Other general cargo terminals within reach include:

As the second-largest port on the East Coast, The Port of Virginia, located 45 miles from the City of Franklin and Southampton County, serves as a vital link for over 95 percent of the world’s shipping lines. The Virginia Port Authority, a leader in international transportation and maritime commerce, manages this strategic hub, connecting Franklin Southampton to over 250 ports across more than 100 countries.

Craney Island, the largest fully-permitted port expansion project in the United States, signifies the future of The Port of Virginia. The demand for additional container terminal capacity in Virginia is driven by global growth, increased containerization, the advent of larger vessels, and the expansion of international trade. Craney Island is poised to capitalize on the port’s natural advantages, leveraging its deep water, lack of overhead restrictions, and prime distribution position in the Mid-Atlantic.

Highways

Strategically positioned within 750 miles of over two-thirds of the nation’s population, The City of Franklin and Southampton County is effortlessly reachable within a two-day truck drive. Our proximity to key transport routes amplifies our connectivity: Interstate 95, a crucial north-south East Coast route, is a mere 33 miles from the City and just 5 miles from the Southampton County line. US Routes 460 and 58 provide seamless linkage to Interstate 64, the Hampton Roads Region to the east, and Interstate 95 to the west. Plus, US Route 258 offers direct access to US Route 17 in the north and the North Carolina state line in the south.

Rail

Norfolk Southern Corporation and CSX Transportation provide freight and piggyback rail services, connecting the City of Franklin, Southampton County, and Virginia’s Hampton Roads.

With an extensive network, Norfolk Southern offers rail services covering approximately half of the United States. In 2010, Norfolk Southern completed significant enhancements to the Heartland Corridor—a public-private partnership involving Norfolk Southern, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, and the federal government. This initiative aimed to establish the shortest and fastest route for double-stacked container trains between the Port of Virginia and the Midwest.

Rail improvements between Norfolk and Chicago reduced travel time from four days to three and shortened the route by nearly 250 miles compared to previous paths. This well-connected rail network links Southampton County to major national markets, and international markets are easily accessible through rail connections to the Port of Virginia terminals.