A new intermodal terminal is set to open in North Baltimore, Ohio, in 2011; the venture was finalized Friday
. The Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal will be built to accommodate the efficient and environmentally friendly movement of containers between rail and truck.

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Congressman Bob Latta and CSX Chairman, President and CEO Michael Ward were all involved in the initiative to develop the distribution hub for retail products. The new terminal is part of the National Gateway, an $840 million infrastructure program. It will be built and operated by Evansville Western Railway of Paducah, Ky., an affiliate of CSX.

"Our nation is becoming increasingly aware of the economic and environmental benefits that railroads offer," said Ward. "The Northwest Ohio Terminal, as part of the National Gateway, will greatly expand our ability to deliver those benefits both regionally and nationally."

The National Gateway is a public-private infrastructure initiative to create a highly efficient, intermodal freight transportation link between the Mid-Atlantic ports and the Midwest. It includes CSX and its affiliates, large and small business interests, logistics companies, environmental advocates, federal, state and local governments and economic development agencies. Over a 30-year period, the initiative involves cutting carbon dioxide emissions by over 12 million tons, saving businesses over $3.5 billion in shipping costs, reducing fuel consumption by nearly 1 billion gallons, and reducing congestion on the highways.

In Ohio, the National Gateway program will bring in about $30 million in federal funding, $30 million in state funding, and a $175 million investment by CSX and its affiliates.

For more information about the program, visit www.nationalgateway.org.