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The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) is providing local municipalities more time to review 10 proposed sites for the Roanoke Region Intermodal Facility. This month and next, DRPT officials will attend local board meetings to discuss the project.

The agency had expected to select a site by early February. Now, a final decision will be issued in April.

“We are sensitive to the needs of the community involved in this intermodal facility site search and we don’t want to rush into a decision,” said DRPT Director Matthew Tucker in a prepared statement.

DPRT issued a report based on public comments received between Nov. 30 and Jan. 16. This report recommends the agency provide more time for municipalities to study the project, which is part of the $186 million Heartland Corridor initiative.

The proposed high-speed double-stack container line would run between Columbus, Ohio, and the Port of Norfolk, Va. To be completed in 2009, the line would reduce Norfolk Southern Corp.’s double-stack container route between Columbus and Norfolk by 300 miles and foster two-way double-stack service between Chicago, Columbus and Norfolk.

Through DRPT, Virginia is providing $22.4 million toward the $38.4 million cost of work proposed in the commonwealth, such as creating tunnel clearances for double-stack trains and constructing the intermodal terminal. The federal government and NS will provide $5 million and $11 million, respectively.