HAGERSTOWN, MD (March 21, 2022) – The
Washington County Department of Business Development proudly announces
Hitachi Rail has selected Washington County, Maryland as the home for their new railcar manufacturing operations as a part of a major U.S. expansion. The company plans to build a $70M, 300,000 square-foot facility at 11903 Greencastle Pike in Washington County, MD. This project will create up to 460 new full-time jobs and help sustain 1,300 jobs in the region. This new facility will allow Hitachi to fulfill its
$2.2B contract with the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to build its new fleet of 8000-series railcars. Roughly 60 percent of the construction value of this project will be spent in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia with local suppliers and small businesses.
“We are beyond excited Hitachi Rail chose Washington County, MD as the location of their newest advanced manufacturing operation. Securing a deal with a global company such as Hitachi Rail continues to demonstrate why Washington County is a regional leader in economic development. We look forward to 400+ new employment opportunities for Washington County citizens and are highly appreciative Hitachi Rail has recognized the strengths of our community” said Board of County Commissioners President Jeffrey A. Cline.
“Bowman Development Corporation played a vital role in Hitachi Rail’s site selection process and recognizes the importance of diversifying the employment base here in Washington County, MD with these high-quality manufacturing jobs. We would be remiss not to recognize the role of the civil engineering firm of Frederick, Seibert & Associates, especially Dave Trostle, project manager, who worked closely with client and Bowman; often taking the lead coordinating with all the stakeholders.” said Don Bowman owner of the Bowman Group.
The Halfway Boulevard Extension project involves the construction of a new four-lane roadway, including a large culvert, connecting existing Halfway Boulevard to MD Route 63 (Greencastle Pike), and includes a new traffic signal. The project has been identified as an economic development opportunity for the County, providing an alternate access route to MD Route 63, Interstate 70, and Interstate 81 for heavy truck traffic from the industrial park and businesses on Halfway Boulevard. With the increase of freight traffic and warehouse construction in the area, the extension of Halfway Boulevard is integral to safe and efficient travel within Washington County.
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants are being secured for this project, and developer contributions will further offset local funding.
“Welcoming a project of this significance is a testament to the unmatched business climate and highly skilled and diverse workforce we have cultivated here in Washington County. We have exceptional teams across all levels of County government who have collaborated to attract new, innovative businesses like Hitachi Rail USA to our communities and bring more economic opportunity to the hardworking citizens of Washington County.” Susan Grimes, Director of Business Development.
Land for the project has been acquired near the growing Hopewell Valley industrial park in Washington County, the next stage will involve preparing the land for construction. Once the process of grading the land is finished in the fall of 2022, the construction of the factory will begin in earnest, with the site scheduled to be operational in winter 2023-2024.
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