The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $974,000 to the I-40 TradePort Corridor, an 805-mile, multi-state coalition to develop a network of clean energy logistics hubs as an integral part of the nation’s supply chain solution.
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As one of 14 national recipients under the Regional Infrastructure Accelerators (RIA) program, the I-40 TradePort Corridor will kick off with a key stretch in Northern Arizona. Scottsdale-based Atlas Global Development Group will focus its efforts on the I-40 corridor between Kingman and Winslow, known as the I40TPC Winslow. The Northern Arizona stretch is an essential route for nearly one-third of the United States’ GDP.
The I40TPC Winslow acts as the first critical leg of a next-generation national freight and cargo corridor system that is constructed over an integrated clean energy, high-efficiency cargo management platform. It brings critically needed economic development to the Native American and rural Arizona communities it runs through.
The investment acts as a significant turning point for the City of Winslow and its 9,000 residents. The nearly $1 million grant will support the project planning, studies and analysis, as well as primary engineering and design work for I40TPC, which will act as the foundation of future growth for the city. Atlas Global will develop a 3,000+ acre industrial mega site in Winslow, supporting an investment in the future of the city with manufacturing facilities for forward-thinking clean energy industries, medical care facilities, education, parks and recreation and retail.
“These rural Arizona communities have long been overlooked, despite their incredible potential as central and essential pieces to the supply chain logistics puzzle,” said Daniel Lupien, managing director of Atlas Global Development Group. “The RIA grant is the first step toward revitalizing these communities and bringing tremendous opportunities to Kingman, Winslow and the vital Arizona towns that are the heartbeat of the I40TPC Winslow.”
The I40TPC Winslow’s origin point is the Port of Los Angeles, with Winslow acting as the first strategic location along the busiest corridor in the U.S. The project aims to circumvent the increasingly slow supply chain performance of the Inland Empire in Southern California, and to address future negative impacts to the national supply chain.
The I40TPC Winslow is supported by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, Arizona Congressman Paul Gosar, Mohave County, Coconino County, the cities of Winslow and Kingman, as well as the Hopi Tribe and Navajo Nation. Upon completion, the I-40 TradePort Corridor is anticipated to create approximately 60,000 jobs in both the Arizona and New Mexico hubs.
“This is an exciting and extraordinary opportunity for the City of Winslow and other rural communities along the I-40 Corridor,” said Winslow Mayor Roberta Canó. “Through the RIA program, we now have the ability to shape a better future for our citizens utilizing clean energy and boosting our economic development. Furthermore, the revitalization and strengthening of our integral TradePort network is a positive change towards a healthier economy, substantial growth, and realizing the full potential that Northern Arizona has to offer. Winslow is and always has been an integral location for the American supply chain, and we are appreciative of our partnerships with Atlas Global Development Groupand The U.S. Department of Transportation for the overall development of I40TPC Winslow.”
The buy-in of the Native peoples who inhabit the land in and around the project was essential to Atlas Global Development Group’s plan for the I40TPC Winslow.
“Hopis, Hisat’sinom, are the original inhabitants of what is known today as Winslow. Hopis know the land as Homolovi,” said Timothy Nuvangyaoma, Chairman of the Hopi Tribe. “For decades, our region has been overlooked as a potential area for economic development. We are encouraged and thankful to be a part of the collaboration on the I-40 TradePort Corridor. The Hopi-Tewa Sinom will truly benefit from the development that is slated to occur in the Winslow area”
JLL Executive Managing Director Anthony Lydon and Managing Director Bill Honsaker, along with Ken Berkhoff of 1st Brokers Realty, serve as the exclusive leasing brokers for I40TPC.
“Arizona has become a location of choice for industrial users from across the globe. A staggering number of these companies have planted flags in metro Phoenix — resulting in 13 million square-feet of leases in the first three quarters of 2023 alone. I40TPC Winslow is the next chapter in Arizona’s industrial evolution, providing a unique mega-site with multimodal connectivity and modern facilities, but without the rising barriers to market entry,” Honsaker said. “Atlas understands — and is ready to support — the needs of the industries that will be particularly served by I40TPC, including energy-centric manufacturing entities such as solar, battery and hydrogen production, as well as industries tied to wood products. We are thrilled to help introduce this offering to the Southwest and for all that it will bring to Northern Arizona.”
The I40TPC Winslow is being developed in tandem with several communities throughout the West and Southwest, including the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach in California, as well as Bernalillo County, Sandoval County and the Village of Los Luna in New Mexico. The RIA program grant will help accelerate the project delivery in a variety of ways, including project planning, studies and analysis, as well as primary engineering and design work.
To learn more about the RIA program, visit the Build America Bureau’s website via transportation.gov.
