I-95 I-85 Intersection

Just south of the state capital, Virginia’s Gateway Region is a portal to commerce well-positioned for logistics/distribution and advanced manufacturing companies seeking a location easily accessible to major U.S. markets.

Virginia’s Gateway Region

 

 

 

Appomattox River Canoeing, Petersburg

Key Companies in Virginia's Gateway Region

Major distributors in the region include Amazon, Walmart, and the Defense Supply Center Richmond. Fort Lee, a major logistics presence, churns out approximately 650 experienced exiting military each year, supporting a growing MSA labor force of just over one million.

Downtown Petersburg
Downtown Petersburg

Regional Highlights

Virginia’s Gateway Region (VGR) is located at the I-95/I-85 intersection in the southern portion of the Richmond MSA and adjacent to the Virginia Beach-Norfolk MSA. It consists of four counties (Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex) and the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg. This East Coast midpoint is well-connected to a national rail and highway network, The Port of Virginia, capital cities, and is within a day’s drive of half of the U.S. population.

Major distributors in the region include Amazon, Walmart, and the Defense Supply Center Richmond. Fort Lee, a major logistics presence, churns out approximately 650 experienced exiting military each year, supporting a growing MSA labor force of just over one million.

Location

Easy access to major Interstates 64, 85, and 95, a national rail network, and the inland Port of Richmond make the Gateway Region an attractive location for companies requiring simple accessibility to major metropolitan areas and U.S. markets.

Commonwealth Center For Advanced Manufacturing CCAM, Prince George County
Commonwealth Center For Advanced Manufacturing CCAM, Prince George County

  • I-85, I-95, and I-295 run through the region, and six other interstates are within close proximity: I-195, I-64, I-664, I-564, I-264, and I-464.
  • Freight rail service is provided by CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern.
  • The Port of Richmond, a multimodal freight and distribution center, and The Port of Virginia, offering the deepest harbor on the U.S. East Coast, are within a two-hour drive of the region.
  • Three regional airports offer general aviation services, and commercial air service with nonstop flights to domestic destinations is available from Richmond International Airport (RIC – 21 miles), Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport (PHF – 45 miles), and Norfolk International Airport (ORF – 57 miles).
  • Washington-Dulles International (IAD) and Reagan National (DCA) Airports, located two hours from the region, offer direct national and international flights to all destinations worldwide. Air taxi service to these major airports is available from Chesterfield County and Dinwiddie County Airports.

With its welcoming partnerships, central location along I-95, and growing life sciences workforce, we are thrilled to build our new facility in Virginia. In addition, our partnership and co-manufacturing location with Phlow and AMPAC will be instrumental in our efforts to simplify what is typically a very complex supply channel.

Martin VanTrieste President and CEO of Civica

Talent Development in Virginia's Gateway Region

Virginia’s Gateway Region is known for its game-changing research and innovation centers specializing in advanced manufacturing, logistics, and agriculture and food product innovation, each with significant institutional and corporate involvement. These assets contribute to the qualified local workforce and enhance expertise.

John Tyler Community College

John Tyler Community College offers more than 45 programs, 25 associate degrees, and 41 certificates, serving over 14,000 for-credit students. In 2011, Rolls-Royce donated the exact machines it uses on its Prince George County shop floor to train students who may become future employees.

Richard Bland College

Richard Bland College, a two-year institution, provides programs designed to prepare students to transfer to a four-year college, and residents also have dozens of higher education options at surrounding colleges and universities in nearby regions.

Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing

The Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) is an applied research center that provides production-ready advanced manufacturing solutions to member companies across the globe. Members guide the research, leveraging talent and resources within CCAM and at Virginia universities through a collaborative model that enables them to pool R&D efforts to increase efficiencies. Strategic research areas include adaptive automation systems, surface engineering, additive manufacturing, and machining science and technology.

Living in Virginia's Gateway Region

The Gateway Region offers numerous outdoor activities with Virginia’s mild climate and beautiful scenery. The mountains and Atlantic Ocean are both within 90 miles.

State, regional, and local parks offer fishing, hunting, hiking, picnicking, boating, ball fields, playgrounds, and water sports. Yacht clubs, marinas, and a variety of water-related activities are promoted on the James and Appomattox Rivers throughout the year.

The region also has a variety of historical, cultural, and recreational activities to offer. The Richmond-Petersburg MSA has numerous buildings, sites, and museums that attract history enthusiasts. Cultural activities include performances by local theater groups, a symphony orchestra, and a ballet company. With close proximity to Richmond and Hampton Roads, residents are a short drive from many entertainment options.

Beacon Theatre, Hopewell Multi
Jordan Point Marina, Prince George County
Virginia Motorsports Park, Dinwiddie County