Transportation
Railroad Features
Cross County, as its name implies, is at the crossing of several rail lines. We are home to two lines that run north and south. One line is in the community of Fair Oaks in western Cross County. The other north south line runs through Wynne in central Cross County.
Running east and west is one of the busiest rail lines in Arkansas. This line intersects the north-south lines in Fair Oaks and in Wynne; making Cross County one of the few places in Arkansas with two such intersections for Class I rail carriers.
The county is served by both Union Pacific (UP) (http://www.up.com/) and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail carriers. The east-west line is dual served by these carriers, and it runs across several sites that could be advantageous for your company to consider.
North Little Rock, about 90 miles west of Cross County via I-40, is the hub of UP's operations in Arkansas, where the railroad operates the $40 million Downing B. Jenks locomotive repair shop, the largest and most modern on the system. North Little Rock is also the site of the system's second largest freight car classification yard. In addition to Union Pacific's facilities in Little Rock, UP operates a $70 million state-of-the-art, 600-acre intermodal facility at Marion, less than 10 minutes from Cross County via US highway 64.
For additional rail information, please contact our staff for further assistance.
Airports in the Vicinity
The greater Cross County area has the air services necessary to keep your business well connected across the globe.
Memphis International Airport to the east is less than an hour away via I-40 and I-55. A hub for Northwest Airlines, it provided service to more than 10.6-million people in 2007 and transported nearly 4.2-million tons of freight through the air.
Little Rock National Airport to the west is less than two hours away via I-40. Little Rock is a hub for Southwest Airlines, and transports more than 2.1-million passengers annually. There are more than 150 flight arrivals and departures at Little Rock each day, with non-stop jet service to 18 national/international gateway cities, making Little Rock truly one stop away from the world.
Cross County and St. Francis County, our neighbor to the south, have joined forces to form a partnership to construct a new regional airport. Governed by the Delta Regional Airport Authority, the new airport is scheduled to be constructed and operational by 2011. The site will be in St. Francis County, but will border Cross County approximately 7 miles south of Wynne.
Rivers and River Ports
Shipping goods by water is often advantageous for many companies. Cross County can provide this service, too, with less than a 45 minute drive via I-40, I-55, 3-lane US Highway 64 and 4-lane Arkansas Highway 1.
The West Memphis-Crittenden County Port Authority owns a general purpose river terminal and a special purpose grain terminal. Rail service is available nearby. The Port is within five miles of I-40 and I-55. They are currently in the middle of a three-phase project to improve ease of travel to and from the port.
The International Port of Memphis is available by road or rail and is less than one hour from Wynne, and less than 35 minutes from Park in eastern Cross County. The port facility consists of five public terminals with 11 berths, and some terminals have cranes available in the 100 to 300 ton class. Specialty heavy lift service is also available up to 1250 tons.
The Memphis & Shelby County Port facilities are served by five class one railroad carriers, 2 barge fleeting services and a multitude of barge & truck transport services. The port facility has immediate access to I-40 and I-55 and is located less than 15 minutes from the Memphis International Airport. (Information obtained from www.portofmemphis.com)
