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New! SEHSR Corridor Awarded $620 Million in Federal Funding
February 2010 :: On January 28, it was announced that Virginia and North Carolina would receive substantial funds to make incremental improvements in the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor. Initial funds are slated for projects that are significantly advanced in terms of planning and engineering between Washington, DC and Richmond, and between Raleigh and Charlotte.
News releases>
North Carolina, Virginia
New! Southeast High Speed
Rail Coalition
February 2010 :: In an historic move, key transportation leaders from Alabama, Florida, North and South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee voted on January 25 to form the Southeast High Speed Rail Coalition to accelerate high speed and intercity rail connectivity in the region.
More information>News Release, List of Attendees
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To receive email updates about
Southeast High Speed Rail,
click here to sign up on the mailing list.
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New! North Carolina's Applications for Rail ARRA Projects
October 2009 :: Click here for the list located on bytrain.org website.
Proposed Rail Improvements Schematic
May 2009 :: The study team has prepared a graphic that summarizes the designs proposed in each of the sections of SEHSR between Richmond and Raleigh. To access the graphic click here.
Trail Resources
May 2009 :: The project team has been researching anecdotal data and information related to existing trails in this country and Canada. The team has compiled a list of references which document experiences and relationships between existing trails and the communities and private properties near which they run. For more information click here>
Preliminary Track Charts Available – Richmond to Raleigh
May 2009 :: Richmond to South Collier, VA
South Collier, VA to VA/NC Line: Alternative 1, Alternative 2, Alternative 3
VA/NC Line to Raleigh: Alternative 1, Alternative 2, Alternative 3
FRA holding High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Workshops around the country Info>
Local Trail Concept Workshops Have Been
Concluded in Virginia and North Carolina
June 2009 :: Seven counties in Virginia and North Carolina have now hosted local workshops to gather input into the parallel Trail Concept. The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation coordinated workshops in Dinwiddie, Chesterfield, and Mecklenburg Counties in February. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources assisted with workshops in Warren, Vance, Franklin, and Wake Counties in May and June. Each workshop consisted of brief introductory comments followed by an opportunity for attendees to provide input on the preferred location of the trail/greenway with respect to the rail corridor (ie., east or west side).
The evaluation of a trail concept is a separate project, parallel to and outside the rail right of way, but within the SEHSR study corridor. As such, all environmental work being conducted for the rail component is available for evaluation of the trail concept, thereby “clearing” it environmentally for future federal or other public funds. It is expected to become part of the East Coast Greenway, running from Maine to Florida, and could provide additional “value added” to the communities along the rail corridor. For a summary of the trail concept click here.
Evaluation of High-Speed Rail Options in the
Macon-Atlanta-Greenville-Charlotte Rail Corridor
News Release-January 8, 2009>
Introduction>
Executive Summary>
Report>
Aerial Photos of Corridor Available Online
Virginia
North Carolina
February, 2008 :: Maps are available through this web site for both Virginia and North Carolina. With this feature you now can determine the general location of the three alignments under study and their proximity to houses, businesses, or other property. To view a particular map, you will need to click through a series of increasingly detailed map layers to arrive at the map of interest. To go to these maps, first select the state you are interested in above.
Aerial photography in Virginia provided by VA Geographic Information Network (2002). Aerial photography in North Carolina provided by NC Department of Transportation (Vance County, 2002; Franklin, Wake, and Warren Counties, 2004).
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Project Status
SEHSR Tier II DEIS project schedule has been updated - February 2010
Survey Fieldwork
December 2009 Survey crews are placing locator stakes along the corridor to aide new aerial photography work.
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| Revised Projected Milestones: |
| late 2009 |
Complete Initial Draft EIS, Richmond to Raleigh |
| early 2010 |
Draft EIS out for public review |
| May 2010 |
Public Hearings (times/locations to be announced) |
April
2011 |
Complete Final EIS |
| July 2011 |
Record of Decision from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) & Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) for the Rail Project with associated highway work. The Trail Concept will have a separate decision document. |
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Other Corridor Activities
Richmond to Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Study ( R2HR )-Tier I EIS-Ongoing
The R2HR Draft EIS (Tier I) is undergoing modifications resulting from FRA comments. Hearing times/locations will be posted as they are finalized. Visit the project web site for more details.
www.rich2hrrail.info
The environmental planning process may appear lengthy. However, it insures that every effort has been made to prevent negative impacts to the human and natural environment, while planning the SEHSR project in a cost-sensitive and safe manner that meets the needs of the traveling public.
Please see Project History for further information regarding this process.
