The state of Virginia was awarded $45.4 million Monday in federal transportation grants to begin the initial steps to construct a high-speed passenger rail service between Richmond/Petersburg and Washington D.C., which is part of a larger plan to extend the high-speed rail service that connects Boston and Washington southward through Virginia to Charlotte, N.C.
The funding awarded this week by the Federal Railroad Administration will be used to launch preliminary engineering and an environmental impact assessment for the section of the Southeast High Speed Rail that would link Richmond to Arlington.
The funds were secured by Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner, D-Va., and the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transit. "The ultimate goal is to provide 85-100 mph rail service that will allow passengers to travel the 115-miles in about 90 minutes," the senators said in a joint press release.
Advantages to the high-speed passenger rail include not only an efficient means of travel between major cities but also significant economic benefits for Richmond and the state, Webb said.
"These funds will spur job creation and economic growth, while reducing traffic on our highways in a cost-effective way," he noted.
The service also will address issues related to commuting and energy consumption.
"Improved passenger rail service along the Interstate 95 corridor will reduce highway congestion, conserve energy, shorten travel times and create economic development opportunities," Warner stated in the release.
The initiative has received bipartisan support from individuals such as Gov. Bob McDonnell's.
"This is good news," McDonnell press secretary Stacey Johnson said. "High-speed passenger rail has a bright future in the commonwealth, and this takes us a step closer to making it a reality."
The FRA - which announced in June that it would start accepting applications for grants to continue the development of high-speed intercity passenger rail corridors - will distribute $2.1 billion through these grants, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
But even if the project jumps off to a quick start, a long process remains until the rail service actually will be operational, said Courtney Ware, manager of policy and communication for the VDRPT.
"If all goes well, it looks like, based on projections, construction for the high-speed rail could start between 2022 to 2029, with service beginning in 2030 or beyond," Ware said. "This grant will allow the second level of environmental study, which takes a significant amount of time, around eight years. Then, this study will have to be submitted for approval in order to receive funding, and then there is the construction period."
Nevertheless, Ware acknowledged the importance of this preliminary funding to the long-term success of the project.
"It is a long timeline, but this grant helps," Ware said.
Read More
U.Va. researchers identify that HIV drugs can protect against Alzheimer’s disease
By Lauren Seeliger | 2 days agoDoctor Jayakrishna Ambati and his research team have begun work on a new drug called K9 which could treat and prevent Alzheimer’s.
Graduating students share their future plans as they enter the job market
By Nina Broderick | 3 days agoMany students find the Career Center to be a valuable tool during the job search and application process.
U.Va.’s Finals Weekend spotlights the achievement and service of the Class of 2025
By Leigh Bailey | 5 days agoIn University President Jim Ryan’s welcome address, he acknowledged the support of family members and friends present in the audience and beyond that played supportive roles in these graduates’ lives.
