The Commonwealth Transportation Board today agreed to a proposal to run passenger rail service both north and south of the James River between Richmond and Hampton Roads.
Termed Alternative 1, the board's preferred alternative for the Richmond-Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project is based on the results of a Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement completed, with public input, by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration.
DRPT held hearings in Richmond, Newport News and Norfolk to gain public feedback on the best option for enhanced passenger rail service between Richmond and Hampton Roads. Fifty-eight percent of the public comments received supported Alternative 1.
The proposal will bring enhanced passenger rail service to the Hampton Roads region with three conventional speed -- 79 mph -- trains along the I-64 corridor and six higher speed -- 90 mph -- trains along the U.S. 460 corridor south of the James River.
Today, two conventional speed trains run on the Peninsula route, but none on the south side route.
Preliminary cost estimates for the rail plan include $475.4 million in capital improvements and $80 million in annual operating costs, with annual ridership projected at up to 1.1 million passengers.
The estimated travel time between Richmond and Newport News is 1 hour and 11 minutes, and between Richmond and Norfolk at 1 hour and 35 minutes.
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