Virginia set to compete for high-speed rail funds
TOM KAPSIDELIS
High-speed rail in Japan and other nations has leaped ahead of the U.S. One official says high-speed rail in the Richmond region would be “transformational.“
Virginia will take the first formal step tomorrow in seeking more than $1.5 billion in federal stimulus money to develop high-speed rail corridors.
Tomorrow is the deadline for a pre-application by the state for a share of the $8 billion available for high-speed rail development under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, adopted by Congress in February at President Barack Obama's urging.
"Anything that's not in the pre-application will not get funded, so it's a huge deadline," said Daniel L. Plaugher, executive director of Virginians for High Speed Rail in a breakfast presentation today to the Greater Richmond Chamber at Willow Oaks Country Club.
Virginia's proposed $1.51 billion plan includes $491 million improvements in a six-mile stretch around Richmond's Acca rail yard and a 13-mile link between the yard and Main Street Station in the city's downtown. The improvements are necessary to remove bottlenecks that limit rail service to the renovated station
Other parts of the proposal include:
- $185 million to add a third rail track between Richmond and Fredericksburg;
- $152 million to improve conventional rail service between Main Street Station and Petersburg; and
- $195 million to upgrade the rail corridor between Richmond and Washington, D.C., to allow high-speed trains that could cut the trip to 90 minutes on a reliable basis.
The state will submit the final proposal for developing the rail corridors on Oct. 2, and the federal government is expected to award money to the winners on Nov. 16.
Kim Scheeler, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Richmond Chamber, said his organization is working to build support for the state's proposal.
""It really is the kind of thing that can be transformational for this community," Scheeler said.
-- Michael Martz
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Reader Reactions
I agree markiemark, our transportation system is a nightmare! It’s high time to reinvest in it.
If this is such a wonderful idea and benefit, why do taxpayers have to pay for it?
Notwithstanding my opposition to the government building facilities for private sector companies, a far better investment would be replacing the one-track bridge over the Appomattox at Petersburg with a two-track bridge that would keep traffic, both freight and passenger, moving.
To squier13, nothing precludes AMTRAK from operating between Petersburg and Main Street Station now. A line exists; branching off from the main north-south corridor just south of 288. Do you really think that there will be an increase in passenger traffic just because there is direct service from Petersburg to Main Street Station? Even with direct bus service between Petersburg and Richmond?
I personally wouldn’t go into downtown Richmond to catch a train, especially after dark; or to the Petersburg station for that matter.
....ok, so I work for a DC based company and find myself going to client meetings there from time to time. I usually drive for the flexibility but that has become a recent disaster. I trained it yesterday, the 8 am going up, the 550 pm coming back. Gas leak north of Baltimore shut down all service north and south at 530 pm. My train was 3 hours late and virtually empty (so was the one going up). I am not anti train—I commuted for years on metro-north. But I wonder how deep the subsidies will need to be. And how reliable. The train now is basically a crap shoot with regard to schedule. And the Union Station set up is bad—-no messenging on departures out in the main hall, and the boards are unreliable. It is every person for himself.
This also indicates a brand new passenger line. The story says there is $152MM to “improve” service between Main St Station and Petersburg. Currently there is NO direct service between the two, you have to transfer at Staples Mill. So that opens the possibility of Amtrak running their major routes like the Carolinian and the Palmetto through Main St. This would mean a major increase in passenger traffic through the station.
“This is great news! Opening a new line around the Acca yard to Main St Station has been desperately needed for years! I’m very happy to hear they’re moving forward with this project. This will do wonders for Richmond travelers, visitors, and businesses.“
AGREED
We need it to get to out of state rest rooms as soon as possible when we travel.
This is great news! Opening a new line around the Acca yard to Main St Station has been desperately needed for years! I’m very happy to hear they’re moving forward with this project. This will do wonders for Richmond travelers, visitors, and businesses.
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