Amtrak: the Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan
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[THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] March 24, 2010 Thomas Carper Joseph H. Boardman Chairman of the Board President and Chief Executive Officer National Railroad Passenger Corporation National Railroad Passenger Corporation 60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. 60 Massachusetts Avenue, N.E. Washington, DC 20002 Washington, DC 20002 Dear Messrs. Carper and Boardman: As members of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor (NEC) Infrastructure Master Plan Policy Group, the twelve northeast states and the District of Columbia have worked cooperatively and collaboratively with Amtrak and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to develop and review the Amtrak Northeast Corridor Railroad Infrastructure Master Plan (Master Plan). Started in 2007 and refined over three years, the Master Plan is a first. It is the first passenger rail infrastructure plan to incorporate a regional, corridor-wide perspective of the NEC Main Line and all its feeder lines. It is the first planning process to involve all the northeast states and the District of Columbia with Amtrak. It is the first to consider the plans and infrastructure needs of all the NEC users – intercity, commuter and freight. This foundational document identifies an initial baseline of infrastructure improvements needed to maintain the current NEC system in a state of good repair; integrate intercity, commuter and freight service plans; and move the NEC forward to meet the expanded service, reliability, frequency, and trip time improvements that are envisioned by the northeast states and the District. Therefore, we are pleased to endorse the collaborative planning process and Amtrak’s Infrastructure Master Plan Final Report. The Master Plan is the first in a series of planning activities that must be undertaken if an expanded NEC – as part of an integrated, intermodal regional transportation system – is to support future economic growth and environmental and energy goals. Many of the service and financial assumptions, data and analyses that underpin this report precede the recent actions by the Congress and the Administration to revitalize the nation’s intercity passenger rail program. For example, the Passenger Rail Infrastructure and Investment Act of 2008 (PRIIA) establishes a new paradigm of state-led planning of intercity passenger rail corridors and authorizes significant funding for the development of these corridors. It also creates a Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission that is charged with developing comprehensive goals for the future development of the NEC as a transportation and economic corridor. Thanks to the infusion of funds for rail grants to states and Amtrak from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) and continuing yearly appropriations, passenger rail projects that were once a vision are now a real possibility. Thomas Carper -2- 3/24/10 Joseph Boardman The Master Plan process and report are an ongoing resource for the states, Amtrak, the FRA, and the NEC Advisory Commission, and we look forward to a continuing dialogue with Amtrak on updating this Master Plan as needed in the future. The report should be viewed as a foundational document that represents the improvements in operating flexibility and track capacity needed to support future enhanced, reliable and safe passenger rail service on the existing NEC system. As a longer term vision for the expansion of the NEC is developed, the collaborative process and this plan will serve as a prelude to the next phase of work. The Master Plan can be used now by the states, Amtrak, and the FRA to identify those specific projects which, covered by prior environmental analyses or other environmental assessments, can readily be determined as eligible for available High Speed Intercity Passenger Rail funding. Finally, the report can be used as the states continue to work collaboratively with Amtrak, the FRA and other key stakeholders to complete corridor-level service and related environmental planning required for the NEC to seek federal intercity passenger rail funding. Our states and the District thank the Master Plan Working Group for all of their efforts and look forward to continuing the collaborative efforts that resulted in this important plan, particularly as the NEC Advisory Commission is established and begins to develop more comprehensive policy goals and plans for the Northeast Corridor. Sincerely, Joseph F. Marie Carolann Wicks Gabe Klein Commissioner Secretary Director Connecticut DOT Delaware DOT District of Columbia DOT David A. Cole Beverley K. Swaim-Staley Jeffrey B. Mullan Commissioner Secretary Secretary Maine DOT Maryland DOT Massachusetts DOT George N. Campbell, Jr. James S. Simpson Stan Gee Commissioner Commissioner Acting Commissioner New Hampshire DOT New Jersey DOT New York State DOT Toby Fauver Michael P. Lewis David Dill Deputy Secretary for Local and Director Secretary Area Transportation Rhode Island DOT Vermont AOT Pennsylvania DOT Thelma D. Drake Director Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation The Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan May 2010 Prepared by the NEC Master Plan Working Group Including representatives of twelve states, the District of Columbia, Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration, eight commuter and three freight railroads operating on the Northeast Corridor [THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] Preface The Northeast Corridor (NEC) Infrastructure Master Plan is the result of a precedent‐setting region‐wide collaboration among 12 Northeast states and the District of Columbia, Amtrak, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), eight commuter and three freight railroads operating on the Northeast Corridor. This collaborative planning process is itself a significant achievement. It is the first time that the existing plans and infrastructure needs of all users of the NEC have been brought together in one document. Very few rail planning efforts have been as comprehensive or inclusive. The Master Plan identifies an initial baseline of infrastructure investment needed to maintain the current NEC system in a state of good repair, integrate intercity, commuter and freight service plans, and move the NEC forward to meet the expanded service, reliability, frequency, and trip‐time improvements that are envisioned by the Northeast states and the District. Initiated in 2007, before passage of the 2008 Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIIA), the Master Plan reflects existing goals and plans through 2030, including an expected 59% increase in rail ridership, a 41% increase in train movements, and the need for $52 billion in capital investment over 20 years. This will ensure reliable service, expand capacity on the Corridor for the benefit of all users, and reduce by up to one half‐hour intercity travel times between Boston and New York, and New York and Washington. All key stakeholders recognize that publication of this Plan is not the end of a process, but a beginning. The Master Plan is the first in a series of planning activities that must be undertaken if an expanded NEC – as part of an integrated, intermodal regional transportation system – is to support future economic growth and environmental and energy goals. The Master Plan process and this report will serve as an ongoing resource for the states, Amtrak, the FRA and the NEC Infrastructure and Operations Advisory Commission in the continuing dialogue that will define a longer term vision for the expansion of the NEC. As noted in the preceding letter of endorsement from the Northeast states, this report represents a “foundational” analysis upon which the future of the NEC will be defined and built. An enhanced NEC passenger rail system is essential to meet the region’s long‐ term mobility needs, stimulate economic growth and international competitiveness, enhance the livability of our communities, improve the environment and reduce dependence on foreign sources of energy. These are important goals that will help shape the future for residents of the Northeast – and the nation – for generations to come. [THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK] Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Master Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary .................................................................................................................ES‐1 Part I 1. Regional Overview .............................................................................................................. 1 2. Existing Rail Services........................................................................................................... 5 3. State of Good Repair............................................................................................................ 8 4. Costs and Performance ..................................................................................................... 11 5. Goals for the Future........................................................................................................... 15 6. Future Service Plans .......................................................................................................... 17 7. Capacity Constraints to Reliability and Growth ........................................................... 27 8. Infrastructure Improvements – Costs and Benefits....................................................... 31 9. Moving Forward ................................................................................................................ 43 List of Figures Figure 1: NEC Core Network and Feeder Lines ......................................................................