South Carolina Statewide Rail Plan Update
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SOUTH CAROLINA STATEWIDE RAIL PLAN UPDATE 2020 U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20590 November 19, 2020 Mr. Doug Frate Intermodal and Freight Programs South Carolina Department of Transportation 955 Park Street Columbia, SC 29202 Dear Mr. Frate, The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has completed its review of the 2020 South Carolina State Rail Plan (also referred to as the State Rail Plan or SRP). FRA’s review of the SRP found that it contained the required elements in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 22705 and FRA’s 2013 State Rail Plan Guidance. This letter serves as notice that FRA formally accepts the SRP. While FRA finds that the SRP meets the minimum requirements, FRA recommends addressing the following points in future updates of the SRP: • Consider reorganizing section 3.2.1 Current Southeastern Rail Activity to clarify the history of the rail governance bodies in the Southeast and how they work together. Pages 81-83 presents the relevant information, but the chronology of the governance bodies and their individual roles within the Southeast are unclear. • In section 3.4 on page 87 consider clarifying that SCDOT participated in the Southeast Regional Rail Plan and acted as a lead stakeholder. Also, clarify the purpose of the study as the establishment of a long-term vision for the implementation and management of passenger rail in the Southeast. Consider discussing the role of the SE Plan in the development of SCDOT’s SRP and in the work underway through the Southeast Corridor Commission. • In Chapter 5, considering identifying the Atlanta- Charlotte Tier II environmental study as part of South Carolina’s Rail Service and Investment Program. Section 11315(a)(1) of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (P.L. 114-94, December 4, 2015) revised the requirement for State-approved plans to be resubmitted to FRA no less frequently than once every 4 years (previously 5 years). As such, FRA looks forward to working with you on the next iteration of the South Carolina State Rail Plan due in November 2024. FRA looks forward to a continued partnership with the State of South Carolina to build and maintain a safe, reliable, and efficient U.S. rail network. Sincerely, Frances S. Bourne Acting Chief National Rail Planning Division 2 South Carolina Rail Plan 2040 Update 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 the role of rail in statewide transportation ......................................................................................... 1 1.1 South Carolina’s Goals for Multimodal Transportation ............................................................. 1 1.1.1 Rail Plan Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................... 2 1.2 The Role of Rail Transportation in South Carolina ..................................................................... 4 1.2.1 Rail Freight .................................................................................................................... 4 1.2.2 Rail Traffic Growth ........................................................................................................ 5 1.2.3 The Rail System’s Impact on the State Economy .......................................................... 6 1.2.4 Rail’s Increasing Future Role ......................................................................................... 6 1.3 Institutional Governance Structure of the State Rail Programs ................................................. 6 1.4 Rail Funding in South Carolina ................................................................................................... 7 1.5 Summary of Freight and Passenger Rail Services ....................................................................... 7 1.5.1 Rail Services ................................................................................................................... 7 1.5.2 Initiatives and Plans ...................................................................................................... 8 2 South Carolina’s Existing Rail System ................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Existing Rail System Description and Inventory ......................................................................... 9 2.1.1 Existing System, Services, and Performance ................................................................. 9 2.1.2 Freight and Passenger Terminals ................................................................................ 26 2.1.3 Objectives for Rail Passenger Services ........................................................................ 31 2.1.4 Performance Evaluation of Rail Passenger Services ................................................... 31 2.1.5 Public Financing for Rail Projects ................................................................................ 35 2.1.6 Rail Safety and Security Programs .............................................................................. 37 2.1.7 Rail Transportation’s Impacts ..................................................................................... 46 2.2 Existing Rail System: Trends and Forecasts ............................................................................. 55 2.2.1 Demographic and Economic Growth Factors ............................................................. 55 2.2.2 Freight Demand and Growth ...................................................................................... 62 2.2.3 Passenger Travel Demand and Growth ....................................................................... 66 2.2.4 Fuel Cost Trends .......................................................................................................... 66 2.2.5 Rail Congestion Trends ................................................................................................ 67 2.2.6 Highway and Airport Congestion Trends .................................................................... 67 2.2.7 Land Use Trends .......................................................................................................... 70 2.3 Existing Rail System: Rail Service Needs and Opportunities .................................................... 71 2.3.1 Key Issues Impacting Rail Service ................................................................................ 71 2.3.2 Opportunities to Address Rail Needs and Issues ........................................................ 72 3 Proposed Passenger Rail Improvements and Investments ................................................................ 74 3.1 Proposed Passenger Rail Services ............................................................................................ 74 3.1.1 Proposed High Speed Passenger Services ................................................................... 74 3.1.2 Connecting Atlanta to Charlotte ................................................................................. 76 3.2 History of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor (SEHSR) and Previous Studies .................. 78 3.2.1 Current Southeastern Rail Activity .............................................................................. 80 3.3 Intercity Passenger Rail Corridors ............................................................................................ 83 i South Carolina Rail Plan 2040 Update 2019 3.4 Proposed Commuter Rail Services ........................................................................................... 83 Charleston ................................................................................................................................ 85 Greenville‐Spartanburg ............................................................................................................ 85 Columbia .................................................................................................................................. 87 Rock Hill .................................................................................................................................... 89 Anderson County ...................................................................................................................... 90 4 Proposed Freight Rail Improvements and Investments ..................................................................... 91 4.1 Rail Freight Needs, Class I Railroads ......................................................................................... 91 4.1.1 CSX Transportation ...................................................................................................... 91 4.1.2 Norfolk Southern ......................................................................................................... 91 4.2 Rail Freight Needs, Short Line Railroads .................................................................................. 91 4.2.1 Palmetto Railways Industrial Rail Line (Camp Hall Commerce Park) .......................... 93 5 The State’s Long‐Range Rail Service and Investment Program ......................................................... 95 5.1 South Carolina’s Rail Vision ...................................................................................................... 95 5.2 Integration of the Rail Vision with Other Transportation Plans ............................................... 97 5.3 Planned Rail Planning Process Changes ................................................................................... 97 5.4 Potential Effects of Rail Program Implementation .................................................................