The Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail System Is a Proposed

U.S. System Summary: GULF COAST

Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail System (Source: Southern Rail Commission) The Gulf Coast high-speed rail system is a proposed Coast high-speed rail system is part of the federally-desig- system containing 1,027 miles of routes in five states con- nated Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail Corridor. The proposed sisting of a hub in New Orleans, Louisiana, and spokes system is based on incremental improvements to existing connecting to Atlanta, Georgia; Mobile, Alabama; and freight railroad rights-of-way, with maximum train speeds Houston, Texas. At the present time, all three segments projected up to 90 mph. are in the Planning/Environmental phase. The entire Gulf

Sy stem Description and History System Description The Gulf Coast high-speed rail system consists of three segments, as described below.

Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail System Segment Characteristics

Segment Description Distance Segment Status Designated Corridor? Segment Population New Orleans, LA, to Atlanta, GA 521 Miles Planning/Environmental Yes 8,293,652 New Orleans, LA, to Mobile, AL 144 Miles Planning/Environmental Yes 1,991,822 New Orleans, LA, to Houston, TX 362 Miles Planning/Environmental Yes 8,579,531

The New Orleans to Atlanta segment is 521 miles in length proposed high-speed rail stations along this segment was and includes the Louisiana communities of Slidell and 8,293,652 in 2010. Proposed high-speed intercity passen- Picayune; the Mississippi communities of Hattiesburg, ger rail service on this segment is based on incremental Laurel, and Meridian; and the Alabama communities of improvements to existing Norfolk Southern freight rail- Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Anniston along the route. road right-of-way between New Orleans and Atlanta. The total population of communities being considered for

U.S. HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM SUMMARY: GULF COAST | 1 The New Orleans to Mobile segment is 144 miles in length and includes the Mississippi communities of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula along the route. The total population of communities being considered for proposed high-speed rail stations along this segment was 1,991,822 in 2010. Proposed high-speed intercity passenger rail service on this segment is based on incremental improvements to existing freight railroad right-of-way (primarily owned by CSX) between New Orleans and Mobile.

The New Orleans to Houston segment is 362 miles in length and includes the communities of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Lafayette, Louisiana; Lake Charles, Louisiana; New Orleans, Louisiana and Beaumont, Texas, along the route. The total population of communities being considered for proposed high- (2007). These studies have primarily focused on engineer- speed rail stations along this segment was 8,579,531 in ing issues related to high-speed rail development in the 2010. Proposed high-speed intercity passenger rail service Gulf Coast high-speed rail system, evaluating issues relat- on this segment is based on incremental improvements to ed to rail operations in the New Orleans terminal area and existing freight railroad right-of-way (primarily owned also recognizing the need to maintain capacity for freight by either Union Pacific or Kansas City Southern) between rail movements in these strategic corridors. Some of these New Orleans and Houston. studies also developed ridership and revenue estimates for proposed high-speed rail service.

Planning for high-speed rail service in the In March 2012, the Georgia Department of Transporta- Gulf Coast high-speed rail system region tion (GDOT) released a comprehensive planning study ex- amining the feasibility of high-speed rail service in three has been on-going since the early 1980s. corridors radiating out of Atlanta, Georgia. One of the corridors examined in this study was the Atlanta to Bir- mingham portion of the New Orleans to Atlanta segment System History of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system (approximately Planning for high-speed rail service in the Gulf Coast 150 miles). The study included ridership and revenue fore- high-speed rail system region has been on-going since the casts, capital and operating cost estimates, and financial early 1980s. The Southern Rail Commission, a multi-state analysis for several scenarios of high-speed rail service be- organization created to coordinate intercity passenger rail tween Atlanta and Birmingham. planning in the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system, has been integral in advancing intercity passenger rail in the Federally-Designated Corridors region, including the designation of the Gulf Coast Fed- The entire Gulf Coast high-speed rail system is part of the erally-designated high-speed rail corridor and the exten- federally-designated Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail Corri- sion of the tri-weekly Amtrak Sunset Limited from New dor. The Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail Corridor was one Orleans to Jacksonville. of six federally-designated corridors authorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) in The Southern Rail Commission has also commissioned November 1998. In October 2000, the Gulf Coast High- several high-speed intercity passenger rail feasibility stud- Speed Rail Corridor was extended from Birmingham, Ala- ies for portions of the three segments of the Gulf Coast bama to Atlanta, Georgia, connecting with the federally- high-speed rail system. These feasibility studies include designated Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor. the Deep South High Speed Rail Corridor Feasibility Study (1999), Meridian to New Orleans Improvement Implemen- Existing Intercity Passenger Rail Service tation Plan (2002), New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Devel- Existing intercity passenger rail service in the Gulf Coast opment Plan: Ridership and Revenue Forecasts (2005), New high-speed rail system is conventional-type service pro- Orleans to Mobile Corridor Development Plan (2006), and vided by Amtrak. The Amtrak Crescent long-distance the Lake Charles to Meridian Corridor Development Plan train operates daily between New Orleans and Atlan-

2 | U.S. HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM SUMMARY: GULF COAST ta, continuing on to Charlotte, North Carolina, and the system. These estimates were developed for one scenario Northeast Corridor. The Amtrak Sunset Limited long- using existing railroad right-of-way (“shared use” align- distance train operates tri-weekly from New Orleans to ment of approximately 176 miles) and two scenarios with Houston, continuing west to San Antonio, Texas, and Los new dedicated passenger railroad right-of-way (“dedicated Angeles, California. Prior to 2005, the Sunset Limited use” and “hybrid high performance” alignment of approx- route also traveled east from New Orleans through Mobile imately 151 miles). The estimated capital costs from these to Orlando, FL; however, this service was suspended after studies on a per-mile basis are shown below. Hurricane Katrina and has not yet been restored. Interim funding needs for planning and development Sources: 2010 U.S. Census, Deep South High Speed Rail Cor- of high-speed intercity passenger rail service in the Gulf ridor Feasibility Study, Meridian to New Orleans Improve- Coast system were estimated in 2011 as follows: ment Implementation Plan, New Orleans to Mobile Corridor • Meridian to Alabama/Georgia State Line Planning Development Plan: Ridership and Revenue Forecasts, Lake Project: $2,247,700. Charles to Meridian Corridor Development Plan, GDOT • Baton Rouge to Houston Planning Project: $2,103,000. High Speed Rail Planning Services Final Report, Federal Rail- • Grade Crossing Improvement Projects in Alabama: road Administration High-Speed Rail Corridors Chronology, $4,000,000. Amtrak System Timetable Fall 2011/Winter 2012 • New Orleans to Baton Rouge Capital Improvement Program: $447,800,000. Es timated System Costs and Funding Sources • Grade Crossing Improvement Projects in Mississippi: Estimated System Costs $12,700,000. A corridor plan for phased implementation of intercity passenger rail service on the New Orleans to Mobile segment Projected Funding Sources of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system was completed in No specific funding sources have been evaluated for the 2006 and contained preliminary capital cost estimates. A Gulf Coast high-speed rail system. feasibility study to implement new corridor-type intercity passenger rail service in the 420-mile section of the Gulf Recent Funding Awards Coast high-speed rail system between Lake Charles, Loui- In 2010, the State of Georgia was awarded $250,000 from siana, and Meridian, Mississippi, was completed in 2007 the Federal Railroad Administration for a planning project and also contained preliminary capital cost estimates. The to conduct a feasibility study on the Atlanta to Birming- GDOT feasibility study contained capital cost estimates ham section of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system. The for implementing high-speed rail service on the Atlanta funding source for this award was the FY 2009 high-speed to Birmingham portion of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail rail general appropriations.

Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail System Capital Cost Estimates

Estimated Capital Cost Segment Description/Study Name/Year Maximum Speed/ Scenario per Mile ($ Millions) NEW ORLEANS TO ATLANTA/HOUSTON • Lake Charles to Meridian Feasibility Study (2007) 79 mph Initial Phase $1.6 • Lake Charles to Meridian Feasibility Study (2007) 90 mph Full Phase $4.7 • Lake Charles to Meridian Feasibility Study (2007) Complete Project $6.2 – $6.4 NEW ORLEANS TO MOBILE • New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Plan (2006) 79 mph Initial Phase $1.8 • New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Plan (2006) 90 mph Full Phase $3.3 • New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Plan (2006) Complete Project $ 5.1 ATLANTA TO BIRMINGHAM • GDOT High-Speed Rail Planning Study (2012) Shared Use 90-110 MPH Non-Electric $16.82 • GDOT High-Speed Rail Planning Study (2012) Dedicated Use 150-220 MPH Electric $54.40 • GDOT High-Speed Rail Planning Study (2012) Hybrid High Performance 130 MPH Non-Electric $35.69

U.S. HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM SUMMARY: GULF COAST | 3 Source: Lake Charles to Meridian Corridor Transportation The GDOT Atlanta to Birmingham feasibility study es- Plan, GDOT High Speed Rail Planning Services Final Re- timated that by 2035, shared use or dedicated use high- port, 2010 Congressional Briefing Information: Gulf Coast speed rail service could divert 126.63 million and 142.76 High-Speed Rail Corridor, Federal Railroad Administration million annual vehicle miles, respectively, from parallel corridor highways. T ransportation System Impacts Ridership Estimates Connectivity with Other High-Speed Rail Systems A ridership study for the three segments of the Gulf Coast The New Orleans to Atlanta segment of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system was completed in 2007. Ridership high-speed rail system connects to two segments of the estimates for the three segments were developed for two Southeast high-speed rail system in Atlanta, Georgia. scenarios of maximum operating speed (79 and 90 mph) Planning for a connection between the New Orleans to and for three scenarios of daily round-trip frequency (2, 4, Houston segment of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system and 6 round-trips per day on each of the three segments). and the Texas high-speed rail system is underway. For the projected buildout year (2027), estimated ridership ranged from 675,100 to 1,449,700 for the 79 mph scenario Source: Lake Charles to Meridian Corridor Transportation and from 1,366,300 to 1,770,600 for the 90 mph scenario. Plan, New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Development Plan: A ridership study was conducted for the New Orleans to Ridership and Revenue Forecasts, GDOT High Speed Rail Mobile segment of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system Planning Services Final Report in 2005. Ridership estimates were developed for three scenarios of maximum operating speed (79, 90, and 110 G overnance mph) and for daily round-trip frequency between 1 and The Southern Rail Commission (SRC) coordinates inter- 12 round-trips per day. For the projected buildout year city passenger rail planning and implementation activities (2025), estimated ridership ranged from 46,000 to 399,800 in the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system. The SRC was for the 79 mph scenario, from 51,600 to 464,500 for the formed in 1982 with the consent of Congress (P.L. 97-213) 90 mph scenario, and from 272,900 to 533,500 for the 110 and is a collaboration of the states of Louisiana, Mississip- mph scenario. Increasing speeds from 90 mph to 110 mph pi, and Alabama. The Commission is comprised of seven resulted in an increase of ridership between 13 and 15 per- members from each state: the Governor, a representative cent, with diminishing ridership growth above 4 to 6 daily from the State DOT, and five citizens appointed by the round-trips in the corridor. Governor. Previous names for the SRC include the South- ern Rapid Rail Transit Commission and the Southern A ridership study for the Atlanta to Birmingham portion High-Speed Rail Commission. Currently, the SHSRC is of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system was completed administered through the South Alabama Regional Plan- in March 2012. Three scenarios of high-speed rail ser- ning Commission in Mobile, Alabama. vice were considered: a “shared use” scenario with 6 daily round-trips and maximum speeds between 90 and 110 Source: Southern Rail Commission Website (http://www. mph, a “dedicated use” scenario with 10 daily round-trips southernhsr.org/) and maximum speeds between 150 and 220 mph, and a “hybrid high performance” scenario with 10 daily round- trips and maximum speeds of 130 mph. Ridership estimates for the year 2030 for each scenario were as follows: shared use scenario, 1,847,000 annual passengers; dedicated use scenario, 2,039,000 annual passengers; and hybrid high performance scenario, 2,199,000 annual passengers.

Mode Choice A feasibility study conducted for the New Orleans to Mo- bile segment of the Gulf Coast high-speed rail system in 2005 estimated that the rail service could capture up to 15 percent of the trips between the two cities by 2025.

4 | U.S. HIGH-SPEED RAIL SYSTEM SUMMARY: GULF COAST Bi bliography Southern Rail Commission URL: http://www.southernhsr.org

2010 Congressional Briefing Information: Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail Corridor Prepared by the Southern High-Speed Rail Commission, 2010 URL: http://www.southernhsr.org/PDFs/2010CongBriefingHandout_Final.pdf Date Accessed: April 9, 2012

Lake Charles to Meridian Corridor Development Plan Volume 1: Summary Report Prepared for The Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission by Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc., June 2007 URL: http://www.southernhsr.org/PDFs/lk-chas-merid-07vol1.pdf Date Accessed: April 9, 2012

New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Development Plan Volume 1: Summary Report Prepared for The Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission by Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc., May 2006 URL: http://www.southernhsr.org/PDFs/Vol_1_NO_to_Mobile.pdf Date Accessed: April 9, 2012

New Orleans to Mobile Corridor Development Plan: Ridership and Revenue Forecasts Prepared for The Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission by AECOM Consult, Inc., January 2005 URL: http://www.southernhsr.org/PDFs/RsrshpRevForecast05.pdf Date Accessed: April 9, 2012

Phase 1: Improvement Implementation Plan-Meridian to New Orleans Volume 1: Summary Report Prepared for The Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission by Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc., September 2002 URL: http://www.southernhsr.org/PDFs/ImprovImplemPlanMeridianNO.pdf Date Accessed: April 9, 2012

Deep South High Speed Rail Corridor Feasibility Study Prepared for The Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission by Morrison Knudsen Corporation, 1999 URL: http://www.southernhsr.org/PDFs/DeepSouth.pdf Date Accessed: April 9, 2012

High Speed Rail Planning Services: Final Report Prepared for the Georgia Department of Transportation by HNTB, March 2012 URL: http://www.dot.state.ga.us/travelingingeorgia/rail/Pages/default.aspx Date Accessed: September 21, 2012

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