THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. ES-1 1 THE ROLE OF RAIL IN MISSISSIPPI ..................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE RAIL PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 MISSISSIPPI’S GOALS FOR ITS MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ....................................................................... 1-1 1.3 THE ROLE OF RAIL IN MISSISSIPPI’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM ................................................................................... 1-2 1.4 INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF MISSISSIPPI’S RAIL PROGRAM ...................................................................................... 1-3 1.4.1 Mississippi Department of Transportation .................................................................................................................................... 1-4 1.4.2 Mississippi Development Authority ............................................................................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.3 Southern Rail Commission ............................................................................................................................................................ 1-5 1.4.4 Public Authorities .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1-5 1.4.5 Section 22102 Compliance ............................................................................................................................................................ 1-6 1.5 STATE RAIL FUNDING AUTHORITY................................................................................................................................ 1-7 1.6 MISSISSIPPI RAIL TODAY ............................................................................................................................................... 1-7 1.6.1 Passenger Services ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1-7 1.6.2 Freight Services ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1-8 1.7 ORGANIZATION OF THE RAIL PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 1-8 2 MISSISSIPPI’S EXISTING RAIL SYSTEM .............................................................................................. 2-1 2.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................. 2-1 2.2 MISSISSIPPI’S EXISTING RAIL SYSTEM: DESCRIPTION AND INVENTORY ......................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Existing Freight Network ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.2 Existing Passenger Services ........................................................................................................................................................ 2-13 2.2.3 Public Financing for Rail Projects and Service .......................................................................................................................... 2-22 2.2.4 Rail Safety and Security Programs and Projects......................................................................................................................... 2-31 2.2.5 Economic and Environmental Impacts of Rail ............................................................................................................................ 2-36 2.3 MISSISSIPPI’S EXISTING RAIL SYSTEM: TRENDS AND FORECASTS ............................................................................... 2-41 2.3.1 Demographic and Economic Growth .......................................................................................................................................... 2-41 2.3.2 Freight Demand and Growth ....................................................................................................................................................... 2-43 2.3.3 Passenger Travel Demand and Growth ....................................................................................................................................... 2-50 2.3.4 Fuel Cost Trends ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2-51 2.3.5 Rail Congestion Trends ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-52 2.3.6 Highway and Airport Congestion Trends .................................................................................................................................... 2-53 2.3.7 Land Use Trends ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2-55 2.4 MISSISSIPPI’S EXISTING RAIL SYSTEM: RAIL SERVICE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES .................................................... 2-55 2.4.1 Freight Rail Services ................................................................................................................................................................... 2-56 2.4.2 Passenger Rail Services ............................................................................................................................................................... 2-62 3 PROPOSED PASSENGER RAIL IMPROVEMENTS AND INVESTMENTS ......................................... 3-1 3.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE ........................................................................... 3-1 3.2.1 Improve Service Reliability ............................................................................................................................................................ 3-1 3.2.2 Passenger Station Upgrades and Additions .................................................................................................................................. 3-2 3.2.3 Local Transit Coordination ........................................................................................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.4 Enhanced Marketing ...................................................................................................................................................................... 3-4 3.3 POTENTIAL NEW OR EXPANDED PASSENGER RAIL SERVICE .......................................................................................... 3-5 3.3.1 Reinstate Gulf Cost Corridor (New Orleans-Orlando).................................................................................................................. 3-6 3.3.2 Meridian-Jackson-Fort Worth (new service) ................................................................................................................................. 3-8 3.3.3 Meridian-New Orleans (additional frequency) .............................................................................................................................. 3-9 3.3.4 New Orleans-Jackson-Memphis (additional frequency) .............................................................................................................. 3-10 3.3.5 Jackson-Hattiesburg-Gulfport (new service) ............................................................................................................................... 3-10 4 PROPOSED FREIGHT RAIL IMPROVEMENTS AND INVESTMENTS .............................................. 4-1 4.1 FREIGHT RAIL OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2 POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING FREIGHT RAIL SERVICE ................................................................................ 4-1 4.2.1 Class I Rail Projects ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4-1 4.2.2 Short Line Rail Projects ................................................................................................................................................................ 4-2 March 2016 i Mississippi State Rail Plan 4.2.3 Safety Projects ............................................................................................................................................................................... 4-3 4.2.4 Port Rail Access Projects 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