America’s Rail Network: Southeast Region Several of the metropolitan areas in the Southeast are among the fastest growing in the nation, and the states have recognized the need to invest in a diverse network of Washington transportation options that will accommodate this population growth. WEST VIRGINIA Northeast Regional Connecting the District of Columbia, Virginia and North Carolina: FRA has awarded approximately $75 million in High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) program funds to Charleston Richmond improve service quality and reliability for the six corridor and four long-distance trains that Louisville Cardinal Petersburg Lynchburg Newport News operate daily between Washington, DC and Richmond, VA, and to points south. Also, FRA Norfolk VIRGINIA has awarded approximately $48 million in HSIPR program funds to complete preliminary KENTUCKY engineering and environmental review for the development of the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) corridor between Washington, DC and Raleigh, NC via Richmond, VA. Carolinian Greensboro Raleigh Enhancing the Piedmont Corridor: FRA has awarded approximately $570 million in HSIPR Piedmont Nashville NORTH CAROLINA program funds to increase capacity and improve service quality and reliability for the three Charlotte corridor trains that operate daily between Raleigh and Charlotte, and support the addition TENNESSEE City of New Orleans Chattanooga of a fourth corridor train. This program includes the rehabilitation of 12 rail cars and ve Crescent Memphis Silver Meteor/Palmetto locomotives for use in the third and fourth corridor train frequencies, and the Silver Star Columbia enhancement of stations and maintenance facilities. Construction is currently underway on new roadway grade separations between Raleigh and Charlotte. SOUTH CAROLINA Atlanta Charleston Reducing congestion between Virginia and North Carolina: A HSIPR grant of Birmingham $26.6 million will improve reliability and service quality between Petersburg, VA and Crescent Raleigh, NC (via Selma), strengthening connections between the Northeast Corridor and GEORGIA Savannah Montgomery long-distance passenger routes serving the southeast. ALABAMA Connecting Atlanta to Charlotte: In 2011, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) received a $4.1 million grant to complete a service development plan and environmental study for the 250 mile passenger rail corridor between Atlanta and Jacksonville Charlotte. GDOT is contributing $1.125 million for this phase of the project. This study will Mobile FLORIDA build upon a 2008 feasibility study of high-speed rail on this corridor. LEGEND Orlando Core Express (125+ mph) Regional (90-125 mph) Tampa Silver Star/Silver Meteor Emerging (up to 90 mph) DURHAM WEST VIRGINIA GEORGIA Amtrak Long-Distance Route Corridor Planning Class I Railroad Population Density Miami Low High 50 miles N NORTH CAROLINA FLORIDA VIRGINIA Above image: ickr user h0tgrits; all other images: Wikimedia Commons Southeast Region Region Characteristics Ridership Growth Population Served Population within 30 miles of a passenger station that receives at least one daily intercity train. Global Rank 68M 1,400 (comparable to) 25% of U.S. 1,200 ) Population 20 s (Thailand) d n a 1,000 $2.8 Trillion s 19% of U.S. u o h t 800 n i ( Economy 6 s (Russia) r 600 e $ g 386,000 sq. mi. n 11% of U.S. e s 400 s a +82% 59% P Land Area 30 200 Since 2005 Served (Egypt) - FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 Corridor Details Federal Investments ($M, 2008-2012) Service Improvements Distance Improved Corridor Investment Description More Trains/ Better (miles) HSIPR TIGER RRIF Other Total Faster Travel Stations/ New Service Reliability Equipment Track and signal improvements to allow for additional daily round- Charlotte - Raleigh - Richmond - Washington DC 479 $695 $22 - $2 $718 trips; enhanced safety and reliability; study of alternative alignments between Richmond and Raleigh. Atlanta - Charlotte 258 $4 - - - $4 Planning to lay groundwork for future rail service. planning Planning to lay groundwork for future rail service from Atlanta to Other Atlanta Hub Corridors Varies $1 - - - $1 planning Nashville, Jacksonville, Birmingham, and other destinations. Tampa - Orlando - Miami 364 $32 - - - $32 Planning to lay groundwork for future rail service. planning Other Corridors / Freight Investments n/a - - $153 $13 $166 Improvements to freight corridors throughout the region. varies State Rail Plans n/a $1 - - - $1 Planning to lay groundwork for future rail service. planning TOTAL $733 $22 $153 $15 $922 SOURCES : Population: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010. Economy: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2010. International Statistics: CIA World Factbook, 2012. All Other Information: Federal Railroad Administration, 2012..