FRA releases environmental report for D.C.-Richmond higher-speed rail route

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for a proposed higher-speed rail route between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia.

That 123-mile section is part of the larger 500-mile Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor that will from D.C. to Atlanta. The completion of the draft environmental report moves the project one step closer to the construction phase of the Southeast Corridor, FRA officials said in a press release.

The preferred alternative in the DEIS calls for increasing maximum train speeds from 69 mph to 79 mph between D.C. and Fredericksburg, Virginia, and to 90 mph between Fredericksburg and Richmond.

The total cost of the D.C.-Richmond route is estimated at $5 billion in 2025 dollars.

The FRA and Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will accept public comments on the DEIS over the next 60 days. Based on public feedback on the statement and preferred alternative, the agencies will prepare a final environmental impact statement.