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Yesterday, the Federal Railroad Administration issued a final Record of Decision for the Orlando-to-Tampa segment of Florida’s high-speed rail program, enabling the Florida Department of Transportation to begin design, land acquisition and construction. It’s the first time a Record of Decision has been issued for a major high-speed rail project in the United States.

The next step? Florida DOT will complete 30 percent of the design for the Orlando-Tampa segment, update ridership projections, purchase right-of-way, conduct preliminary station design and begin preparing bids for construction. Private companies then will bid to build, operate and maintain the system.

In the meantime, crews are laying markers for aerial surveys, and surveying bridges and other sight-obstructed areas. Work is being done by Florida-based firms Aerial Cartographics of America Inc., Geodata Consultants Inc. and Mehta Engineering.