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On Friday, New York’s Department of Transportation (NYDOT) and CSX Transportation Inc. (CSXT) reached agreements to move forward with New York’s high-speed intercity passenger rail program, said New York Gov. David Paterson in a prepared statement.

The agreements will create a “framework for progress” to establishing high-speed passenger rail in the state, and enable NYDOT to move forward with the environmental impact statement (EIS) on the Empire Corridor, which contains CSX’s busiest route carrying both passengers and freight between Albany and Buffalo, New York state officials said in a prepared statement.

The framework agreement is a “broad statement of core principles” that is designed to guide NYDOT and CSXT in establishing intercity and high-speed passenger service, state officials said.

The agreement on the EIS enables NYDOT to move forward with preparing the Tier 1 environmental impact statement for the 463-mile Empire Corridor, which runs from New York City to Albany, and west to Buffalo and Niagara Falls. The EIS will study and document proposed improvements to intercity passenger service at speeds of up to 110 mph.

The EIS agreement allows planning efforts to move forward immediately. Design consultant HNTB is expected to complete the EIS and planning studies by mid-2012.