advertisement

---

Yesterday, Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board selected Alternative 1 as the preferred option for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation’s (DRPT) Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project.

The decision was based on the results of a Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement completed by the DRPT and Federal Railroad Administration, in addition to public comments. Nearly 60 percent of all public comments were in support of Alternative 1.

The alternative calls for operating 79 mph trains running along the Peninsula/CSX Transportation route in the Interstate 64 corridor and six 90 mph trains along the Southside/Norfolk Southern Railway route in the Route 460 corridor. Estimated travel time between Richmond and Newport News is about one hour, 11 minutes, and the travel time between Richmond and Norfolk is estimated at one hour, 35 minutes.

Stations on the Peninsula route include the existing Richmond Main Street, Williamsburg and Newport News stations. Stations along the Southside route include the existing Richmond Main Street and Petersburg stations, as well as new stations in Bowers Hill and downtown Norfolk.

Today, there are two “conventional speed” passenger trains that operate on the Peninsula route and no trains on the Southside route.

Preliminary cost estimates include $475.4 million in capital improvements and $80 million in annual operating costs, with annual ridership projected at 1.1 million passengers.

DRPT will apply for federal funding to advance the selected alternative. In addition, the agency will complete the Tier I Final EIS document in hopes of obtaining a federal Record of Decision later this year, according to DRPT. The record of decision will determine the next steps in the federal review process.

The commonwealth also will need to secure annual operating funds, DRPT said. Virginia currently has no dedicated source of operating funds for intercity passenger-rail service.