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Late next month, the Virginia Department of Roads and Public Transportation (DRPT) will hold public hearings on the Tier I Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Richmond/Hampton Roads Passenger Rail Project.

DRPT and the Federal Railroad Administration are evaluating options for higher-speed passenger-rail service between Richmond and Hampton Roads, both in the Richmond-Petersburg-South Hampton Roads Corridor along Route 460 and the Richmond-Williamsburg-Newport News Amtrak Corridor along Interstate 64. New passenger-rail service in those corridors ultimately could provide rail connections to the Southeast, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions as an extension of the proposed Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor.

To be held Jan. 26, 27 and 28, the public hearings will give interested parties a chance to comment on the draft environmental report, which provides an overview and comparison of the alternatives under consideration, with information on the cost, ridership, environmental impacts and infrastructure improvements associated with each option. DRPT will accept public comments until Feb. 11.