The pieces of the still-speculative Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor—connecting Atlanta to Washington, D.C.—are starting to take shape. The latest leg to come into focus would connect Richmond to D.C.
"Faster, more frequent trains between DC and Richmond could be on the way," reports Stephen Repetski. The improved train service would come as a result of new tracks as well as changes to existing tracks for the DC2RVA Rail Improvement Project under consideration by the state of Virginia.
"The overall goal is to add nine daily round-trip trains from North Carolina or Norfolk/Newport News that would travel up through DC to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor including Baltimore, Philly, and New York," according to Repetski. The project would require $5.2 billion to make the improvements necessary to achieve those goals.
Repetski notes that the DC2RVA Rail Improvement Project is "part of a larger network slowly being studied from DC down to Atlanta," known as the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor. The D.C. to Richmond portion of the high-speed rail corridor is in the second phase of the project.
The article includes a lot more detail about the DC2RVA project, including some notes about the shortcomings of the project as currently envisioned. For instance, according to Repetski,"Virginia is looking to make trains operate at up to a maximum of 90 miles per hour in the corridor, which is still lower than what Amtrak's regular Northeast Regional trains can operate at between DC and New York."
FULL STORY: New DC to Richmond tracks would mean faster, more frequent Amtrak and VRE
Virginia to Pay $3.7 Billion for 225 Miles of Rail Track
New passenger rail improvements for the Virginia Railway Express and Amtrak are on the way in 2020.
Key Virginia Rail Bridge Project Completes Environmental Review
A $1.9 billion project to add a second set of rail tracks to the Long Bridge that connects Virginia to D.C. is ready to move forward with a recently completed Environmental Impact Statement.
After a Decade of Success, Amtrak in Virginia Poised for More Growth
After ten years of state-sponsored Amtrak service in Virginia, ridership is growing. There are also opportunities for more growth.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.
How Protecting Kauaʻi’s Forests Safeguards Fresh Water
A University of Hawaiʻi study shows that protecting Kauaʻi’s native forests from invasive species significantly boosts groundwater recharge, making it a cost-effective strategy to secure fresh water and enhance climate resilience.
Gary, Indiana to Expand Transit Service, Bike Share
The city plans to launch a bike share system in April and expand service on its bus routes.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport