NC/VA HSR compact to meet July 12


RICHMOND, VA — The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) today announced the inaugural meeting of the Virginia-North Carolina High Speed Rail Compact will be held on July 12, 2010 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The meeting will be held in room 150 at the NCDOT headquarters, 1 S. Wilmington Street in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Virginia-North Carolina High Speed Rail Compact was authorized by the Congress and established through legislation enacted by the Virginia and North Carolina General Assemblies.

At this public meeting, the members of the Compact will be sworn in, elect officers and adopt procedures to conduct business. It also will provide an opportunity for the Compact to discuss strategies to advance multi-state high speed rail initiatives.

The primary multi-state high speed rail initiative underway today between Virginia and North Carolina is development of the Southeast High Speed Rail Project. Public comments are currently being accepted on the Tier II Environmental Impact Statement for this initiative here.

The following Virginia and North Carolina representatives serve on the Commission:

Virginia members:

  • Senator Yvonne Miller, Member, Virginia Senate
  • Senator John Watkins, Member, Virginia Senate
  • Delegate Richard Anderson, Member, Virginia House of Delegates
  • Delegate Ronald Villanueva, Member, Virginia House of Delegates
  • Delegate Jeion Ward, Member, Virginia House of Delegates
  • North Carolina members:

  • Fletcher Hartsell, Member, North Carolina Senate
  • Clark Jenkins, Member, North Carolina Senate
  • Nelson Cole, Member, North Carolina House of Representatives
  • John May, Member, North Carolina House of Representatives
  • Paul Cooke, P.E., HDR Engineering, Inc.
  • DRPT Director Thelma Drake, NCDOT Secretary Gene Conti and NCDOT Rail Division Director Patrick Simmons, in addition to state rail staff from both states, will also attend this public meeting.