HSR update for July 2008


by David B. Foster, PE,
SEHSR Tier II EIS Project Manager
Rail Environmental Program Manager, NCDOT Rail Division

Overall Project Information and Updates

I want to encourage you to continue to follow the project through our web site.

This web site continues to be one of your best sources of information on the project. We try to update it periodically as major changes occur and as major work elements progress.

Grant Agreement for Richmond to Petersburg Extension

The initial project corridor extended from Petersburg, Virginia to Raleigh, North Carolina. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requested the states extend the Tier II document to include the Richmond (at Main Street Station) to Petersburg portion of the corridor. This extension will evaluate the different options for passing through Petersburg and will take into consideration the ongoing Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (VDRPT) study for connecting SEHSR to the Hampton Roads/Norfolk area.

The grant agreement was signed in January 2007, and the additional work began shortly thereafter. Virginia Rail Enhancement Fund grants are providing the funding for this extension.

The entire project corridor is now approximately 168 miles and extends from Richmond, Virginia, to Raleigh, North Carolina.

Summary Update: Richmond to Petersburg

Much of our fieldwork in the past year has focused in this new section. Environmental fieldwork in this portion of the corridor began with the collection of baseline data on wetlands and streams, archaeological sites, historic resources, and fresh water mussel habitat. Much of this fieldwork is now complete, and the remaining portions are progressing.

Phase I historic architecture surveys were completed late last year. Approximately 22 individual resources and 6 potential historic districts were identified for further Phase II study, which currently is underway. These sites are primarily in the downtown Petersburg and Richmond areas of the project.

A preliminary archaeological scan also was completed in 2007. The scan used a predictability model to determine areas of high, medium, and low archaeological artifact probabilities. Based on the results from this model, a more detailed Phase I archaeological survey currently is underway.

Initial horizontal and vertical rail designs between Richmond and Petersburg are nearing completion, and the associated preliminary roadway designs are underway in the Richmond area, progressing southward. Noise and vibration fieldwork will be conducted following completion of the rail alignment designs.

Summary Update: Petersburg to VA-NC Line

Virtually all the environmental work noted above is complete for the portion of the project between Petersburg and the state line. The railroad horizontal and vertical alignment alternatives and the associated roadway designs in this section are ready for inclusion in the DEIS.

Summary Update: State Line to Raleigh

The environmental work is substantially complete between the VA-NC line and Raleigh. The initial railroad horizontal and vertical alignment alternatives also are complete along this section. Roadway designs are essentially complete from the VA-NC line through Franklin County, and are in progress through Wake County. The Franklin/Wake County sections are some of the most complex due to heavy development.

Section 106 consultation with the State Historic Preservation Offices in both Virginia and North Carolina is still required. Efforts to obtain the necessary effects determinations for the individual historic resources in each state will begin as the design work is finalized.

SEHSR Web Page Maps

If you have not visited our SEHSR web site recently, please check out a major enhancement that we are excited about. Aerial images showing the current alternatives are now on the web site. By clicking on successively more detailed maps, from state to regional to local, one can see aerial photo mapping showing the proximity of the alternative rail alignments currently being evaluated. We hope this will be useful to individuals who have an interest in the project.

The Summit: High Speed Rail for the East Coast

At the SEHSR web page is the summary of this October 2007 event held in Raleigh. The Summit gathered transportation professionals from state and federal government, private industry and academia in panel format to inform, discuss, exchange ideas and answer questions on the future of high speed rail on the east coast.

Update on Trail Concept

We are excited to announce the inclusion of a parallel trail concept into the SEHSR project. This is another “first” for this project, and a unique opportunity to provide additional “value added” for all the towns and communities along the corridor.

The initial idea of a trail came from several Virginia communities in 2006. From that beginning almost two years ago we now have funding from each state to include the additional environmental assessments for a multi-use trail/greenway into the ongoing SEHSR project

The trail concept would be a separate project, parallel to and outside the rail right of way, but within the Southeast High Speed Rail study corridor. As such, all environmental work being collected and analyzed for the rail project would be available for evaluation of the trail concept. That is what makes this such a unique opportunity.

Any construction project that uses public funds must have appropriate environmental documentation approved by the state and federal agencies. Clearing the environmental work at this time for the trail corridor represents a significant cost and time benefit over a piecemeal approach. This would allow trail proponents to apply for state and federal funds for the eventual completion of the trail.

The trail concept runs from just south of Petersburg, Virginia (at Burgess) to the north side of Raleigh at the Neuse River (approximately 116 miles), connecting all the cities and towns along the way. It could become an important link in the East Coast Greenway, a proposed trail that would traverse the eastern seaboard states from Maine to Florida.

The trail location would vary in proximity to the rail right of way, and would also cross from the east side to the west side as needed, using current or purposed grade separations (i.e. there will be no “at-grade” crossings of the trail and the main rail line)

For approximately 76 miles, where the proposed rail improvements will fall within the existing rail right of way, the trail concept is envisioned to be on a 30’ trail cross section on a 60’ right of way, completely outside the rail right of way. The minimum separation (between the tracks and the trail) would be 50-60 feet, and the average should be about 100 feet.

For the remaining 40 miles, where the rail alternatives are expected to go off of the existing rail right of way, the trail would likely use the old, inactive rail right of way.

The trail concept will follow the “preferred” rail alignment. As such, preliminary designs of the trail concept will not begin until after the preferred rail alignment is selected, following completion of the DEIS. Public involvement for the trail will be handled by the resource agencies in both states (VA Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources).

Milestones

Additional coordination time in all aspects of the project is expected to push the public release of the DEIS until mid-2010. Further details will be posted on the web site as they are available.

Finally

I encourage you to continue to follow the project through our web site.