Virginia and federal officials recently issued the final
environmental impact statements (EIS) for routes connecting Richmond to Hampton
Roads and the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor[1],
bringing the dream of high-speed rail travel in Virginia one step closer to
reality.
According to the officials, the new routes identified could
travel from 90 to 110 miles per hour from Norfolk through Petersburg to
Richmond. The new route would also uphold Amtrak’s current service from Newport
News through Williamsburg to Richmond.
Each route would link up to the Southeast High Speed Rail
corridor in Richmond, giving riders the ability to travel north to Washington,
D.C. and south to Charlotte, North Carolina.
As Virginia’s population has grown, transportation solutions
in the commonwealth have become all the more pressing.[2]
Anyone who has to drive on I-95 during the work week during peak hours can
easily understand the need to confront transportation issues in Virginia.
Not only has Virginia’s population been growing, it’s been
growing in particular areas of the state, namely metropolitan areas like
Fredericksburg, Richmond, and Fairfax.[3] As
a consequence, anyone who has to drive through these areas for work or leisure
often run into congestion for miles.
High speed rail couldn’t come at a better time, in other
words. In order for Virginia to clear the roads of privately owned vehicles, it
will need to continue to undertake viable public transportation solutions.
While Virginia’s systems of public transportation grow,
let’s hope that Virginia’s politicians grow alongside it to keep this process
from stalling due to partisan bickering.
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