The Department of Transportation (DOT) has signed off on the environmental impact of a proposed high-speed railway between Richmond, Va. and Raleigh, N.C.
The proposed railway, known as the R2R project, is projected to cut the time of a train trip between the Virginia and North Carolina capitals from three-and-a-half to two hours — if funding can be secured to build it.
The Transportation Department signed off Friday on a final environmental impact statement for the railway, which officials with the agency said was one of the last steps before backers can begin seeking funding for the project.
{mosads}Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the Richmond-to-Raleigh line is the first step in a network of high-speed railways that could greatly increase the use of trains in the rapidly growing Southeast U.S.
“Without a strong passenger rail system, the Southeast’s growth will be choked by congestion for a very long time,” Foxx said in a statement. “North Carolina, Virginia and the Department of Transportation have worked together to bring us closer to high-speed rail connecting Richmond and Raleigh, and I urge everyone involved to continue pushing this effort forward. High-speed rail in this region is not a luxury but a necessity.”
Transportation supporters hope the Raleigh-to-Richmond rail line will be the start of a broader railway that will eventually connect Washington, D.C., and Atlanta via high-speed trains.
“Today brings us closer to breaking ground on this critical project for one of the fastest growing areas of the country,” Acting FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg said in a statement. “The project will improve safety and reliability, reduce the travel time between Richmond and Raleigh, and increase opportunity for jobs and growth in the Southeast.”
The Raleigh-to-Richmond portion will run 162 miles on tracks that will not force trains to slow down for rail crossings over roads.