Georgia is getting into the act with
Intermodal Programs at the Georgia DOT site.
Southeast High-Speed Rail Coalition
The Southeast High Speed Rail Coalition is a transportation advocacy group designed to advance high-speed rail corridors of significance in the Southeast region. The Coalition in comprised of transportation leaders from states including, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North and South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
The Southeast High Speed Rail Coalition recognizes the importance high-speed, intercity rail connectivity has on the national future and the direct impact rail plays in the success of the Southeast’s economic development. As a result, the coalition has made a historic commitment to accelerate the pace in which the rail modality is included in its transportation plans.
But one may reasonably suspect Georgia officials of not wanting to miss out on the Federal money that is now available for HSR development.
Georgia DOT Commissioner Smith Hosts Southeast High-Speed Rail Transportation Summit - on January 26 - in support of the
Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor plans and others.
Officials from some of the states delivered presentations, which are at the site:
Virginia DOT was impressively far along, with plans for:
- DC - Richmond - Petersburg
- Richmond - Hampton Roads
- Petersburg - Norfolk
No mention of electrification south of DC, however.
North Carolina DOT was less clear -- it seemed to mainly be referring to a Petersburg - Raleigh line.
South Carolina DOT was largely a who's who that did not state much about plans.
Georgia DOT did seem to be doing a little, with plans for Atlanta-Macon service, and proposals for Atlanta-Louisville, Atlanta-Birmingham, and Macon-Jacksonville feasibility studies.
Alabama DOT didn't have anything specific.
Florida DOT had not only plans, but a history of the ups and downs of HSR planning in that state. The Florida DOT acknowledged the Orlando-Jacksonville gap in FRA-endorsed HSR corridors, and it described how far along its Tampa-Orlando and Orlando-Miami corridors are. Tampa-Orlando could start construction in a year or two and be done in 2015, thus beating California.
There was nothing from either Kentucky or Tennessee.
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From the looks of it, Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida are the farthest along, with the other states having to catch up. Looks like prospects are good for lengthening the Northeast Corridor by a factor of two with the Southeast Corridor: DC - Richmond - Raleigh - Charlotte. But plans for further extensions have not gone very far, even an obvious one to Atlanta.
I think that an Atlanta - Louisville HSR line would be a long shot, because of the Appalachian Mountains in the way. Most of the others are over much flatter terrain.