Ooooh. I didn’t realize the high speed rail needed its own separate right-of-way. And I guess naively assumed that adding a rail line next to another rail line was common sense.
As you said earlier, I think it would be a much easier ‘sell’ to the public if they went ahead with the land acquisition needed. Then its less about taking away buildings and more about building along the path that’s already been determined.
And yes, converting the Norfolk Southern line to a High Line-style path absolutely needs to happen.
This is like revival speak and I love it. Thanks for the passion in this message! I completely agree that the corridor needs to be preserved, and any uses of this land is conditional on it eventually going away.
IMO, these sorts of places are perfect for a food truck rodeo replete with picnic benches, temporary containers with small businesses, lightweight tent structures, festive strung lighting, etc.
I get your point, but what I’m talking about is more akin to what’s already in the back of the Beer Garden. Put a little energy into that idea and it could be a real jewel of a destination.
Fully on board here. I would love this adaptive, ‘flexible’ business incubator model in Raleigh but I’m afraid it doesn’t feel like us. It’s the thing we can never really import from all our civic leaders exploring in other happening places… Our ‘innovation’ happens in warehouses and gas stations but it should be brought to the streets!
Okay not the Faye-Ral route but NCDOT still interested in this plan and they just had a meeting a few weeks ago about being interested in 4 passenger stations in the Raleigh region.
Wait, the screenshot you posted is not from the meeting you attended? …okay then…
Can you at least speak to who was hosting this event or any other important things they mentioned? Meeting records for NCDOT aren’t turning up anything that seems useful, but I’m sure this meeting could be FOIA’d if we try hard enough and are willing to be patient. Plus, we know the Southeast Corridor Commission’s overdue for releasing the corridor’s implementation plan
I wonder if the name change is just to clarify that individual states (not the corridor commission) are the only ones with the power and money to make and follow an “implementation plan” (which implies detailed engineering plans and construction schedules), or if it hints at bigger uncertainties in the vision?
Either way… at least we know to wait a bit longer, now.
Yeah, “development strategy” definitely sounds a little more non-committal than “implementation plan.” Could just be an arbitrary change, though. Description looks promising (emphasis added):
The SEC Development Strategy effort is to synthesize service and infrastructure recommendations from the study efforts listed below:
Southeast High Speed Rail Program National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Southeast Corridor Economic Benefits Study (underway)
FRA Southeast Regional Rail Planning Study
North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Incremental Service Development Plan (underway)
Transforming Rail in Virginia (underway)
The plan will ensure consistency, and convey priorities and actionable next steps to advance high-performance passenger rail in the corridor. Noting the various stages of development for each section, from feasibility through NEPA, engineering, property acquisition, and construction, with recommendations for Federal grant funding possibilities.
Another objective is to recommend best practices for implementation that can be replicated throughout the Southeast to develop an integrated passenger rail transportation solution for the region. Taking into account changes in the rail industry and changes regarding track ownership/operations, especially the Transforming Rail in Virginia Initiative and other far-reaching agreements with host railroads that will shape project implementation.
When this Development Strategy document comes out, I hope there’s a solid list of projects ready to go through more detailed design and NEPA analyses (as well as for potential Amtrak extensions to Wilmington or Asheville). The federal government just announced a new program to help local governments find intercity rail corridors to upgrade or newly build, and create a pipeline to regularly make them into reality:
For the Apex folks on here I got this email today. Looks like the town of Apex is soliciting input on the S-Line and how it’ll affect Apex.
S-Line TOD Study: Help Apex get Ready for Rail Input Opportunity - June 9th 2022 - Town Hall
Join the Town of Apex and the North Carolina Department of Transportation in developing a vision for downtown development around transit as part of the S-Line Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Study! Drop in and help our designers generate ideas during the design workshops from 1-4pm or stop by to view results from the day at the open house from 5:30pm-7pm. Both input opportunities will be hosted at Town Hall (73 Hunter Street) on the 3rd floor.
The Town of Apex is a partner in a regional study, led by the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division, to prepare communities along the “S-Line” for the possibility of future passenger rail service. The S-Line includes the railroad corridor that extends from Richmond to Charlotte, through Apex. While there is currently no funding to begin new passenger rail service along this corridor, the Town’s Transit Plan Map and the region’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan anticipate future passenger rail stations in the downtown area and the area between US 1, NC 540, and NC 55 known as “Veridea”. This study will help Apex prepare for the future by evaluating opportunities for transit-oriented development (TOD) that are sensitive to community context, preserve existing assets, and build on the recent Downtown Plan. Sanford, Raleigh, Wake Forest, Franklinton, Henderson and Norlina are also participating in the study.
Raleigh to Richmond Corridor awarded federal infrastructure grant
“This grant will advance the development of the federally designated Southeast Corridor by providing preliminary engineering for rehabilitation and construction of the S-Line, a critical missing link in the Southeast network.”
