-
posted 04.02.13
Preliminary Alternatives Report Now Available
The NEC FUTURE Preliminary Alternatives Report is now available on the NEC FUTURE website. The report presents the process used to develop 15 Preliminary Alternatives that represent a wide range of possible futures for the NEC. The Preliminary Alternatives are study concepts that will be tested and refined to form a smaller set of Reasonable Alternatives for detailed evaluation.
The Preliminary Alternatives are organized within four different program levels, each of which presents a different vision for the NEC. The levels vary from modest capital investment and service options to dedicated High Speed Rail and robust regional service. At each level the alternatives present different service options, including new types of service to increase frequency, minimize travel time, or increase the number of “one-seat rides” available on the system, as well as providing improved connections to off-corridor markets.
All 15 Preliminary Alternatives include improvements to the existing NEC spine. Several of the alternatives include concepts for new routes with off-corridor segments. These are representative routes intended for further study and refinement.
The FRA welcomes your involvement in the NEC FUTURE planning process. If, after reviewing the Preliminary Alternatives Report you have questions or wish to make a comment, please submit your question or comment via the comment form or info@necfuture.com .
We hope you will return to this site often to learn more about NEC FUTURE progress and future public involvement opportunities. -
posted 12.28.12
Scoping Summary Now Available
One of the highlights of 2012 for the NEC FUTURE program was a scoping process that enabled agencies, stakeholders and the public along the corridor to learn about and contribute to shaping NEC FUTURE. A summary of the scoping process and the comments received is now available online. A hard copy or CD of the Scoping Summary is also available upon request via email to info@necfuture.com.
The FRA heard from nearly 800 individuals, agencies and organizations during the four-month scoping period, which included agency and public meetings in each of the NEC's eight states and the District of Columbia. Many commenters addressed multiple topics, resulting in nearly 2,500 distinct comments for review and analysis. Key topics included the Study Area, Purpose & Need, alternatives, and public involvement. The FRA reviewed and considered each comment received during the scoping process. The Scoping Summary organizes those comments and provides representative examples of comments by category and how they will be addressed as the NEC FUTURE program advances the Service Development Plan (SDP) and Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The ideas, insights and concerns expressed during scoping will inform the development of alternatives, the Tier 1 EIS, and the public involvement and agency coordination process as NEC FUTURE moves forward.
Our Future On Track
Welcome to NEC FUTURE, a comprehensive planning effort to define, evaluate and prioritize future investments in the Northeast Corridor (NEC), launched by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in February 2012. FRA's work will include new ideas and approaches to grow the region's intercity, commuter and freight rail services and the completion of an environmental evaluation of proposed transportation alternatives.
The NEC, the rail transportation spine of the Northeast region, is a key component of the region's transportation system and vital to its sustained economic growth. Today, the 457-mile NEC—anchored by Boston's South Station in the north, New York's Pennsylvania Station in the center, and Washington's Union Station in the south—is one of the most heavily traveled rail corridors in the world.
