Atlanta-Charlotte high-speed rail DEIS subject of public hearings

The Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina departments of transportation have held public hearings on a Tier 1 draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for a proposed Atlanta-to-Charlotte, North Carolina, passenger-rail corridor investment plan.

The draft compared three alternatives, two of which are "true" high-speed rail lines, according to a High Speed Rail Alliance newsletter. The Federal Railroad Administration defines "high-speed rail" as traveling between 90 mph and 150 mph or higher.

The Atlanta-to-Charlotte route is part of the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor. Ultimately, the corridor would feature a high-speed rail route from Washington, D.C., through Richmond, Virginia, and Raleigh and Charlotte, North Carolina, and then on to Atlanta.

The Atlanta-to-Charlotte corridor spans 280 miles. The DEIS study examines the area connecting the project's terminals at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and the proposed Charlotte Gateway Station.

Currently, the study area is served by interstate highways, intercity bus service, Amtrak and three airports: Atlanta, Greenville-Spartanburg International and Charlotte Douglas International.

The DEIS can be read by clicking on this link.