High speed rail awarded $545 million
Durham — North Carolina was awarded $545 million in federal recovery funds yesterday for the advancement of high speed rail along the Southeast High Speed Rail (SEHSR) corridor.
The award was announced by Ms. Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency, at the new train station in Durham.
The SEHSR project since it was established by the Congress in 1992.
Most of the federal funds at this stage will be used to improve train capacity, speeds, and frequencies between Charlotte and Raleigh.
Virginia received $75 million that will improve train speeds and capacity in the Richmond to Washington, D.C. part of the SEHSR corridor.
Overall Project Information and Updates
The 1000+ page Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) has gone through internal review and is now in the signatory process with FRA. Following FRA’s approval of the DEIS, a limited number of copies of the report will be made available for public review at locations in Virginia and North Carolina. DVD’s of the full report will be prepared for distribution as well, and it will also be posted on the Web.
It is anticipated that public hearings will be held in May (four in Virginia and four in North Carolina). Based on input from the public and the regulatory/resource agencies, a “recommendation report” (which will recommend the preferred corridor in each of the 26 Sections) will be prepared this summer, followed by Final Design and the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), which will continue through 2010 and into 2011.
The project Web site contains information on the project. It is updated periodically as major changes occur and as major work elements progress.
I have been informed that I may have to move my home in a few years because of this high speed rail system.This will impact alot of others as well.And most are poor folks.Where will the money come from for them to move to?
Comment by wendy — January 29, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
That is a terrible thing to have to do. Don’t you have any rights as a homeowner? Unbelievable.
Comment by Interesting — January 29, 2010 @ 3:10 pm
what you can do is apply for ‘historic home’ where you live. if your house is aged a certain amount of years or located in an area that can be considered ‘historic’ like downtown henderson, you can apply for a ‘historic landmark’ with the federal govt. and they cant touch you if you do that. they would have to buy your home / land at ‘historic value’
Comment by route 39 — January 29, 2010 @ 3:42 pm
I thought everybody wanted progress?
If they take your house they will pay for it and the cost of relocating . You might be better off if the do take it would give you an opportunity to leave Henderson.
Comment by Catfish — January 29, 2010 @ 4:19 pm
Well, that would be something to think about. Hopefully, if they buy it, they will give you fair-market value and re-locate you at their expense if that is what you want. Every other house in Henderson is for sale. This might just be the thing, as Catfish says.
Comment by Interesting — January 29, 2010 @ 4:24 pm
Everyone needs to reread the article. Raleigh to Charlotte in N.C. and Richmond to Washington D.C. this tells me its not coming near Henderson .
Comment by THE REAL DEAL — January 29, 2010 @ 7:15 pm
Thanks Scottie!
Comment by Forealdo — January 29, 2010 @ 8:40 pm
there is talk of making vance county a main hub between 85 and 95. so it would stop in henderson. so people can switch from coming from up north to go continue to miami or switch to go to new orleans.
Comment by route 39 — February 1, 2010 @ 12:47 pm