Project Description

In September 2002, the Southern Rapid Rail Transit Commission entered cooperative agreement DTFR53-02-H-00019 for Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail Corridor Development Plan: Mobile to New Orleans. The Conference Report accompanying the U.S. Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 2002, Pub.L. 107-87, (December 18, 2001), identifies $300,000 in Federal funds available for the "Gulf Coast high-speed rail corridor from Mobile, AL to New Orleans, LA." (Page 121 of H.R. 106-940). The total costs of this project are $600,000, with Federal funding of $300,000 and Grantee funding of $300,000. The agreement is valid through September 2004.

The purpose of the study is to develop a report that satisfies the requirements of the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) Railroad Corridor Transportation Plans, A Guidance Manual . It will be conducted in a two-phase approach. Phase I, will focus on identification of institutional issues, service projections, information gathering, and development of a rail operations plan. Phase II, to be funded in the future, will expand on Phase I and complete all the requirements of the Guidance Manual, including development of a specific implementation strategy.

The study will be conducted through a cooperative agreement with the FRA and in partnership with the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT), the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT), and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LDOTD). A Steering Committee comprised of the Federal Railroad Administration, impacted freight railroads, key members of the three partner States, and Amtrak will provide oversight, direction and primary product review for the study. The requirements of this project will be carried out through a consultant.

The physical constraints of the existing (2002) CSX corridor between Mobile and New Orleans, particularly along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, mean that it is unlikely that true high-speed service (> 110 mph) can be achieved in much of this portion of the corridor. However, this study effort is intended to lead toward a decision on the feasibility of high-speed rail service in this portion of the corridor.

The State of Mississippi has underway a corollary study effort that will identify, evaluate and seek to obtain environmental clearances for a new rail right-of-way for high-speed service north of I-10 in Mississippi. The work efforts and information sharing between projects will be coordinated to serve all involved interests.

This study is to be carried out in a way that its results can be used as the basis for Phase II and other future high-speed rail planning and engineering projects to refine this work and help guide future public and private investment decisions which may lead to the provision of high-speed rail service along the Gulf Coast High-Speed Rail Corridor.