Feds Sketch Their Vision for D.C. to Boston High-Speed Rail

Kate Hinds looks as some of the 15 alternatives for investment in the 457-mile Northeast Corridor included in a new report, titled "NEC FUTURE," that was released this week by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Alternatives run the gamut from simply bringing the route up to a state of good repair to the ambitious plan for building a separate dedicated high-speed rail line throughout the corridor.

According to Hinds, "The report aims to jump-start public debate about how rail capacity should be shaped in the region."

“It is intended to be the foundation for future investments in the Northeast Corridor, a 150 year-old alignment that has guided the growth of what is now one of the most densely populated transportation corridors in the world,” said Rebecca Reyes-Alicea, NEC FUTURE program manager for the Federal Railroad Administration.  “(It) will further the dialogue about the rail network in the Northeast and how it can best serve us over for the years ahead.”

"Over the next year, these 15 options will be winnowed down," adds Hinds. "The federal government wants to have a single alternative in place by 2015."