RD441 - 2008 Statewide Rail Resource Allocation Plan - December 15, 2008


Executive Summary:
With the December 2004 adoption of VTRANS2025, the Commonwealth’s long-range multimodal plan, Virginia outlined the importance of freight and passenger rail in providing additional transportation choices to both citizens and businesses as part of the Commonwealth’s transportation system. VTRANS2025 identified strategies for making rail a viable option. These strategies focused on dedicating funding to rail projects and strengthening the partnership between freight rail lines, passenger rail service providers, the Commonwealth and federal agencies. In less than five years, these strategies have been implemented and significant progress has been made.

The establishment of the Rail Enhancement Fund with dedicated funding has allowed the Commonwealth to foster rail development and advance multimodal transportation solutions. The Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) adopted specific policy goals for using the Fund’s resources (Appendix A), and they serve as the foundation for project selection and funding.

To carry this vision into the future, in July 2008 the Commonwealth’s Draft Statewide Rail Plan was released for public comment. The Draft Statewide Rail Plan described potential rail projects that could provide public benefit with the investment of public funds. The Draft Plan also concluded that the Commonwealth must foster partnerships to balance the competing demands for rail line use, since most rail lines in Virginia are owned and operated by private rail companies.

This Plan identifies eight discrete projects that the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) recommends for funding. The eight projects are shown in Figure 1-1 and costs are provided in Figure 1-2. These rail projects have a total estimated capital cost of $6.6 billion in 2008 dollars. The capital improvements associated with the recommended projects include new tracks, passenger rail stations, signal upgrades, right-of-way, locomotives and cars to support passenger service. It is estimated that there will be approximately $874 million of funding dedicated to rail capital projects over the next 25 years. Since the Rail Enhancement Fund requires a minimum of 30 percent matching funds from private or other public sources, at least $375 million in additional funds is anticipated, resulting in a total of $1.25 billion available for rail capital projects.

The passenger rail projects recommended in this Plan will require a new source of funds dedicated to defraying the costs associated with operating the service on a daily basis. The operating funding is needed to support costs associated with railroad access fees, operating labor (conductors and maintenance personnel), fuel, food service and other direct operating costs. The range of operating subsidy to increase passenger rail operations in the Commonwealth is estimated at $5.4 million in FY 2010, increasing to $174 million in FY 2035 assuming significant expansion and increased frequencies of passenger rail service. There is currently no source of dedicated funds for intercity passenger rail operations in the Commonwealth.

Given the significant disparity between project costs and available revenues and the general decline in federal and state transportation revenues, DRPT is taking a pragmatic approach that recognizes funding limitations. Accordingly, the eight capital projects have been divided into 27 different phases that consist of more than 100 project elements that can be further constrained as needed. Additionally, this Plan recommends the implementation of a three-year pilot project with Amtrak to provide two new intercity trains: one originating from Staples Mill in Richmond and terminating in Washington, DC and the other originating in Lynchburg and terminating in Washington, DC. The purpose of the pilot program is to confirm ridership estimates and public benefits through actual operations. The performance of the pilot program will assist the Commonwealth in making key investment decisions regarding future service enhancements.

This Rail Resource Allocation Plan assesses the project phases against the Commonwealth’s adopted policy goals for the Rail Enhancement Fund (Figure 4-1) and identifies options for providing both the capital and operating funding required for the projects.

This Plan does not include shortline railroad projects (funded separately through the Rail Preservation Fund), rail industrial access fund projects or public transportation rail projects such as Norfolk Light Rail and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority that are funded from other sources, including the Mass Transit Trust Fund.