PROJECT WEBSITE: GDOT Atlanta to Charlotte PRCIP

All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
COMPLETE

COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
07/09/2021

2 out of 2

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED

SECTOR
Surface Transportation

CATEGORY
Project Category DOT Projects

LEAD AGENCY
Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration

Description:

The Atlanta to Charlotte Passenger Rail Corridor Investment Plan (PRCIP) is an extension of the Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor (SEHSR), which is under development from Charlotte to Washington, D.C. The extension from Charlotte, would travel southeast through portions of South Carolina and into Atlanta. The exact termini of route alternatives will address connectivity to proposed and existing passenger rail stations, airports and other regional transportation services along the corridor. In particular, the project will consider connectivity to the proposed Georgia Multi Modal Passenger Terminal (MMPT) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (H-JAIA) in Atlanta, and the proposed Charlotte Gateway Station and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in Charlotte.  The PRCIP will include both a Tier I EIS/ROD as well as a Service Development Plan.  Once completed, the PRCIP will provide FRA with the information necessary to support a decision to fund and implement major investments in the corridor.

FRA is the lead Federal Agency and the Georgia Department of Transportation is the lead State Agency.  On May 16, 2013, FRA published in the Federal Register a Notice of Intent to prepare the EIS, which will evaluate three alternatives, including one Greenfield Alternative.  The total cost of the project depends upon both the alternative as well as the speed, with the alternatives ranging from approximately $2 billion to up to $6 billion for the Greenfield alternative.  FRA and GDOT anticipate publishing the Draft EIS for public review and comment in Spring/Summer 2018.

During the 45-day public review and comment period, GDOT received a total of 2,154 public and agency comments. Comments were submitted electronically via an online comment form, through written comment cards at the public meetings, and verbally to the court reporter at public meetings.

On June 30, 2021, FRA issued a combined Final EIS and ROD (FEIS/ROD) in accordance with 49 USC § 304a(b). The FEIS and ROD were combined because the FEIS did not make substantial changes to the proposed actions that are relevant to environmental safety concerns, and there were no significant new circumstances or information relevant to environmental concerns. 

In the FEIS/ROD, FRA identified the Greenfield Corridor Alternative as the Preferred Corridor Alternative. The Greenfield Corridor Alternative is a 274-mile route that connects Charlotte, NC (Charlotte Gateway Station), and Atlanta, GA (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport – H-JAIA), and generally follows a new dedicated alignment between the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and northeast Atlanta. A future Tier II study will define the specific alignment for the Greenfield Corridor Alternative, including the final approaches into Atlanta and Charlotte. GDOT and FRA assume the Greenfield Corridor Alternative could use either diesel or electric propulsion technology (for more information on the potential impacts of the Greenfield Corridor Alternative and mitigation for those impacts, see Section 3.3.2 of the FEIS/ROD).

For more information on the Atlanta to Charlotte project, please visit GDOT's project website.

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In addition, pertinent information can be found at the project's FRA webpage, https://railroads.dot.gov/environment/current-environmental-reviews/southeast-high-speed-rail-atlanta-charlotte-passenger