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FUTURE

Our Future 
on Track  

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 
TIER 1 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT

OCTOBER 2016

a

US. Deportmen?r of Tronspor?ra?rion
Federal Railroad Administration

A Long-Term
Vision is Needed

The Preferred Alternative: a Vision for
Growth on the Northeast Corridor
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has released the Tier 1
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for NEC FUTURE, the
comprehensive planning effort for the Northeast Corridor (NEC) rail
line from Washington, D.C., to Boston. The Tier 1 Final EIS presents
the FRA’s Preferred Alternative, a vision for future growth on the
NEC that incorporates feedback from the public and stakeholders
along the corridor.

It takes many years to plan, design, and build major rail infrastructure, which can last for a century or more. With multiple owners and operators
on the NEC, a coordinated approach is critical to ensure that different investments made along the corridor work together to the benefit of all
users. As the first comprehensive plan for the 457-mile Northeast Corridor rail line in 40 years, NEC FUTURE will establish a framework for
future projects that may be undertaken and financed by the federal government, states, and railroads in the coming decades.
The Preferred Alternative, described below and in the Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement, indicates the FRA’s direction toward
selecting an investment plan for the NEC. The FRA will identify the Selected Alternative in the Record of Decision, the next and final step in
the Tier 1 environmental process.

Why Grow the NEC?

The Preferred Alternative defines an investment plan for the NEC that
would grow the role of rail in the Northeast, providing the capacity to
dramatically increase the number of trains and improve the railroad’s
performance. The Preferred Alternative focuses investment on the
existing NEC, improving reliability by bringing it to a state of good
repair and eliminating chokepoints that cause delays. Trains would
operate frequently with improved connections, greatly enhancing
travel options. Travel time would also improve. This vision reflects
public preferences and is supported by the FRA’s analysis.

The Preferred Alternative would:
„„ Provide the capacity for up to five times as many Intercity trains as today, with multiple trains each hour, and double the number of
Regional rail trains during peak hours
„„ Achieve high on-time reliability and efficient performance
„„ Reduce travel time, shortening commutes and enabling faster trips:
- Washington, D.C., to New York City in as little as 2 hours and 10 minutes
- New York City to Boston in as little as 2 hours and 45 minutes

The Northeast United States is the world’s fifth largest economy, contributing
30 percent of all jobs in the U.S. and generating 20 percent of the nation’s Gross
Domestic Product. By 2040, the Northeast is expected to add seven million new
residents, putting further pressure on all travel modes. Stronger, more reliable
transportation options—including investment in the Northeast Corridor—are
essential to support mobility and sustain the region’s economic growth.
The Tier 1 Draft EIS, published in November 2015, evaluated three distinct visions
for the NEC’s future that would either maintain, grow, or transform the role of
rail in the Northeast. The FRA received comments on the Tier 1 Draft EIS from
over 3,200 individuals, agencies, and interested organizations. The Preferred
Alternative represents a balanced approach, favored by many stakeholders,
that supports growth while addressing the most immediate needs for the
NEC’s aging infrastructure. Information on the FRA’s process for identifying
the Preferred Alternative can be found in the Tier 1 Final EIS, available online
at www.necfuture.com.

REGIONAL RAIL: passenger rail
service within a metropolitan area

„„ Improve connections, with new stations, easier access to airports from the NEC, and enhanced service to connecting corridors
„„ Enhance passenger convenience, with coordinated schedules and ticketing for seamless travel across the NEC
„„ Improve the efficiency of rail operations through opportunities for service integration
„„ Provide a broader range of travel choices

By 2040, the Northeast is
expected to add seven million
new residents, putting further
pressure on all travel modes.
Stronger, more reliable,
transportation options—including
investment in the Northeast
Corridor—are essential to
support mobility and sustain the
region’s economic growth.

INTERCITY-EXPRESS: premium Intercity service that
makes limited stops and offers the shortest travel times

Service Types Included

PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE MEETS KEY NEEDS:
Aging
Infrastructure

Connectivity

Capacity

Performance

Resiliency

Sustainability

Economic
Growth

INTERCITY: passenger rail service between metropolitan

METROPOLITAN: a new type of Intercity service that

areas, including Intercity-Express, Intercity-Corridor, and
long distance services

operates with high performance equipment, stops at a mix of
Intercity and Regional rail stations, and offers lower fares

 ME
NH

Better Service for Passengers

VT

Preferred
Alternative

Albany

NY

MA
Worcester

Boston

„„ Double the number of Regional rail trains during peak hours in major metropolitan
areas, making it easier to commute by rail (for instance, at the Hudson River crossing,
today’s 21 trains per hour would double to 42)

Springfield
Hartford
CT

RI

Providence

Tracks in Tunnel
Existing

New

New Haven
Bridgeport
Stamford

Hudson River
East River

PA
NJ

New London/Mystic
New London

New York

Harrisburg

Philadelphia
Philadelphia Int’l Airport
Wilmington
WV

MD

NJ
Baltimore

Washington, D.C.

R E P R E S E N TAT I V E I M P R O V E M E N T S *:

New Segment* *
New Track
Upgraded Track
Improved NEC
Chokepoint Relief Project
Related Project
Potential New Station

DE

EXISTING:

Study Area
Connecting Corridor
National Passenger Rail Network
Rail Station (not all shown)

VA
Richmond
* Not all shown

* * The location shown for new segments is illustrative and represents the information used to analyze effects of the new segment as

part of the Tier 1 EIS process; the location of new segments will be determined in Tier 2 project studies.

The Preferred Alternative includes improvements to bring the NEC to a
state of good repair and relieve chokepoints that cause delay. It adds
new track to grow the NEC to four tracks at most locations, with more
tracks in areas with the greatest demand. In addition, the Preferred
Alternative integrates direct service on the Hartford/Springfield Line
into the NEC, with upgraded track and electrification.
The FRA has also determined a need for new track segments in particular
geographic sections of the NEC. New segments in the following areas
would grow capacity, allow higher speeds to reduce travel time, and
enhance system resilience:

„„ Up to five times the number of Intercity trains, giving travelers more choices and
the opportunity for spontaneous trips

BETTER CONNECTIONS TO MORE PLACES:
„„ Frequent, direct service to Hartford, CT, and Springfield, MA and points in between,
integrating the Hartford/Springfield Line with the NEC
„„ Additional one-seat rides among communities on the NEC, and between NEC markets
and connecting corridors, including Harrisburg, PA, Richmond, VA, and points south of
Richmond

Newark

Trenton

MORE RELIABLE, FREQUENT TRAINS:

„„ Baltimore to Wilmington, supporting speeds up to 220 mph
„„ Replacement of the Baltimore and Potomac (B&P) tunnel
„„ In Philadelphia, connecting to an Intercity station at the Philadelphia
International Airport
„„ Two new tracks in tunnels under both the Hudson and East Rivers
to an expanded Penn Station New York
„„ Southeastern Connecticut to Western Rhode Island, supporting higher
speeds and increased frequencies

„„ Access to airports, with frequent connections to Baltimore-Washington International Airport,
Philadelphia International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, T.F. Green Airport, and
Bradley International Airport
„„ 22 new stations with Intercity or Regional rail service, expanding upon the 116 stations
served today
„„ Five station upgrades to Hubs, with Regional rail and new Metropolitan service
that fills gaps in regional connectivity: Odenton, MD; Secaucus, NJ; Greens Farms,
CT; Hartford, CT; and T.F. Green Airport, RI

FASTER TRIPS:
„„ Trips between Boston and New York City in 2 hours 45 minutes, a decrease of
45 minutes from today’s best time
„„ Trips between Washington, D.C. and New York City in 2 hours 10 minutes, a decrease
of 35 minutes from today’s best time
„„ Reductions in delays for all services, saving time and reducing frustration for both
Regional rail and Intercity passengers

MORE SERVICE OPTIONS TO CHOOSE FROM:
„„ More Regional rail service in every metropolitan area for easier commutes and trips
throughout the day
„„ New, affordable Metropolitan service that stops frequently at more stations and
links local and metropolitan markets
„„ More Intercity-Express trains with higher quality amenities and reduced travel
times

INCREASED CONVENIENCE:
„„ Integrated, seamless service, with a unified schedule for the NEC and a single ticket
from any point on the NEC to one’s destination
„„ Regular, repeating and predictable service patterns
„„ Easier transfers, with coordinated arrivals at Hub stations

 Benefits for Cities and Communities

Next Steps

The Preferred Alternative would:

In the coming months, the FRA will complete the NEC FUTURE planning process and move toward
implementation. The next steps include:

STRENGTHEN ECONOMIES WITH:

A MORE RESILIENT NEC

„„ Expanded access to jobs and skilled workers

The Preferred Alternative includes infrastructure
both north and south of New York City that
would improve the resiliency of the NEC. In
particular, the investment in new infrastructure
in the off-corridor sections of the Preferred
Alternative would provide an opportunity to
locate and design the infrastructure in a way
that minimizes its risk to impacts from floods
and extreme heat. In addition to upgrading
the NEC to be more resilient, the Preferred
Alternative includes redundant track outside of
the areas of risk that would provide alternative
routing during flooding events or other situations
where the track needs to be closed, allowing
some service to be maintained.

„„ Economic development opportunities in cities to leverage new or
improved rail connections
„„ Enhanced economic integration among Northeast cities
„„ Improved rail-airport connections, benefitting business travel and
tourism
„„ Reduced vulnerability to service disruptions, as rail infrastructure is
improved and new segments provide redundancy

INCREASE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY WITH:
„„ Lower greenhouse gas emissions as travelers shift to rail from other
modes of transportation, generating air quality benefits
„„ Reduced energy use
„„ Resiliency to flooding and extreme weather events

A 30-DAY WAITING PERIOD
The FRA will hold a 30-day waiting period after release of the Tier 1 Final EIS. This waiting period
allows the public to review and provide feedback on the Preferred Alternative and the contents of
the Tier 1 Final EIS. This is not a formal comment period and the FRA will not respond to individual
comments as was required for the Tier 1 Draft EIS. The FRA will consider feedback on the Preferred
Alternative received during the waiting period and then identify an alternative, referred to as the
Selected Alternative, in the Record of Decision (ROD). The Selected Alternative documented in the
ROD may or may not be the same as the Preferred Alternative described in the Tier 1 Final EIS.

RECORD OF DECISION (ROD)
The ROD will document the formal selection of an investment program (referred to as the Selected
Alternative). The Selected Alternative will serve as a framework to guide future Tier 2 project
investments on the NEC. The issuance of the ROD will complete the Tier 1 NEPA process.

SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PLAN (SDP)
The SDP will detail the process for implementing the Selected Alternative, including a first phase of
projects to address the most critical needs on the NEC. The SDP will be prepared in 2017.

Achieving the Vision
Achieving the system-wide benefits of the Preferred Alternative will require
implementation of many interrelated projects, requiring a coordinated
process over time. The Preferred Alternative provides a flexible approach
to implementation, allowing investments to be made in phases as funding
becomes available. It also provides flexibility to respond to immediate
needs or changing market conditions. States and railroad operators would
work together to determine the order in which the improvements are
made, and affected communities would have an opportunity to help shape
future rail infrastructure projects during Tier 2 project development processes.

To learn more about NEC FUTURE and the Preferred Alternative, please refer to the Tier 1 Final EIS, available
online at www.necfuture.com. See Volume 1, Chapter 4 for a description of the Preferred Alternative and
its development; Chapters 5, 6, and 7 for an assessment of transportation, economic, and environmental
effects; Chapter 10 for information on phasing and implementation; Chapter 11 for a description of public
and agency involvement, and Appendix JJ for FRA’s responses to comments received on the Tier 1 Draft EIS.
Also available online is the Programmatic Agreement prepared under Section 106 of the National Historic
Preservation Act of 1966. The Programmatic Agreement, contained in Appendix GG, provides a framework
for compliance with Section 106 in future Tier 2 actions that could affect historic properties along the NEC.

 Our Future on Track



U.S. Department of Tronspor?ro?rion 
Federal Railroad Administration necfuture.com