1

SCORT 2010September 21, 2010

David ValensteinFederal Railroad Administration

State Rail Planning

2

State Rail Planning Topics

How to talk about state rail plans today?

What are FRA’s ideas?

What is the importance and potential for State Rail Plans?

What about State Rail Plan Applicability – PRIIA?

3

Timeline for State Rail Plan Rule

• Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• Agency publishes initial draft or analysis

• Opportunity for public input

• Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• Proposed regulatory language and justification

• Published in Federal Register

• Public responds to proposed rule

• 30-180 days

• Final regulatory language

• Responds to comments

• Accompanied by report to Congress and Comptroller General

• Published in Federal Register

• Minimum 60 days after publication

Process for developing and issuing Federal regulations

ANPRM NPRM Public Comment Final Rule Effective

Date

4

Approach to State Rail Planning

4

System Integration Goals

Incorporates PRIIA requirements and objectives

Logical Interrelationships – National – State – Corridor – Project

Rail Service and Investment Program VisionRail Planning Studies and InitiativesProgramming Investments

3

1

2

5

State Rail Plans

5

FRA Outline 2010

Preliminary State Rail Plan Outline

Rail System Description and Identification of Need

Passenger and Freight Plans and Investment Proposals

Rail Service and Investment Program Vision

Passenger Element (Goals, Financing, Operating Plan Metrics, Public and Private Benefits)

Freight Element (Goals, Financing, Economic Effects, Public Investment vs. Benefits)

Rail Planning Studies and Initiatives

Passenger and Freight Rail Capital Project Lists (Short and Long Range)

3

1

2

6

State Rail Plan Table of Contents

Summary

Chapter 1 – State’s Transportation System

Chapter 2 – Existing State Rail System

Chapter 3 – Passenger Rail Improvements and Investments

Chapter 4 – Freight Rail Improvements and Investments

Chapter 5 – State’s Rail Service and Investment Program

Chapter 6 – Coordination and Review

FRA Rail Plan Outline

7

Chapter 1 – State’s Transportation System

Identify the state's goals for multimodal system

Describe the role of rail within multimodal system

Describe current freight and passenger rail initiatives

FRA Rail Plan Outline

3

1

2

8

Chapter 2 – Existing State Rail System

Describe the existing freight and passenger system– Rail companies, Corridors, Termini, Stations, etc.

Describe…

Current rail system performance and operating objectives

Describe performance shortfalls and needs

Discuss…

Institutional structure of the state’s rail program

Safety and security programs

General economic and environmental effects of rail operations

FRA Rail Plan Outline

9

Chapter 3 – Passenger Rail Improvements and Investments

Summarize all passenger rail proposals under consideration for both commuter and intercity markets

Organized by corridor

How proposals meet needs identified in chapter 2

Costs, timing, phasing

Funding

Public and private benefit

FRA Rail Plan Outline

10

Chapter 4 – Freight Rail Improvements and Investments

Summarize all freight proposals under consideration

Organized by railroad company and corridor

Address how proposals address needs identified in chapter 2

Capital costs, timing, phasing and funding

Public and private benefits

FRA Rail Plan Outline

11

Chapter 5 – State’s Rail Service and Investment Program

State’s vision of rail and how it relates to national rail plan and regional plans.

Short and long range plans for passenger and freight rail

detailed with 5 and 20-year project lists.

– financing plan, service plan, as well as public and private benefits.

Institutional needs (rail agencies, legislation, and programs)

Expected overall short and long range rail program outcomes:– Overall state transportation (all modes)

– Rail capacity, congestion, and safety

– Energy & environmental

– economic and employment conditions

– distribution of benefits to communities in terms of livability

FRA Rail Plan Outline

3

1

2

4

12

Chapter 6 – Coordination and Review

Describe the public and agency participation

Approach

How interested parties participated in the plan development

How their recommendations were addressed in process

How rail planning is coordinated with other state transportation planning and programs, including Section 135 of Title 23.

FRA Rail Plan Outline

13

Questions: How should overlapping freight and passenger programs and projects be considered and presented? By corridor? In a separate chapter?

What is the relationship of the rail project lists to the STIP and TIP?

Should some aspects of state rail planning be continuous?

What guidance is needed and from who? AASHTO? FRA?

State Rail Plans