1. Program Update Baltimore MPO November 25, 2014

2. 2 Internal Draft AGENDA  Program Overview  Alternatives Development  Stakeholder and Public Outreach  Key Milestones

3. 3 Internal Draft  Initiated in 2012 by Federal Railroad Administration  Focus on improving passenger rail service between Washington, D.C. and Boston  Long term vision with incremental approach  Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Service Development Plan NEC FUTURE: A Rail Investment Program Program Overview

4. 4 Internal Draft  Aging infrastructure  Lack of capacity to accommodate transportation needs of projected 2040 population growth – particularly access to downtown business centers of major NEC cities  Compromised performance/reliability  Need for greater connectivity between NEC markets to meet changing demographics and regional growth patterns What Drives Need For NEC Improvements? Program Overview

5. 5 Internal Draft  Defined vision by key stakeholders of the role of rail in the coming decades ›Rail plays a very important role today. ›Rail can play the same or a different role in the future  Rail can grow to absorb organic growth in travel, maintaining existing mode share (assumes others modes can similarly absorb organic growth)  Rail can absorb more than organic growth, reducing need to expand road access to urban centers and expansion of regional airports  Platform for the NEC Commission, states, and railroads to advance planning and implementation of the vision What Are the Outcomes? Program Overview

6. 6 Internal Draft 2012201320142015 Tier 1 Final EIS (Tier 1 FEIS) Purpose & Need Data Collection Scoping Service Development Plan We are here Program Overview Develop Alternatives Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Tier 1 DEIS) 2016 Record of Decision (ROD)

7. 7 Internal Draft Alternatives Development

8. 8 Internal Draft Narrowing the Alternatives Alternatives Development INITIAL ALTERNATIVES 98 Alternatives PRELIMINARY ALTERNATIVES 4 Program Levels; 15 Alternatives TIER 1 EIS ALTERNATIVES PREFERRED INVESTMENT PROGRAM

9. 9 Internal Draft  Assumes NEC remains operational at today’s service levels ›No change in rail service or markets, but increased congestion and weaker performance ›Requires investment at levels higher than today  Results in a smaller share of the future travel market  Includes: ›Fiscally constrained modal plans ›Rail improvements already funded or mandated ›State of good repair investments sufficient to maintain operations ›Highway and transit improvements included in TIP/STIP ›Planned airport/air system improvements No-Action Alternative Alternatives Development

10. 10 Internal Draft  All Alternatives – ›Achieve state of good repair ›Significantly expand the range of service offerings to meet market demands ›Incorporate operational ‘best practices’ consistent with integrated service and infrastructure planning ›Protect freight access and future expansion of service  Difference between alternatives – ›Proportion of market captured by rail ›Frequency and types of service ›Markets served ›Infrastructure required to support service levels Tier 1 EIS Alternatives Alternatives Development

11. 11 Internal Draft Alternative 1 – Maintain the role of rail relative to other modes (accommodates growth in travel and achieves a similar share of the travel market in 2040 as rail does today) Alternative 2 – Grow the role of rail relative to other modes (increases the share of the existing travel market accommodated by rail) Alternative 3 – Transform the role of rail by becoming the mode of choice for intercity and regional trips along the NEC Defining the role of Rail Alternatives Development: Tier 1 EIS Alternatives

12. 12 Internal Draft  Expands service to meet regional rail demand and a moderate expansion of intercity service  Eliminates key chokepoints ›Hudson River tracks 3 and 4 ›Old Saybrook-Kenyon route  Adds trackage between New Carrolton and Wilmington to accommodate growth in MARC and Amtrak service;  Benefits freight rail service Alternative 1 – Maintain Role of Rail Alternatives Development: Tier 1 EIS Alternatives

13. 13 Internal Draft  Significant increase in service on the existing NEC and to new markets to accommodate growth beyond “maintain”  Provides: ›Hudson River tracks 3 and 4; East River tracks 5 and 6 ›New Haven-Hartford-Providence route to serve Hartford and improve intercity trip time ›Additional tracks in Central NJ and Southwest Connecticut Alternative 2 – Grow the Role of Rail Alternatives Development: Tier 1 EIS Alternatives

14. 14 Internal Draft  Delivers capacity well beyond projected regional rail demand  Provides new 2-track second spine between WAS-BOS supporting HSR express trains at up to 220 mph  Includes additional downtown Baltimore station  North of New York route options to be tested in Tier 1 DEIS: ›New York-Hartford:  Via Long Island and New Haven  Via Danbury ›Hartford-Boston:  Via Worcester  Via Providence  Ridership, trip time, capital cost, and connectivity to be key criteria in selecting best route option Alternative 3 – Transform the Role of Rail Alternatives Development: Tier 1 EIS Alternatives

15. 15 Internal Draft Alternatives Development: Tier 1 EIS Alternatives

16. 16 Internal Draft Stakeholder Engagement Next Steps

17. 17 Internal Draft  Stakeholder coordination ›States, railroad operators, and NEC Commission ›Metropolitan planning organizations  Agency coordination ›Federal Transit Administration ›Environmental resource agencies  Public outreach ›State-by-state meetings and regional workshops ›Rail station outreach ›Presentations to interest groups ›Website, newsletters, and email alerts Proactive Stakeholder Outreach Stakeholder Engagement

18. 18 Internal Draft Economic Development Workshop – What We Heard in Baltimore  Speed is important ›Baltimore is on the cusp of being the area where people can travel easily to D.C.  Increasing connections to the north invites businesses to Baltimore  Improved travel times and connectivity to Wilmington could expand office regions to Baltimore-Wilmington-Philadelphia  New York is an important connection  Baltimore would be more attractive to businesses if it were better connected Stakeholder Engagement

19. 19 Internal Draft  September-December 2014 ›Service plan and infrastructure refinement ›Data: ridership, travel time, capital and O&M costs ›Economic development workshops ›Public open houses ›Environmental assessment of Tier 1 EIS Alternatives  Jan-April 2015 ›Implementation phasing plans ›Continuing environmental assessment of Tier 1 EIS Alternatives ›Development of Tier 1 EIS Technical Work Program Next Steps

20. 20 Internal Draft  December 2014: Complete data generation  Fall 2015: Release Tier 1 DEIS  Summer 2016: Release Tier 1 FEIS  Fall 2016: Complete the Service Development Plan Key Milestones Next Steps