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Georgia DOT Chooses Consultant for Passenger Rail Program; Summary of Topics Discussed by Transportation Board Intermodal Committee

20 August 1999

Georgia DOT Chooses Consultant for Passenger Rail Program; Summary of Topics Discussed by Transportation Board Intermodal Committee

    ATLANTA, Aug. 19 -- Georgia Rail Consultants, a joint venture
of SYSTRA Consulting, Parsons Brinckerhoff, and Moreland Altobelli Associates,
has been selected to further study the implementation of passenger rail
service in Georgia.
    Georgia DOT's Planning and Programming Director Paul Mullins told members
of the State Transportation Board's Intermodal Committee Wednesday that the
consultant will study the next increment of work toward the implementation of
commuter and intercity passenger rail service from Atlanta to Macon, to
Athens, to Canton and to Cartersville.  The consultant will also study the
impact of a passenger rail system on the freight rail movements in the metro
Atlanta area.
    Mullins also said the Georgia DOT has received a $250,000 matching federal
grant to develop an improvement plan for railroad crossings in the two high
speed rail corridors in Georgia. One corridor will provide service between
Washington, D.C. through Atlanta to Macon and the other will go from
Spartanburg, South Carolina, through Savannah, to Jacksonville. The original
grant application was for $400,000 and Mullins said additional funding sources
are being identified.
    A partnership of transportation agencies in Georgia, South Carolina, North
Carolina and Virginia produced a Southeast High Speed Rail Corridors brochure.
The plan produced by the participating states was distributed to committee
members and Mullins added that the group has provided a website at
http://www.sehsr.org .
    The committee was also briefed on the status of the Atlanta Regional
Commission's study of the Marietta to Lawrenceville rail corridor and the
Maglev Technology Deployment Program. Mullins also said Georgia DOT staff has
begun meetings with the Georgia Rail Passenger Authority and the Georgia
Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) to discuss GRTA's role in the
passenger rail program. Mullins added that no final action will be taken on
the Intermodal Program until comments are received from the Governor's Office.
    Committee members present included Chair Emory McClinton, Johnny Gresham,
Steve Reynolds, William Hasty and Brad Hubbert. Other State Transportation
Board members present were W.P. "Billy" Langdale, Jimmy Lester and Tom
Triplett.