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.

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 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.

The Preferred Alternative: a Vision for 

Growth on the Northeast Corridor Why Grow the NEC?

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.

Service Types Included

INTERCITY: passenger rail service between metropolitan 

areas, including Intercity-Express, Intercity-Corridor, and 

long distance services

REGIONAL RAIL: passenger rail 

service within a metropolitan area

METROPOLITAN: a new type of Intercity service that 

operates with high performance equipment, stops at a mix of 

Intercity and Regional rail stations, and offers lower fares

INTERCITY-EXPRESS: premium Intercity service that 

makes limited stops and offers the shortest travel times

A Long-Term 

Vision is Needed

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 

 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 

Connectivity Resiliency Aging 

Infrastructure Sustainability Economic 

Growth Capacity Performance

PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE MEETS KEY NEEDS:

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.
WV MD

VA

NJ

NJ

NY

PA

CT

DE

MA

VT

NH

ME

RI Providence

Bridgeport

Stamford

Newark

Trenton

Wilmington

Harrisburg

Baltimore

New Haven

Hartford

Springfield

Albany

Richmond

Worcester

New London

Philadelphia Int’l Airport

Boston

Washington, D.C.

New York

Philadelphia

Hudson River

East River

Tracks in Tunnel

Existing New

REPRESENTATIVE IMPROVEMENTS * :

EXISTING:

Study Area

Connecting Corridor

National Passenger Rail Network 

Rail Station (not all shown)

Upgraded Track

Improved NEC

Chokepoint Relief Project

Related Project

Potential New Station

New Track

New Segment* *

New London/Mystic

* 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.

Preferred

Alternative

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:

 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

Better Service for Passengers 

MORE RELIABLE, FREQUENT TRAINS:

 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)

 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

 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
In the coming months, the FRA will complete the NEC FUTURE planning process and move toward 

implementation. The next steps include:

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. 

The Preferred Alternative would: 

STRENGTHEN ECONOMIES WITH:

 Expanded access to jobs and skilled workers

 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

Benefits for Cities and Communities Next Steps

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.

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. 

A MORE RESILIENT NEC 

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.
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