Document ID: FRA-2009-0031-0015
Agency: fra
Document Type: Rule
Title: High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail Program
Posted Date: 2010-04-01T04:00Z

[Federal Register: April 1, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 62)]
[Notices]               
[Page 16562-16564]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01ap10-139]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

 
High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of solicitation for proposals for Federally-led multi-
state passenger rail corridor planning demonstration projects.

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SUMMARY: On January 28, 2010, President Obama announced the first grant 
awards for the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program. The 
Department of Transportation Appropriations Act of 2010 (FY 2010 DOT 
Appropriations Act) allocated an additional $2.5 billion for the HSIPR 
Program, of which up to $50 million can be used for planning 
activities. The appropriations act permits the Secretary of 
Transportation to retain a portion of this planning funding to 
facilitate, at the Federal level, the preparation of planning documents 
for high-speed rail corridors that cross multiple States. This is a 
solicitation for proposals from groups of States that wish to be 
considered for this innovative approach to planning multi-state 
passenger rail corridors.
    Concurrent with this solicitation, FRA has issued a notice of 
funding availability (NOFA) for the FY 2010 planning funds, also 
published in this edition of the Federal Register.

DATES: Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. EST, May 19, 2010 and 
must be submitted via e-mail to HSIPR@dot.gov. The form for these 
proposals can be found at http://www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/2243.shtml.
    Materials that cannot be submitted electronically may be mailed or 
hand delivered to: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., MS-20, Room W38-302, 
Washington, DC, 20590 Attn. HSIPR Program. States are encouraged to use 
special courier services to avoid shipping delays. Materials must be 
post-marked by May 19, 2010 to be eligible for consideration.
    Overview: FRA is seeking proposals from groups of States interested 
in participating in a FRA-led demonstration project that could provide 
a future model for Federal collaboration with States on complex, multi-
state corridor planning efforts. The planning project would be 
identified by the States, but funded and managed by FRA in close 
coordination with the States and other stakeholders.
    Proposals are sought for projects that would result in a 
``passenger rail corridor investment plan.'' A passenger rail corridor 
investment plan provides the comprehensive information necessary to 
support a decision to proceed with funding and implementation of a 
major investment in a passenger rail corridor. Feasibility studies 
alone would not satisfy this requirement.
    Passenger rail corridor investment plans include both a service 
development plan (SDP) and corridor-wide environmental documentation. 
Groups of states submitting proposals should identify whether they are 
proposing that FRA lead the development of both documents, a stand-
alone SDP, or corridor-wide environmental document.

Service Development Plan

    Service Development Plans (SDPs) should support future corridor 
development and must include the following elements:
     Corridor Development Program Rationale--Description of the 
corridor's transportation challenges and opportunities, based on 
current and forecasted travel demand and capacity conditions, 
demonstrating how the proposed project/program would cost-effectively 
address transportation and other needs. Development of the program 
rationale should consider multimodal system alternatives (highway, air, 
other, as applicable), including a qualitative and quantitative 
assessments of the costs, benefits and impacts and risks of the 
alternatives. Program rationale may also explore synergies between the 
proposed service

[[Page 16563]]

and large-scale goals and development plans within its service region 
and communities.
     Service Plan--Detail on the train service alternatives to 
be provided for each phase of new or improved HSIPR service, including: 
the service frequency, timetable (including time-distance 
``stringline'' diagrams), general station locations, intermodal 
connections, and train consists. The Service Plan will rely on or 
include operational analyses, including, where appropriate, railroad 
operation simulations and equipment and crew scheduling analyses, which 
in turn reflect such variables as travel demand and rolling stock 
configuration. The planning horizon should be consistent with the 
anticipated useful lives of the improvements to be introduced. If the 
proposed service makes use of facilities that would be shared with 
freight, commuter rail, or other intercity passenger rail services, the 
planning study should consider the existing and future characteristics 
of those services, as developed cooperatively with freight, commuter, 
and intercity passenger rail partners.
     Capital Investment Needs Assessment--Identification of 
infrastructure, rolling stock and facilities improvements for each 
discrete phase of new or improved service implementation, including any 
sequence or prioritization. The plan will include cost estimates for 
specific capital investments needed to achieve and sustain the service 
plan.
     Financial Forecast--Operating financial projections for 
each phase of the planned service, with documentation of the methods, 
assumptions and outputs of the following: travel demand forecasts, 
projected revenue, and operating expenses, including maintenance of 
way, maintenance of equipment, transportation (train movement), 
passenger traffic and services (marketing, ticketing, station, and on-
board services), and general/administrative expenses. Cost-sharing 
arrangements with infrastructure owners and rail operators should also 
be included.
     Public Benefits Assessment--Description of user and non-
user benefits and, to the extent readily quantifiable, the estimated 
economic value of those benefits, with particular attention to job 
creation and retention, ``green'' environmental outcomes, potential 
energy savings, and effects on community livability.
     Program Management Approach--A phased program 
implementation strategy including a preliminary description of the 
intended techniques of project management that will assure quality, 
cost, and budget control; and the financing and organizational plans 
for carrying out the proposed strategy.

Corridor-Wide Environmental Documents

    Environmental documentation funded through this solicitation must 
satisfy Service NEPA requirements. FRA has defined Service NEPA as at 
least a programmatic/Tier 1 environmental review (using tiered reviews 
and documents), or a project environmental review, that also addresses 
broader questions and likely environmental effects for the entire 
corridor relating to the type of service(s) being proposed, including 
cities and stations served, route alternatives, service levels, types 
of operations (speed, electric, or diesel powered), ridership 
projections, and major infrastructure components. Simple corridor 
programs are often best addressed with project NEPA documentation, 
while more complex corridor programs may need a tiering approach. FRA 
is responsible for establishing the scope of the environmental review, 
including the use of tiering or use of project NEPA documentation.
    Proposal Form: The proposal form should be downloaded from: http://
www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/2243.shtml. The form has been developed by FRA to 
capture pertinent qualitative and quantitative information that is 
needed to confirm project eligibility, as well as information FRA needs 
for consideration of proposals. States should provide as much 
information as possible about the proposed planning activities. FRA 
would finalize a project's goals, scope, schedule, and budget and carry 
out the project in coordination with the group of States.
    Decision Process: FRA will be making decisions regarding FRA-funded 
activities considering the narrative responses provided in the 
proposals received from States on the following topics:
    1. Potential Transportation and Public Benefits: Proposals should 
describe the underlying corridor program that will be the subject of 
the planning activities, including such factors as:
     The clarity and detail with which the States have 
identified the problem to be addressed by the proposed service;
     The market potential of the corridor being studied, taking 
into consideration such factors as population, density, economic 
activity, and travel patterns;
     The potential for the corridor to deliver high-speed and 
intercity passenger rail service benefits, including ridership, on-time 
performance, travel time, service frequencies, safety and other 
factors;
     The potential of the corridor program to promote economic 
development, including contributions to a sustainable U.S. 
manufacturing and supply base;
     The potential of the corridor program to enhance energy 
efficiency and environmental quality;
     The potential of the corridor program to promote 
interconnected livable communities, including complementing local or 
state efforts to concentrate higher-density, mixed-use, development in 
areas proximate to multi-modal transportation options (including 
intercity passenger rail stations); and
     The consideration of other transportation modes in the 
planning process.
    2. Future Program Viability and Sustainability: The proposal should 
explain how the planning activities would lead to a long-term, viable 
high-speed rail corridor program:
     The likelihood that the final deliverables (Service 
Development Plan, Environmental Document, or State Rail Plan) will be 
ready and capable of being implemented;
     The demonstrated commitment of the State and other 
stakeholders to quickly execute the program once planning is complete;
     The degree to which the planning process meaningfully 
incorporates input from affected communities, local governments, 
regional councils and planning organizations, neighboring States, 
railroads, transportation modal partners, environmental interests, the 
public and other stakeholders--early and throughout the process;
     The likelihood that the corridor programs being studied 
can yield measurable service and public benefits in a reasonable period 
of time;
     The demonstrated ability of the States to support the 
future capital and operating needs of the corridor being studied;
     The thoroughness of the proposed deliverables;
     The quality of proposed methodology and assumptions; and
    3. Project Management Proposal: Describe the proposed method for 
managing the project, including a description of the shared 
responsibilities between the FRA and the States, and the relationships 
and means of coordination among the participating States, service 
operators, and host railroads. This section should detail the mechanism 
by which States

[[Page 16564]]

will coordinate their views during the project.
    4. Justification Statement: Identify the rationale for Federal 
leadership on the planning project, such as specific institutional 
barriers or operational complexities. Conditions that may call for a 
Federal leadership role include multi-state and multi-jurisdictional 
complexity and/or operational complexity involving multiple operating 
entities and/or divided property ownership and rights. Additionally, 
proposals should provide a narrative on how the proposed project could 
serve as a demonstration project and national model for future FRA-
managed, multi-State planning projects.
    Submission Package: States interested in providing proposals must 
submit the following documents to HSIPR@dot.gov no later than 5 p.m. 
EST, May 19, 2010.
     Required--One Application Form provided at http://
www.fra.dot.gov/Pages/2243.shtml.
     Required--Letter(s) signed by all the chief executives of 
State transportation departments or agencies that will be part of the 
project, stating their commitment to participate.
     Optional--Letter(s) from other stakeholders or interested 
parties.
     Optional--Other supporting documents that the applicant 
believes would assist FRA in understanding the proposal (including, but 
not limited to, maps or previous planning documents).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding this 
notice, please contact the FRA HSIPR Program Manager via e-mail at 
HSIPR@dot.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 29, 2010.
Karen Rae,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2010-7338 Filed 3-31-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-06-P