Virginia is vital for linking the NorthEast Mega Region and the SouthEast Mega Region through affordable high speed passenger rail which would open up more housing and employment options for Americans of all socioeconomic levels.
The present Long Bridge is located such that it is probably the worse choke point in the Northeast. None of the other choke points even come close to that ability to screw up rail movement. What if an unlikely event had a CSX freight train derail into the truss portion of the bridge? That accident could shut down the route for a month or more especially if any support columns were broken. Also, if an accident caused the bridge to burn many structures might need replacing such as what happened to UP RR on the west coast. So, why not immediately start and complete just the bridge portion to allow for detouring all traffic over the new bridge if an accident should happen on the old bridge?
Hazmat freight moves through the District of Columbia every day. Right next to critical U.S. Government facilities. That freight needs to be out on a beltway bypassing DC.
Virginia is vital for linking the NorthEast Mega Region and the SouthEast Mega Region through affordable high speed passenger rail which would open up more housing and employment options for Americans of all socioeconomic levels.
The Brightline-FEC model is best. Access to the track for maintenance and emergencies, but segregated for normal operations.
The present Long Bridge is located such that it is probably the worse choke point in the Northeast. None of the other choke points even come close to that ability to screw up rail movement. What if an unlikely event had a CSX freight train derail into the truss portion of the bridge? That accident could shut down the route for a month or more especially if any support columns were broken. Also, if an accident caused the bridge to burn many structures might need replacing such as what happened to UP RR on the west coast.
So, why not immediately start and complete just the bridge portion to allow for detouring all traffic over the new bridge if an accident should happen on the old bridge?
Hazmat freight moves through the District of Columbia every day. Right next to critical U.S. Government facilities. That freight needs to be out on a beltway bypassing DC.