Southeast Rail Plan
Southeast Regional Rail Plan
The Southeast Regional Rail Plan proposes a vision for a regional passenger-rail network.
The plan identifies core elements and steadily builds out that core with new segments and upgrades to existing lines. From the pivot point of Atlanta, three high-speed lines would radiate out and link the region, with lines to Tampa Bay (via Jacksonville and Orlando); to Nashville; and to Washington D.C. (via Charlotte and Raleigh). Ultimately, Atlanta would also be a key hub in a national network, with routes to New York, Chicago, Miami, and New Orleans.
Impact: A network of high-speed trains in the Southeast would be transformative on three levels. It would connect some of the fastest-growing areas of the country. Growth in the Nashville-Atlanta corridor is roughly three times the national average, for example. By linking the Southeast network to the Northeast corridor in Washington, D.C., it would also create a network of fast trains all the way from New York to Atlanta/Miami. And it would incentivize investments in railroad infrastructure in small and mid-sized communities across the region.
Challenge: Building a regional network requires close cooperation among policymakers in the relevant states. A federal-level plan could break down barriers to cooperation by giving states a path forward and a vision of how they would benefit.
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