At a recent Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization Board meeting to discuss the High-Speed Rail option for Hampton Roads, Chairman Will Sessoms declared that “We are way behind” and that “We need to catch up.”

The Nor'easter flooded roads to Portsmouth Naval Hospital.

Not only are we “way behind” here in our own country, but our country is way behind both Asia and Europe in having plentiful, rapid and high-capacity passenger train service. More troubling yet is indeed our situation at the regional level. Hampton Roads lags behind most other peer-size metro areas in the U.S., both in terms of being aware of genuine high-speed rail potential, and also in planning for such. The whole subject of High-Speed Rail is today a front-burner issue for innumerable reasons, particularly environmental and safety issues. But one thing is for sure–better late than never.

High-Speed Rail (HSR), by and large, is a “clean” system. Depending on the pollutant measured, freight rail service emits six to ten times less pollution per ton-mile than comparable truck freight service. Passenger rail service will deliver similar results. The individual or total carbon footprint of HSR train service per passenger mile will be less than that produced on our multi-lane clogged Interstate highways or in our crowded skies. And, probably, less expensive as well. In light of all that, and at minimum, the advent of HSR to the densely populated mega-centers of America, will be a significant environmental achievement for our species.

Does HSR enhance “life safety and defense”? On all counts, yes.

On the life safety side, HSR becomes another means of regional evacuation. Analysts have consistently said that at present there is no sufficient way to evacuate Hampton Roads in the event of a major hurricane or other emergency situation. Committing to development of HSR will no doubt enhance the area’s perceived and actual level of safety.

When it comes to defense, our economy much depends on our shipyards and defense contractors who support our military forces–who also, when not overseas, must travel back and forth to and from D.C. and the Pentagon. In terms of national defense, few—if any—metropolitan areas across the country will benefit more from a High Speed Rail system than we will. And this will in turn, in terms of national defense and readiness, benefit the whole country. Nay, the whole free world!

One of the benchmarks to evaluating the efficacy of a HSR line between two nodes, is to evaluate the number person-trips. Can you think of a more successful route in those terms than between Washington D.C. and our own Hampton Roads, home to the country’s largest military population, the world’s largest naval base, the country’s largest master jet base, NASA-Langley, the east coast contingent of SEALS, all the large ancillary government contractors such as Moyock-based XE, not to mention the other military bases, contingents, squadrons and battalions, too many to count in this sentence?

Can you think of a better route?? I cannot.

Traffic to D.C.

The military is certainly what helps make us a unique area. Besides being unique, we are the most densely populated metropolitan statistical area (MSA) located directly on the Atlantic coast, which stretches for nearly 1000 miles. And, even though we, at 1.7 million people, may be on the smaller end of major MSAs in the country, because of that geostrategic and geopolitical weight from all of our defense capabilities, we suddenly rank much larger.

By now, everyone needs to be aware that the federal government has issued the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Rail to Hampton Roads project. The Feds are accepting Public Comments on the document until February 11, just a few weeks from now. After that, it will be much harder to change the sequence of decisions that will follow.

The EIS needs to have many revisions if it is going to best serve Hampton Roads. I have addressed life safety, environmental benefits, and defense-related merits of High Speed Rail for our region. I urge you to echo these thoughts in your own words and to add your other personal beliefs and reasons as to why quality HSR service. Go to the hearings today and tomorrow.* Send in your comments. Write.

In other words, I believe that on the long-term investment priority list, Hampton Roads should come before Tampa Bay, Duluth and Little Rock, for example. To do this, each of us must advance our own reasons for why.

To conclude, the environmental benefits of HSR may score heavily on the side of symbolism and perception, but they are also actual. And life safety and defense, by its very nature, ranks Hampton Roads to near the first of the line. In light of these alone, the benefits of adding HSR are bold-face and obvious.

The time has come to build it. Money well spent.

*A large attendance is highly encouraged at the public hearings on the EIS.
Bring a friend! Meetings begin at 5:30 p.m.
January 27 in Newport News, City Center Conference Facilities, James and Warwick Rooms, 700 Town Center Dr.
January 28 in Norfolk, Half Moone Cruise and Celebration Center, One Waterside Drive