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RFS' A009 " (,),° <br />Attachment 1 3 <br />RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE APPLICATION <br />BY THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <br />FOR FUNDS UNDER THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT AND <br />ANNUAL FEDERAL BUDGETARY APPROPRIATIONS TO ACCELERATE THE <br />DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTHEAST HIGH SPEED RAIL CORRIDOR <br />WHEREAS, the United States Department of Transportation designated the <br />Washington- Richmond - Raleigh- Charlotte rail corridor for future high -speed rail <br />development in 1992; and <br />WHEREAS, a system of corridors have been designated nationally by the United States <br />Department of Transportation, one being the Southeast Corridor, as the above <br />described system is known; and <br />WHEREAS, extraordinary economic and population growth in the Southeast region <br />requires a comprehensive, multi -modal transportation system; and <br />WHEREAS, high speed rail service will provide business and leisure travelers with a <br />competitive alternative to air and automobile for trips between 100 and 500 miles; and <br />WHEREAS, much existing rail right of way is already in place which could <br />accommodate improvements to passenger rail service; and <br />WHEREAS, construction of a high speed rail corridor between Washington, DC and <br />Charlotte, NC through the Triangle region will provide transportation options, ease the <br />rate of congestion growth in the corridor, improve safety and energy effectiveness, <br />improve air quality and improve transportation efficiency while minimizing impacts; and <br />WHEREAS, an adjacent multimodal trail that would be constructed in conjunction with <br />the Southeast Corridor north of Raleigh will create an additional multimodal travel <br />option; and <br />WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has been actively <br />planning for and investing in the proposed Southeast Corridor in cooperation with the <br />Virginia Department of Transportation and other partners; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />supports the application by the North Carolina Department of Transportation for funding <br />from both the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as well as from annual federal <br />budgetary appropriations in order to accelerate the planning, land acquisition and <br />construction investments needed to help make the full implementation of the Southeast <br />High Speed Rail Corridor a reality. <br />