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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: March 2, 2010 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. <br />SUBJECT: Letter Supportin Continued Federal Fundin for Southeast Hi h Speed Rail <br />DEPARTMENT: Planning and Inspections PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />1. Letter of Support Karen Lincoln, 245-2594 <br />2. List of Federal and State Officials Craig Benedict, 245-2592 <br />PURPOSE: To consider authorizing the Chair to sign a letter supporting continued Federal <br />funding through annual budgetary appropriations to accelerate the Southeast High Speed Rail <br />corridor south of Washington, DC. <br />BACKGROUND: The Federal Rail Administration, on January 28, 2010, awarded North <br />Carolina $545 million dollars for improvements for the Charlotte-Raleigh-Richmond-Washington <br />D.C. corridor. The funding will be used primarily to increase speed (up to 90 miles per hour) <br />and frequencies (4 frequencies per day) on the Raleigh to Charlotte passenger rail service. The <br />State intends to continue to pursue grants for additional improvements in this corridor, such as <br />improvements in Orange County associated with a planned 5th frequency of the passenger rail <br />service between Raleigh and Charlotte. <br />The draft letter (Attachment 1) thanks President Barack Obama for support of high speed rail <br />and North Carolina's $545 million allocation of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds, <br />and requests the federal government's continued support for high speed rail with annual <br />budgetary appropriations. The attached list of addressees (Attachment 2) includes the <br />Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation, North Carolina Department of <br />Transportation officials, U.S. Senators representing North Carolina, Congressmen representing <br />the Triangle region of North Carolina, and North Carolina Congressmen serving on the <br />Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact to the County with this action item. <br />RECOMMENDATION (S): The Manager recommends the Board authorize the Chair to sign the <br />letter supporting continued federal funding for high speed rail to accelerate the Southeast High <br />Speed Rail corridor south of Washington, DC. <br />