ABOUT
GOVERNANCE
The governance model of the Southeast Corridor (SEC) was established to develop and deploy a cohesive high-performance rail network. The structure uses a three-tiered approach, employing the Commission, Technical Committee, and Compact to manage and progress activities to support a common vision.
THE COMMISSION
In 1992, the United States Department of Transportation designated the SEC as one of the five Federally designated rail corridors in the United States. In 2019, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) received a grant from Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) on behalf of the partnering states for $1M to establish the Commission.
The Commission had its inaugural meeting in mid-November of 2019 and meets quarterly. It consists of executive level members from the Departments of Transportation in D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida.
The activities of the Commission include developing a Southeast Regional Rail Plan, reporting on the economic benefits of rail along the corridor, and creating an implementation plan. The Commission is also responsible for pursuing funding for corridor acquisition and capital improvements and ensuring the programs and initiatives benefit the public and work toward achieving regional and national transportation goals.
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
The Technical Committee consists of a multi-disciplined team of professionals from each state within the SEC boundaries who specialize in rail or multimodal transportation program development and implementation. This team meets monthly and is responsible for strategically progressing tasks such as right-of-way appraisals and negotiations, corridor planning, strategic agreement development, stakeholder coordination, and public communications.
VA-NC INTERSTATE HIGH-SPEED RAIL COMPACT
The VA-NC Interstate High-speed Rail Compact was established in 2004 in accordance with 49 U.S. Code § 24101. It is a legislative entity populated by five Virginia Legislators and four North Carolina legislators plus an appointee by the North Carolina Governor. The Compact meets biannually to develop and promote plans to finance, design, construct, and operate an interstate rail service through Virginia and North Carolina. The Compact is authorized to advocate, receive, and manage federal funding for rail development that advances the SEC network.
