November 30, 1998

Raleigh --- -- ---- Gov. Jim Hunt will host representatives from four Southeastern states and U.S. transportation officials in Charlotte on Tuesday to encourage development of high speed passenger rail through the Southeast.

Joining Hunt will be USDOT Secretary Rodney Slater, Federal Railroad Administrator Jolene Molitoris, Amtrak President George Warrington as well as state and federal transportation officials from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. James H. Hance, vice-chairman of Bank of America, will host the conference.

Working together, officials from the four states hope to create a regional network for high speed rail growth throughout the Southeast - extending the federally designated Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor (Washington DC, Richmond, Raleigh, Charlotte) to multiple points in South Carolina and Georgia. Combining a new extended high speed rail corridor in the Southeast with the existing Northeast corridor would establish a comprehensive "Atlantic Coast Corridor."

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has served as the lead state for high speed rail development in the southeast by coordinating feasibility and environmental studies for the current Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor. Already North Carolina has invested in conventional intercity passenger rail service, equipment, facilities, crossing safety improvements and has acquired the North Carolina Railroad Company to expand and improve rail services throughout the state.