New York State has one of the most comprehensive and intensively-used passenger and freight transportation systems in the nation. It provides energy-efficient mobility for passengers and contributes to the economic vitality of the state and the nation. New York State’s Vision for High Speed Rail is to enhance the passenger and freight rail operations in order to:

• Divert traffic from less energy efficient modes

• Improve connectivity among State’s cities and regions

• Increase ridership by:

o Improving On-Time Performance

o Reducing Travel Time

o Increasing Service Frequency

o Improving Stations and Passenger Amenities

The 463 mile Empire Corri-dor stretches from Niagara Falls to New York City. The Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is examining and evaluating potential projects and service improvements in line with this vision.

The sustainability of our local, state and national economy is dependent upon a diversity of transportation options. For high speed intercity passen-ger rail (HSIPR) to be competitive with other modes, the following must be accomplished:

• Increase Service Frequency

o Currently, there are only 4 round trips between Albany and Buffalo per day

• Improve On-Time Performance

o Currently, on-time performance is only 77% on average, and only 64% from Buffalo/Niagara Falls to Albany

o Provide travel times that are Comparable with other modes

o Current travel time between Albany and Buffalo is 5 hours and 15 minutes and is not competitive with other travel modes

High Speed Rail Empire Corridor Project

New York State’s High Speed Rail Vision

Scoping OutreachSuccessful

- Project website visited by more than 4,000 unique visitors

- Approximately 700 people attended the Scoping meetings

- 90% view project favorably

Rochester Public Scoping Meeting

Albany Public Scoping Meeting

Nature of Comments

I s s u e 0 2

S p r i n g 2 0 1 1

IncreaseRidership

ImproveOn-Time

Performance

ReduceTravel Time

ImproveStations & Amenities

IncreaseService

Frequency

Supportive

Neutral

Concerned

Continued on page 3

10%20%

70%

The success of high speed rail is determined to a large extent by the presence of sev-eral market qualities as illustrated below. The Empire Corridor contains several of the market qualities and indicators for successful implementation of high speed rail.

What is High Speed Rail?

There are various definitions of high speed rail in the U.S., but most experts agree that high speed rail (HSR) consists of passenger trips between 100 and 500 miles. A recent announcement from the Obama Administration refined the FRA definition for High Speed Rail as: Emerging (up to 90 mph), Regional (90 - 125 mph), and Core Express (125 - 250 mph).

Market Qualities of Successful High Speed Rail

2

Emerging Regional Core ExpressRoutes: Major pop. centers up to 500 miles apartService: FrequentSpeed: 125 to 250+ mphTrack: Electrified/Dedicated Purpose: Connect large urban areas

Routes: Major/medium cities up to 500 miles apartService: Relatively frequent Speed: 90 to 125 mphTrack: Shared/DedicatedPurpose: Connect mid-sized urban areas

Routes: 100-500 milesService: Relatively frequentSpeed: Up to 90 mphTrack: SharedPurpose: Connect smaller communities

50 190

70 170

90 150110 130

50 190

70 170

90 150110 130

50 190

70 170

90 150110 130

Presence ofMega Cities

Distance: Competitiveness of HSIPR is maximized at distances of 100 - 500 miles.

Peak effectiveness at 200 - 300 miles.

Location withinMega Region

TransitConnections

EconomicProductivity

Highway andAir Congestion

Initial Market Study Findings

A market analysis and ridership forecast were conducted to model travel market conditions and ridership along the cor-ridor. The model produced a preliminary forecast for initial dedicated third track scenarios for maximum authorized speeds of 79, 90, and 110 mph. These preliminary forecasts will be used as a basis for devel-oping the alternatives considered for the Empire Corridor. The preliminary findings from the market analysis and ridership forecast are promising and indicate that a market clearly exists for enhanced passen-ger rail service on the Empire Corridor.

• Links the Northeast and Great Lakes Mega regions and is anchored by a Mega City (NYC)

• Size of cities in corridor well suited for high speed rail

• Length of corridor segments, West & South, are within ideal high speed rail corridor distances (200-300 miles apart)

• Rail service can draw ridership from congested regional air market

• Existing corridor geometry and operations complicates achieving higher rail speeds

• Car-dominated infrastructure and habits

• Segregated and sprawled land uses

• Lack of supporting transit linkages to train stations

Schedule

3

Sample Comments

“Please maintain competitiveness

with airlines or driving cost.”

“...the study should investigate

ensuring good connections between

potential HSR lines and local transit

as this will help increase access to

HSR and thus its potential market

share.”

“I hope New York State will lead the

way to improved travel options with

less negative environmental impacts

and greater economic benefits.”

Comment Categories

Continued from page 1

General

Alternatives

Regional Connection

Stations

Operations

Other

31%

9%13%

12% 10%

25%

EmpireCorridorStrengths

EmpireCorridorBarriers

Prepare Draft EIS Summer — 2011

Distribute Draft EIS — Fall 2011

Distribute Final EIS — Spring 2012

Record of DecisionSummer 2012

Public Hearings — Fall 2011

Elements of Alternatives Being Considered

The alternatives being considered under the Tier 1 EIS will be comprised of various components. Some of these will be criteria that will define the alternative, while others will be outputs of the alternative to measure effectiveness. The following components are being considered, analyzed, and defined for the range of alternatives:

• Physical Improvements (track, signals, stations, yards, etc.)

• Operational Improvements (frequency, maximum authorized speed, trip time, on-time performance, etc.)

• Equipment (new train sets)

• Ridership (revenues)

• Estimated Capital Costs / Operation & Maintenance Costs

4

News Reports Available:

- Public Involvement Plan/ Coordina-tion Plan

- Environmental Methodologies

Available at: www.nysdot.gov/Empire-Corridor/reports

Recent Activities:

Second EPAC meeting held at NYSDOT

Main Office on March 21st, 2011 from

1:30 to 4:30pm

- Presented project progress and preliminary findings

- Gathered input from EPAC members and addressed questions & com-ments

- Approximately thirty EPAC members participated in the meeting

Keep In Touch

Visit the Project Website: www.nysdot.

gov/Empire-Corridor

Send a Comment:

EmpireCorridor@dot.state.ny.us

Keep in touch with your local Empire

Corridor Project Advisory Committee

(EPAC) member. For a list of agencies

on the EPAC, visit: www.nysdot.gov/

Empire-Corridor/outreach

Partners/Public

Involvement

EnvironmentalConsiderations

OperationsAnalysis

Market &RidershipAnalysis

PhysicalImprovements/

Engineering