The Virginian-Pilot reported on a recent meeting in Norfolk concerning high-speed rail coming to Hampton Roads. The pressure is on for area business leaders and residents to start voicing their support for rail service as the state highway department has a shrinking revenue and growing maintenance needs that will prevent improvements to area highways.

Rail is a great solution to this problem, especially high-speed rail which is quick, affordable to passengers and cost-efficient. The federal government is giving away funds to help areas like Hampton Roads improve transportation. Currently Virginia has submitted applications to receive part of the money and is competing with areas in North Carolina to receive the Southeast's portion of the federal money.

Rail is going to happen across the country. Now it is up to business leaders and residents to speak up to ensure it comes to Hampton Roads.

"Business and community leaders need to start lobbying now for higher-speed trains to South Hampton Roads, a rail advocate told a gathering of the Downtown Norfolk Council on Wednesday.

Although a state study on passenger service will not be released for several weeks, businessman Brad Face, a founder and co-chairman of Virginians for High Speed Rail, said, 'I'd immediately start making noise.'

The political momentum for expanding fast trains out of Washington is focused south through Richmond and Petersburg then on to North Carolina.

It's not on bringing it to Hampton Roads 'because we haven't gotten our act together in Virginia,' Face said.

'We have to redirect the political momentum,' he said.

The federally designated Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor includes both North Carolina and Hampton Roads links.

The Obama administration has set aside more than $8 billion in federal stimulus money to start building a national high-speed train network and has proposed another $5 billion over five years.

Virginia has applied for stimulus money for the Washington-to-Petersburg link. The state is also requesting money in a second round of federal funding for a Hampton Roads connection."

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