According to the Daily Press, the Commonwealth Transportation Board has approved a plan to bring high-speed rail to South Hampton Roads and enhance existing passenger rail on the Peninsula. The vote gives final state approval to the proposal endorsed by the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization, which sets transportation goals for the region. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation will now apply for federal funding for the rail line, which would bring trains from South Hampton Roads to Richmond at speeds of up to 90 mph. Regular passenger rail service via Amtrak on the Peninsula averages around 79 mph. The goal is to ultimately build a system that will allow quick travel from the region to Washington, D.C., without changing trains.

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