ATLANTA — Federal and state officials are studying six possible routes for a high-speed rail line connecting Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.
Exactly where the lines would terminate in both cities, however, is subject to debate.
In Atlanta, officials are looking for the line to connect with the proposed Georgia Multi Modal Passenger Terminal and/or Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Meanwhile, in Charlotte, officials want the line to connect Charlotte Gateway Station and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.
A separate high speed rail line between Washington and Charlotte is currently under development. If all goes according to plan, the Atlanta-to-Charlotte line could conceivably connect with the Charlotte-to-Washington line to ultimately make an Atlanta-to-Washington high speed corridor.
While most of the six lines officials are studying would use existing rail corridors, one would follow Interstates 20 and 77. Another of the proposed routes — the so-called Greenfield Corridor — would be a newly constructed, grade-separated corridor.
The Federal Railroad Administration and the Georgia Department of Transportation are paying for the $4.88 million study.