20-08-2012, 04:10 PM
Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Draft Environmental.pdf (Size: 1.25 MB / Downloads: 45)
What Is Maglev?
Maglev is short for "magnetic levitation" and has become the common name for a completely new mode
of transportation unknown to most Americans. While most trains in the United States run on wheels and
tracks and seldom sustain speeds of 129 kilometers per hour (km/h) (80 miles per hour (mph)) or more,
a Maglev train is operated by non-contact electromagnetic systems that actually lift, guide, and propel
the vehicle forward on a special guideway at speeds up to 500 km/h (310 mph).
Maglev technology has been researched since the 1960s, but only in the last 20 years have passengercarrying
prototypes been built and tested. National governments, including the United States, are
seriously looking at Maglev as a new, convenient, safe, and fast means of travel in the 21st century.
China is scheduled to begin revenue service in early 2004 on the world’s first commercial Maglev
system, a connector to the Shanghai airport. The final testing and commissioning of this 415 km/h (258
mph) system is receiving international attention. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), a part of
the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), is taking the lead to bring Maglev to the
United States through implementation of the Maglev Deployment Program authorized in the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA 21).
What Is This Document?
MTA produced this Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Section 4(f) Evaluation on
behalf of, and in cooperation with, the FRA. The DEIS consists of two volumes. Volume I contains
traditional environmental impact statement content such as Purpose and Need, Alternatives Assessment,
Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences, and the Section 4(f) Evaluation, while
Volume II functions as an engineering appendix for detailed reference.
Does the Project Propose a Maglev Station at the Capital Beltway?
A Maglev station near the Capital Beltway (I-495) in New Carrollton, Maryland is not part of the Build
Alternative presented in this DEIS. However, the alignment and system specific details have been
designed to allow for that possibility, should the eventual system owner require or desire to expand with
a fourth station. The study team concluded that as long as there was some possibility that a future New
Carrollton station could be added to the project, it was prudent to provide the engineering allowances at
this time. This avoids the risk of major engineering rework or even cost-prohibitive reconstruction due
to the precise requirements for guideway geometry (e.g., height above or below the ground, sharpness of
the curves, etc.) and the propulsion and power system needed for the addition of a fourth station.
A supplemental environmental document and Section 4(f) evaluation, if required, with additional public
and agency involvement would be conducted if a fourth station at New Carrollton is ever introduced to
the project.
What Else Should I Know Before Reading This Document?
MTA prepared this document by following the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and
Maryland’s Streamlined Environmental and Regulatory Process for Transportation Projects. This
process is intended to achieve the timely and efficient identification, evaluation, and resolution of
environmental and regulatory issues, and incorporates the streamlining provisions of the TEA 21.
As per the streamlined process guidelines, the Purpose and Need (Chapter 1) and Alternatives
Assessment (Chapter 2) have been thoroughly reviewed, commented upon, and concurred with by the
appropriate local, state, and federal agencies. Minor editorial changes have occurred within Chapters 1
and 2 to improve the overall readability of this DEIS; however, the conclusions and technical material
remain unmodified since the agency reviews of early- and mid-2002.