NEW YORK CITY-Policies supporting the construction of high-speed rail are getting back on track—and gaining speed on the federal level. On July 9, Amtrak released a visioning plan for the Northeast corridor outlining its long-term plan to accommodate more trains operating at faster speeds with significantly reduced trip-times and improved service reliability while also developing the next generation of high-speed rail – reaching speeds of 220 mph – between four major hubs: Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, DC.

The study –marking the third update in the conceptual development and planning process for the Northeast “megaregion” – provides input for a new environmental analysis and master plan initiative led by the Federal Railroad Administration. Under the new proposal, travel times would shrink to 37 minutes from New York to Philadelphia, and 94 minutes from New York to Washington, DC—giving riders the opportunity to increase face-to-face time, efficiency and encourage economic development across the region.

“It is meeting a need for fast, frequent transportation between the major economic centers of the Northeast,” Petra Todorovich, director of America 2050 at the Regional Plan Association, tells GlobeSt.com. “Every city in the corridor would be within an hour-and-a-half of New York City. It changes the relationship between these places. They become accessible. You could go and have a meeting in one city in the morning and be back by lunchtime. It basically encourages more frequent, face-to-face communication, collaboration and innovation in the knowledge sector of the Northeast economy.”