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18 <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , these trains are frequently overbooked and cannot meet the <br />passenger demand in our area, and ridership is hampered by the poor on-time <br />performance (Crescent 68%; Cardinal 18%) on their long-distance routes, due largely to <br />interference with freight and poor infrastructure in non-Virginia portions of the route, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , in spite of these impediments the Charlottesville Amtrak station has <br />the highest ridership per scheduled weekly train of any Amtrak station in Virginia, <br />including Richmond, Newport News, Alexandria, Fredericksburg and Williamsburg, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , a Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce survey found that <br />more than 60% of area businesses regularly conduct business in DC and Northern <br />Virginia; 84% of the time they travel there by car, and more than 2/3’s (66.6%) said they <br />would use rail as an alternative if a speedy rail line were available, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , the relocation of more of the Federal Government’s national <br />security activity from the Washington area into Albemarle County, the increase in the <br />extent and national reputation of the University’s healthcare and research activities, the <br />rising cost of oil and the environmental concerns brought on by carbon based emissions, <br />have heightened the interest in alternatives to the automobile, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , recognizing Charlottesville as an underserved market, Amtrak has <br />recommended to VDRPT that steps be taken to implement new Lynchburg to <br />Washington rail service “as soon as possible” – including any capital improvements <br />needed to the existing rail line by the host railroad, and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS <br />, Amtrak reports that the addition of a second daily train can be <br />accomplished <br />easily and at a relatively low cost, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , the Route 29 passenger rail corridor is significantly under-served compared <br />to the I-95 corridor (where the State has made massive investments for rail infrastructure <br />and operations), having fewer than one-half the weekly service of Newport News and <br />one-sixth the weekly service of Richmond, and <br /> <br />WHEREAS <br /> , an application for State Rail Enhancement Funds (REF) for capital <br />investments in the corridor in support of the proposed new Amtrak passenger service has <br />been developed by Norfolk Southern Railroad and is included in the list of projects <br />recommended by VDRPT for inclusion in the State’s 2009-2014 Six Year Improvement <br />Program, <br /> <br />NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED <br /> , that the Charlottesville City Council urges <br />the VDRPT to include enhanced passenger rail service for the US29 (Piedmont) Corridor in the State <br /> Rail Plan, specifically the proposed new daily direct service between Lynchburg and <br /> Washington, DC and on to New York and Boston, as proposed by Amtrak, and <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED <br /> , that the Charlottesville City Council urges the <br /> Commonwealth Transportation Board to approve DRPT’s recommended REF funding needed <br /> for infrastructure investments to support new passenger service in the corridor, and <br /> <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED <br /> , that the Charlottesville City Council requests that <br /> DRPT identify the US29 corridor as the state’s top priority for funding new rail service <br /> according to Amtrak’s recommended Short Term Action Plan for Advancing Passenger Rail in <br />the the Commonwealth. <br /> <br />RESOLUTION <br />: APPROVING CITY MANAGER’S EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT <br /> <br /> Mr. Norris thanked the City Manager for building Council through issues, and <br />noted that the resolution authorizes a 4% salary increase. <br /> <br /> <br />