A suit filed in federal court seeks to block CSX from improving and expanding its Virginia Avenue Tunnel in Washington, D.C.
Last June the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) D.C. District Department of Transportation (DDOT) released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed reconstruction of the tunnel, deemed a bottleneck to smooth freight movements. The lawsuit, filed by the Committee of 100 on the Federal City, claims the FEIS was flawed by "predetermination" and fails to adequately address concerns of safety and the district's historic layout.
Committee Vice President Monte Edwards told local publication dcist Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2014 that his group participated in the project's environmental review process, but "our concerns were not adequately answered."
CSX plans to improve vertical and horizontal tunnel clearances to allow double-stack container trains to travel through the District. Opponents have cited safety and health issues in opposing the infrastructure work.
The group's lawsuit alleges that the environmental review did not consider using the CSX-owned right-of-way at Shepherds Branch, which DDOT has proposed using for the city's planned streetcar system.
CSX defended the project, with a spokesman saying, "CSX is committed to doing this project the right way, safely, respecting our neighbors and working closely with residents and businesses to minimize impacts and to ensure that they are informed about construction plans. Modernizing this tunnel will help alleviate freight and passenger rail delays and stimulate economic growth by removing a significant transportation bottleneck. CSX believes the project should move forward promptly."