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09.04.2013 News

Williams Mullen Partner Randolph H. Lickey Appointed to Virginia-North Carolina Interstate High Speed Rail Compact

Williams Mullen is pleased to announce that Randolph H. (“Randy”) Lickey, Chair of the firm’s Corporate Practice, has been appointed by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory to serve on the Virginia-North Carolina Interstate High Speed Rail Compact Commission.

The Commission is comprised of ten representatives, five from North Carolina and five from Virginia, and its mission is to carry out the purposes of the Compact to study, develop, and promote a plan for the design, construction, financing, and operation of high-speed rail (HSR) service through and between points in Virginia, North Carolina and adjacent states; coordinate efforts to establish interstate HSR service at the federal, state, and local levels; and advocate for federal funding to support the creation of interstate HSR service within and through Virginia and North Carolina. It was authorized by the Congress and established through legislation enacted by the Virginia and North Carolina General Assemblies. Mr. Lickey currently serves as the High Speed Rail Chair of the Raleigh/RTP-based Regional Transportation Alliance and has previously facilitated efforts to bring together members of the business communities in the greater Raleigh, greater Richmond, and Hampton Roads regions to discuss areas of common interest and possible cooperation concerning HSR issues.

“I am honored that Gov. McCrory selected me to fill one of North Carolina’s positions on the Commission,” said Mr. Lickey. “I believe that the improvement of passenger rail service throughout and between North Carolina and Virginia is extremely important. The opportunity to connect Raleigh and Richmond with HSR service is particularly exciting and would provide a critical link in the Southeastern and Northeastern HSR corridors.  That link will also offer the citizens of both states more viable alternatives when traveling North to Washington, D.C. and New York or South to Charlotte and Atlanta.  I am pleased to now be in a position to work on these important matters together with other representatives of North Carolina and Virginia.”

Thus far, North Carolina and Virginia have received over $600 million in federal funding for advance studies and improvements along the rail corridors from Northern Virginia to Charlotte. America 2050 found the VA/NC extensions of the Northeastern corridor to be among the most promising in the US for higher speed rail.