One of Virginia’s Congressional delegation announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded $1.481 million to help a community on the Northeast Regional line plan for a potential train station.
“Bedford is a growing community with a lot of potential, located between the cities of Roanoke and Lynchburg,” said Morgan Griffith, a Republican who represents the 9th District. “This DOT grant for nearly $1.5 million helps the Town of Bedford complete preliminary engineering and promote access to passenger rail services.”
The funding comes from the DOT’s Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program. That came through legislation called Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act that was signed into law in December 2015. The legislation passed 359 to 65 with Griffith voting yea.
Passenger rail service to Roanoke was restored in October 2017 after many years with no routes available. The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation conducted an analysis of a potential stop in Bedford and found that the addition of a stop would not delay freight service if Amtrak stuck to its regular schedule. (read the report)
Amtrak and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority have also agreed to extend the service to the New River Valley with a stop proposed in Christiansburg.
“The New River Valley Passenger Rail Project will extend Virginia’s state-supported Amtrak service to the historic Cambria Yard, which served rail passengers from 1904 to 1979,” reads a description on the VPRA site. “The project will construct a high-level platform, canopy, parking lot, siding track, and layover facility on Norfolk Southern’s N-line.”
Griffith was present at a ceremony held in May 2021 where former Governor Ralph Northam signed legislation creating an authority to build the Christiansburg train station. At the time, he said he had initially been skeptical of the idea but came around when he saw ridership numbers continue to grow.
“I have to confess and anybody who studies the record would know that I missed the train in Lynchburg and I missed the train in Roanoke, so I wanted to make sure I got on in Christiansburg,” Griffith said.
That last quote comes from the May 6, 2021 edition of Charlottesville Community Engagement.
The Bedford study is one of three awards made in Virginia in this cycle.
“The town of Bedford will contribute the 20.2 percent non-Federal match,” reads an announcement made by the Federal Railroad Administration. “The project qualifies for the statutory set-aside for projects in Rural Areas.”
The Buckingham Branch Railroad Company will receive up to $6 million for a program to replace track and ties in the Piedmont subdivision.
“The project aligns with the selection criteria by enhancing safety and improving service and system
performance, as the project will address deteriorating conditions of ties and includes resurfacing of approximately 83 miles of track and 7 grade crossings, thereby imparting benefits of resiliency, efficiency, and reducing the risk of derailments,” reads the announcement.
The Buckingham Branch Railroad Company operates the track that runs through Charlottesville, but the actual right of way is now owned by the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority.
The other project will see improvements to the Staples Mill railway station to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Before you go: The time to write and research of this article is covered by paid subscribers to Charlottesville Community Engagement. In fact, this particular installment is from the October 28, 2024 edition of the newsletter. To ensure this research can be sustained, please consider becoming a paid subscriber or contributing monthly through Patreon.
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