Newport News to get a new station?

[JeffConn]

From the Daily Press (read the article now as it will probably be password protected soon):

http://www.dailypress.com/news/traffic/exclusive/dp-nws-evg-amtrak-peninsula-20121129,0,595622.story

Emphasis is mine.

Newport News officials are currently negotiating with a contractor to begin design of a multimodal station that could be located on Bland Avenue, across from Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport, said Michael King, the city's manager of community planning.....

According to the city's official Request for Proposals, the intent is to build a "first class passenger rail facility" with airport-style ticketing counters, extended lobby with business class amenities, office space, restrooms and retail space. Other features will include level boarding platforms for both Amtrak and future light rail transit, a bus transfer center, airport shuttles, taxis, short and long-term parking and bicycle/pedestrian accommodations. The project will also include a downtown Newport News multimodal transit center to provide services to military personnel, shipyard employees and area residents.

....

"The City of Newport News was built on the railroad. We want to cement train service in the city for the future," King said. Of light rail's potential introduction on the Peninsula, he added: "One day hopefully if the Tide expands… its possible in the next 20 years."

King said a commuter rail line from Williamsburg to downtown Newport News is another possibility.

Some forward thinking from Newport News. Let's hope that the 3rd daily run from Newport News happens eventually.

 

[Nathanael]

Future light rail in Newport News? First I've heard of that!

I believe the old plan (as of 2011) was for two Amtrak stations in Newport News: one in this location, and a terminus REALLY downtown at 30th St. I wonder if there's any news on the 30th St. station proposal.

Anyway, good to see that the Newport News Bland Blvd. station proposal is funded.

 

[Anderson]

Yeah...the new station is going to have a really nice track configuration, as I understand it. The DRPT wants to get a loop track in so they don't have to do a backup on CSX tracks anymore (or screw around with a wye). Of course, feel free to connect the dots on what that means for 30th Street.

My read, and I must emphasize that this comes without any word from anyone in a position of power/influence/secret knowledge beyond talk about track configurations is that the 30th Street Station may not actually happen. What's more likely is that it gets delayed until a serious commuter rail proposal gets thrown into the mix.

As to light rail, there are a couple of plans/partial plans floating around. One is for a streetcar from CNU to run up J. Clyde Morris, through Oyster Point, and to then track back onto Jefferson Avenue and follow a path near it past Patrick Henry Mall and up to at least Bland Blvd. Another is for a light rail line to run from a ferry terminal downtown all the way up into Denbigh, though the alignment on that one does a lot of the same zigging and zagging once it gets up north as the streetcar line would. In the long run, there would be a second line down Mercury Blvd. most of the way as well (and for the record, if they're willing to kill a lane or two on Mercury [and there's probably some capacity to spare in various areas...I'm not sure that an eight-lane surface street is the best use of that RoW, but that is a side-effect of what happened when they axed the old frontage roads], that's probably doable). The LRT here would actually be a revival of an ancient streetcar line (the legacy of which is a very odd median on Warwick Blvd.). Basically, you've got multiple visions and lots of talk, but no money is available as of yet.

The sad thing is that when they've done the various transportation authorities/referendums, none of this has even made the laundry lists therein.

 

[Nathanael]

Looking on Google maps, it looks like there's enough room to add a passenger-exclusive track on the west side of the ROW all the way down to 30th St.; as long as that much space is still there, I guess the 30th St. station is never going to be ruled out.

 

[Anderson]

I'll agree that there's room in most places, but I'd also consider that to be a general waste of money unless it's part of a commuter operation of some sort (which has been mooted, to be fair).

Edit: I think it was the western track that got pulled out by Chessie in that are. I know it was the northern/eastern track at Williamsburg, but I think which track it was got switched around once or twice.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I really like multi-model stations. I hope this new station is eventually built.