Newport News Transportation Center
The Newport News Transportation Center is an under-construction Amtrak inter-city train station and intermodal transport hub in Newport News, Virginia. The station will be located about 1 mile (1.6 km) from Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport on Bland Boulevard between Warwick Boulevard and Interstate 64.
Newport News, VA | |||||||||||
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| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | 500 Bland Boulevard[1] Newport News, Virginia 23602 United States | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°07′23″N 76°31′07″W / 37.1230°N 76.5185°W | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Amtrak, CSX, and Newport News Parking Authority | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | CSX Peninsula Subdivision | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 1 side platform | ||||||||||
| Tracks | 1 | ||||||||||
| Connections | Amtrak Thruway Hampton Roads Transit: 106, 107 | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Parking | Yes[1] | ||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes[1] | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opening | May or June 2024[2] | ||||||||||
| Future services | |||||||||||
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The station is planned to consolidate all of the region's public transport entities into one location and serve as the new southern terminus of the Virginia Peninsula branch of the Northeast Regional. It will service its current two daily round trips, which currently serve the current Newport News station, located 9 miles (14 km) to the south. An Amtrak Thruway motorcoach connection to Norfolk station will effectively double the frequency between each station and Washington. A second, smaller station in downtown Newport News was also proposed but has been indefinitely postponed.
History edit
The current Newport News station was planned to be replaced with two new stations—a large intermodal station near Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport and a smaller station in downtown Newport News.
The construction of the new station was necessary because the current 30-year-old station has a limited parking area, is inaccessible for people with physical disabilities, and has poor connectivity with local public transport services.[1]
The station will be more energy-efficient and allow Amtrak to turn around trains more efficiently and maintain trains on-site. This would both increase ridership and decrease costs.[3] The city planned to begin design work for the larger station in the summer of 2011, for an opening sometime before 2016.[4] As of 2011, the cost was estimated at $24 million.[4]
As of January 3, 2019, the project was in the planning phase for six years, having initially been planned to open in October 2018.[1] On March 14, 2019, the project was further delayed until 2021, with the plans for the new downtown station dropped and the intermodal station to serve as the new terminus.[5] Construction for the new intermodal station near the airport began on July 21, 2020. The project will cost $47 million and was originally expected to be completed by the summer of 2022.[6] However, the city of Newport News announced on October 10, 2022, that the new station would not be open until the fall of 2023, citing unexpected construction delays.[7] On March 16, 2023, a further delay to April 2024 due to supply chain issues was announced.[8] On February 26, 2024, the expected opening date was pushed back to May or June 2024, with the project costing a total of $53 million.[2]
A third Northeast Regional weekday round trip is planned, as of 2020, under a major spending initiative by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.[9]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Marsigliano, Julia (January 3, 2019). "This project has been in the design phase for nearly six years. Here's why". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Janney, Josh (February 26, 2024). "New hub to bring 'transportation entities in Hampton Roads into one location'". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "UPC #102734 NNTC-1 PE/Design Newport News Transportation Center". City of Newport News. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ a b Lawlor, Joe (January 15, 2011). "New train stations could be coming to Newport News". Newport News Daily Press. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Reyes, Josh (March 14, 2019). "Newport News transportation project delayed again, completion goal set for 2021". Newport News Daily Press. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ "Newport News breaks ground on new transportation center". Mass Transit Magazine. July 23, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Janney, Josh (October 10, 2022). "Newport News transportation center delayed". Newport News Daily Press. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Janney, Josh (March 15, 2023). "Newport News transportation hub, Amtrak station opening delayed again". Daily Press. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ "Virginia and CSX Announce Landmark Rail Agreement" (Press release). Office of the Governor of Virginia. December 19, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2024.