Suffolk, Va., officials examine possibility of a passenger rail stop

Written by jrood

February 14, 2001 Suffolk, Va., City Council members viewed a proposal to create a combined Amtrak and Hampton Roads Transit station in downtown Suffolk, near the Saratoga neighborhood, the Suffolk News Herald reports. City leaders pinpointed the former site of the Golden Peanut Company, in between Saratoga and Wellons streets, as a suitable location for a train and bus transportation hub. The site still includes the company's abandoned buildings, which feature broken windows, graffiti and at least one tree growing on the roof.  

Instead of
the dilapidated structures, Suffolk officials would like to see an Amtrak
station with two platforms, an HRT terminal, parking, grocery and retail space,
a playground, walking trail and water feature. The preliminary proposal would
swallow up Peanut Park, as well as several surrounding homes and businesses. It
also includes the site of a proposed recycling center city planners shot down
this summer after outcry from the nearby community.

 

The idea of
passenger rail once again becoming a popular mode of transportation has been
moving at full steam in the state for some time. In February, the Commonwealth
Transportation Board selected a preferred route for passenger rail service
between Hampton Roads and Richmond. The route would start at Harbor Park in
Norfolk, come to Suffolk and stop at the proposed site, then continue on toward
Richmond along U.S. Route 460.

The
transportation board also set aside $93 million in Virginia Rail Enhancement
Funds for the service. The money would improve the existing Norfolk Southern
lines, rather than replace the tracks.

Suffolk
City Council passed a resolution in July asking the Virginia Department of Rail
and Public Transportation to consider placing a passenger rail stop in Suffolk.
The Suffolk site in the Saratoga neighborhood already has active Norfolk
Southern railroad lines running through it.

According
to Economic Development Director Kevin Hughes, a passenger rail stop in Suffolk
would decrease congestion on the region’s overworked system of highways, and
would bring in more visitors and spark redevelopment in the area.

There’s
still a long way to go until the plan materializes – if it ever does – but City
Manager Selena Cuffee-Glenn remains hopeful.

"It’s part of
the dream and part of the vision," she told the council members. "We just want
to let you all know what we’re thinking."

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