Passenger Rail Station Coming to Hillsborough
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Courtesy of the Town of Hillsborough
HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - Amtrak, North Carolina Railroad, the state of North Carolina, and the town of Hillsborough are working together to build a new train station located between Gold Hill Way and Orange Grove Road.
According to the report, the station will cover 5 acres with additional acreage planned for housing, commercial spaces, and parking. The project seeks to “reestablish passenger rail service in Hillsborough, which stopped in 1964.” The community has yearned for a return of the passenger rail service. Public space and sustainability manager for Hillsborough Stephanie Trueblood noted that the community still remembers when it had passenger rail service, and “wanting that available option again, as well as Amtrak realizing that a station would be financially feasible here, is what really got the ball rolling.”
Currently, there is a rail line used by Amtrak and freight, and the town of Hillsborough meets with NCDOT “regularly to ensure the station meets Amtrak standards.” When completed, the station will be the 17th in North Carolina that Amtrak travels through. As part of the project plans, there is the 7,700-square-foot station along with a rail platform, a connection to downtown Hillsborough, a bus stop, parking, outdoor seating, a constructed wetland, and public road extension.
As of reporting, the project is in its planning and design phase with construction expected to begin in 2027. However, the report states that permits and coordinating efforts may push this date back. The project is estimated to cost around $8 million with $7 million going toward the station and $1 million going toward the platform. As for funding, $686,000 comes from GoTriangle; $34,000 comes from the town of Hillsborough; and $6,280,000 comes from a NCDOT federal grant.
