Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Wednesday that Norfolk Southern Railway had agreed to extend passenger rail service to the New River Valley as part of the Western Rail Initiative.
For the first time since 1979, Norfolk Southern will operate intercity passenger rail service from Roanoke to the Northwest Corridor, Northam’s office said.
“Bringing passenger rail service back to the New River Valley will fuel tourism, drive economic growth, and create new opportunities for the region’s 180,000 residents and 40,000 college students,” Northam said. “A key part of our Transforming Rail in Virginia program, the Western Rail Initiative will support critical infrastructure improvements necessary to modernize our transportation system and connect communities across the Commonwealth. This agreement is the result of collaboration among many partners, and we look forward to continuing this important work to enhance mobility in an equitable and environmentally sustainable way.”
The $257.2 Western Rail Initiative will include $38.2 million for the acquisition of right-of-way and track for approximately 28.5 miles of the Virginian Line from the Salem Crossovers west of Roanoke to Merrimac. Additionally, the state will invest $219 million in infrastructure, including improvements to the Roanoke Yard, a seven-mile siding from Nokesville to Calverton, to create a continuous two-track corridor from Manassas to Remington, improvements from Salem to Christiansburg, and improvements along the Route 29/Interstate 81 corridor.
The agreement between Virginia and the railroad includes both an increase in existing services as well as an expansion of service to the New River Valley. By 2022, an additional round-trip train from Washington, D. C. to Roanoke will serve Alexandria, Burke, Manassas, Culpeper, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Roanoke. The expansion will complement the existing Amtrak Northeast Corridor service traveling from Roanoke in the morning and returning to Roanoke in the afternoon. In 2025, upon the completion of infrastructure improvements, the two Northeast Corridor round trips will be extended from Roanoke to Christiansburg.
“Today is a good day, and we look forward to working with all stakeholders to put today’s announcement into action,” said James A. Squires, Chairman, President, and CEO of Norfolk Southern. “Virginia and Norfolk Southern worked cooperatively to reach the Commonwealth’s goal of expanding passenger rail service in the New River Valley, while also preserving the vital role these lines play in delivering goods and materials that drive the regional economy.”