Amtrak to transform Washington Union station

[John Ashworth]

Amtrak to transform Washington Union station

Breaking Travel news 28/07/12

Amtrak is releasing a master plan today that offers a visionary and practical approach to revitalize the terminal at Washington Union Station. Developed in coordination with other stakeholders including U.S. Department of Transportation, Union Station Redevelopment Corporation (USRC), Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, Virginia Railway Express, Maryland Transit Administration, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and Akridge, it lays the groundwork for an expanded and greatly improved intermodal station that will increase capacity to accommodate future service expansion, deliver the highest quality passenger experience and provide robust support to local and regional economic growth.

The Master Plan envisions dramatically improved facilities that are modern, safe, and secure which will accommodate three times as many passengers and twice as many trains, all within the same footprint and preserving Union Station’s historic architectural design.

“Washington Union Station is an integral part of the Northeast transportation network, facing urgent capacity issues and a need to expand to support increasing ridership growth across all services,” said Amtrak President & CEO Joe Boardman. “This plan will transform the station into a world-class transportation hub to serve the region and the mobility needs of generations of passengers yet to come.”

“Today’s plan ensures that Union Station will continue to serve as the gateway to our nation’s Capital, providing growing numbers of passengers with even greater transportation options,” said Deputy Secretary of Transportation and USRC Chairman John Porcari. “The Department of Transportation is committed to Union Station’s future, both as an important part of the local economy and of the President’s vision for a revitalized Northeast Corridor.”

The heart of the plan is the creation of a new train shed that will welcome passengers to the nation’s capital, bring natural light to station spaces and better organize the connections to Amtrak, commuter rail, transit and other transportation services. New passenger concourses, along with a series of new street entrances, will be seamlessly integrated with the existing station, enabling passengers and visitors to easily access the entire station complex and adjoining neighborhoods while experiencing improved amenities and expanded retail opportunities.

The estimated cost for the Master Plan is between $6.5 and $7.5 billion ($2012). In addition to creating a world-class facility with ample capacity for future high-speed, intercity and commuter rail service growth, these investment levels would generate enormous benefits to the city and region through job creation, increased tax revenues, and enhanced economic development. It also will help to create significant public spaces that can be enjoyed for decades and bring together the adjoining neighborhoods that are now cut-off from one another.

Importantly, the plan also makes possible the accommodation of tracks, platforms and concourses to support a new Next Generation High-Speed Rail (NextGen HSR) concourse below the existing station platforms to keep pace with the growth projections and plans outlined in the recently released The Amtrak Vision for the Northeast Corridor: 2012 Update Report. This future lower-level concourse could allow for a potential NextGen HSR extension south of Washington to connect with the proposed Southeast HSR Corridor.