SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Support is growing behind efforts to reestablish passenger rail service in downtown Suffolk.
Thursday, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO), which is made up of mayors and supervisors from across the region, unanimously voted to have a preliminary analysis completed, on where a Suffolk Amtrak station could be placed in the downtown area.
The item, which was included as a part of HRTPO’s annual work program, will consider everything from physical constraints, such as existing grade crossings which would have to be closed to accommodate a station siding, to larger state plans for passenger rail service.
City Manager Al Moor believes it’s a positive step forward.
Amtrak trains headed to and from Norfolk fly through downtown Suffolk, and, as has been noted previously, that’s kind of annoying to people who live in the area, especially when you consider that all trains out of Hampton Roads are going northwest anyway.
Moor said it’s almost pointless to drive back to Norfolk to catch a train only to go west again.
“So if you are in Western Tidewater,” Moor said, “it’s almost easier if you are going to D.C. or Richmond to just drive at that point, because you’ve already spent that much time going east to get back to go west.”
Moor said the message that’s been growing on Facebook and elsewhere is being heard loud and clear.
“To me and to our city, it just seems important to have a station in Suffolk,” Moor said.
And for the first time, other regional leaders are backing Suffolk in their request.
At Thursday’s Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization meeting, the board unanimously voted to support efforts that would find a appropriate site for a new station in Suffolk.
The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation is also now including the possibility of a Suffolk station in their long term planning.
And yes, Moor says it’ll likely take a lot of planning.
Some might just say the city should use the old Norfolk and Western station that’s still sitting downtown Suffolk.
Keep in mind, however, that Amtrak likely now has more modern day requirements.
Moor calls the vote a victory, nonetheless.
“Trying to get the train started,” Moor said.
CORRECTION: Earlier version of this article incorrectly spelled the city manager’s name. WAVY-TV regrets the error.