Tag Archive for: #slinerailcorridor

S-Line Rail Corridor

TownTalk: Downtown Development Manager Shares Updates On Projects

Picture this: The S Line rail passengers, bound from Charlotte to Richmond, stop in the late afternoon at the Henderson Depot. As they emerge from the train, they’re making decisions – Where to dine? Want to take in tonight’s show at McGregor Hall? Which downtown hotel or bed and breakfast should I try tonight? The stopover in Henderson has become a welcome break in the trip, a respite filled with food, nightlife and tranquil lodging.

When you dream, dream big.

And when there’s an opportunity to get closer to making that dream a reality, make sure to check it out.

That just may be what Tracy Madigan has experienced in her first months as Henderson’s downtown development manager. The dreams are alive and the opportunities are presenting themselves.S-Line Rail Corridor

Madigan spoke with John C. Rose on Wednesday’s Town Talk about her new role and what’s on the horizon to make downtown a more attractive destination for visitors – and prospective businesses.

As for the train stopping again in Henderson, she said there was to have been a meeting today with state officials to share just why Henderson needs to be a stop on the S Line.

“There are all kinds of ideas in the works,” Madigan said. But they are merely ideas, waiting for decisions to be made. Henderson and Franklinton are being studied for possible train stops. A stop in Henderson could open up lots of possibilities for downtown development, she added.

While the train stop may be more of a long-term project, Madigan mentioned several areas downtown that have already gotten a facelift – namely, lights at the reflection pools and fountains near the city fire station, the construction of an outdoor pavilion/amphitheater by McGregor Hall  and the beautification of Orange Street Park.

With help from Sam Franklin and Franklin Brothers Nursery, the summer plantings are in at the park, and some garden benches are coming soon to that greenspace, nestled beside the Henry A. Dennis Building on Garnett Street.

“You should be seeing the lights in the fountains coming on in the next couple of weeks,” Madigan said. This is the first of several water installations that are planned around the city, she added.

The pavilion, an outdoor venue option for events, is under construction. Tommy Roberson, of Robco Manufacturing and Alumadock Marine Structures, is a pavilion benefactor, she said.

The vision of the downtown development commission is to assist with, help and encourage downtown development and economic vitality, she said. Often, city and county entities collaborate to further the mission.

Although she is a city employee and reports to City Manager Terrell Blackmon, Madigan said, she often collaborates with other agencies and government officials. Vance Economic Development Director Christian Lockamy and Chamber of Commerce President Michele Burgess are two individuals who continue to provide extensive support and help.

One long-range goal is to develop incentives in the form of grants to help businesses – existing and prospective – have an impact in the downtown area. There are smaller incentive grants that are available, but Madigan said she hopes to be able to offer larger grants in the future.

Click Play for Today’s Full TownTalk

NCDOT

S-Line Rail Corridor Goes Straight Through Henderson

The S-Line rail corridor goes straight through downtown Henderson.  The future of the route from Petersburg, Virginia down to the Virginia line and then the NC Department of Transportation’s portion from Virginia to South Carolina could spawn additional economic development for the local Henderson area.

Being a mainline portion of the Southeast Corridor and possibly a higher speed line would help too.

For now, the news is the fact that NCDOT has been awarded a grant for development planning near passenger rail stations.

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington is quoted in a press release from NCDOT, and he said, “Our community was founded on rail traffic in 1841. It is only natural that our resurgence is based on this same driving force for economic development, connecting us to greater opportunities. The regional cooperation and resulting benefit this project represents is government at its best.”

Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for Multimodal Transportation said in the press release: “We’re grateful to be working with cities and towns that understand how passenger rail service can spur economic development.  This as a great opportunity to use passenger rail to better connect rural and urban communities. It should serve as a model for future projects.”

In our area, Henderson and Franklinton contributed the necessary matching funds for the grant.

Franklinton Mayor Art Wright is quoted in the press release saying, “The Town of Franklinton is looking forward to working with our neighbors along the S-line to develop a community that will support passenger rail. This funding will promote Franklinton’s rich rail history and expand downtown.”

The grant money can be used to develop plans for areas around rail stations.

In Henderson, that plan will need to look at plans for the actual rail station itself.  The only actual passenger station along the line is long gone, and the metal and plexiglass hut that sat at the corner of Williams and Montgomery Streets downtown was removed after the final AMTRAK operated “Silver Star” departed for the final time in the mid 1980s.

The bigger picture is all these smaller pieces are adding up. This grant now, and the next press release about another grant later, and when the news of hiring a new Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission director comes, and with the recent hiring of a new Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission director, and downtown Main Street status in Henderson, and an expanded industrial park, and other growth and development, it’s all chipping away at the problem and putting down new roads to success.

If you’d like to hear more about the S-Line, listen back to TownTalk from October 28, 2020 and NCDOT guest Jason Orthner, Rail Division Director.

 


— NCDOT Press Release

NCDOT Awarded Grant for Development Planning Near Passenger Rail Stations

​Federal funding will help communities plan for development on S-Line corridor

Raleigh — The Federal Transit Authority has awarded the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division a $900,000 grant to help Triangle area communities create plans for development along the S-Line rail corridor.

The S-Line corridor is a passenger rail line that starts at the Virginia border, runs through Raleigh, and ends at the South Carolina state line.

“We’re grateful to be working with cities and towns that understand how passenger rail service can spur economic development,” said Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for Multimodal Transportation. “This as a great opportunity to use passenger rail to better connect rural and urban communities. It should serve as a model for future projects.”

The following towns contributed matching funds for the grant: Apex, Franklinton, Henderson, Raleigh, Sanford and Wake Forest. The towns will use the grant money to develop plans for the areas around the rail stations. The plans will explore how the rail stations will bolster economic development in their town centers and enable these communities to plan for connections to bus service, micro transit, bicycle paths and greenways.

Mayors of the towns that contributed matching funds to the grant provided the following comments.

Apex Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert said:
“The Town of Apex is thrilled to join the North Carolina Department of Transportation and our regional partners in this forward-thinking effort to plan for the future of passenger rail along the S-Line corridor. Working together, we will realize the substantial economic and mobility benefits of passenger rail for our communities.”

Franklinton Mayor Art Wright said:
“The Town of Franklinton is looking forward to working with our neighbors along the S-line to develop a community that will support passenger rail. This funding will promote Franklinton’s rich rail history and expand downtown.”

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington said:
“Our community was founded on rail traffic in 1841. It is only natural that our resurgence is based on this same driving force for economic development, connecting us to greater opportunities. The regional cooperation and resulting benefit this project represents is government at its best.”

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said:
“This grant is crucial to moving the S-Line project ahead and restoring passenger rail service between Raleigh and Richmond. In the long-term, the S-Line will improve mobility and reduce congestion, not only in Raleigh, but across the region. I am thrilled to continue working with everyone involved in this project, and deeply appreciate FTA’s support.”

Sanford Mayor Chet Mann said:
“Sanford is thrilled with the prospect of having passenger rail on the S-Line. We have a rich train history as we were founded at the rail crossing in 1874 in what is now our Depot Park. We see multimodal transportation as a key component to any growing community. This project will usher in a new wave of economic development around an area in our town already designated for revitalization. We are grateful to be partnering with the NCDOT and all the other stakeholders involved in this project and we are beyond excited at watching what happens as this project evolves.”

Wake Forest Mayor Vivian A. Jones said:
“We’ve been working on bringing passenger rail to Wake Forest for quite a while. We recognize there’s a strong demand out there, so we are excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to getting it done.”

S-Line Rail Corridor

S-Line Rail Corridor Meeting to Address Future Opportunities for Local Area

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

Please join the S-Line (rail corridor) Stakeholder Committee for a virtual meeting on Thursday, December 10, 2020, from 1 – 2 p.m. to hear from transit-oriented development and land-use planning experts. You will learn how the local area can plan for current and future opportunities along the S-Line.

Meeting agenda:

1 – 1:05 p.m.: Welcome and Opening Remarks, Mayor Mann of Sanford, Mayor Jones of Wake Forest, Co-Chairs of the S-Line Stakeholder Committee

1:05 – 1:20 p.m.: S-Line Update, NCDOT Deputy Secretary Julie White and Rail Director Jason Orthner

1:20 – 1:40 p.m.: Using Rail to Create Place and Economic Value: NC Case Studies, Terry Shook, Shook Kelley

1:40 – 1:50 p.m.: Tailoring Land Use and Economic Development Opportunities for S-Line Communities, Jeff Bandini, Urban Land Institute

1:50 – 2 p.m.: Next Steps and Closing, Julie White, NCDOT

To register for the virtual meeting, please click here.

For more information on plans for the S-Line, click here.

S-Line Rail Corridor

Town Talk 10/28/20: $47.5 Million Grant to Help Reconnect S-Line Rail Corridor

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Jason Orthner, Rail Division Director with the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Orthner discussed the $47.5 million federal grant awarded to the Rail Division for the purchase of the S-Line railroad corridor, part of the Southeast Corridor, between Raleigh and Ridgeway in Warren County, NC.

According to a recent NC DOT press release, the U.S. Department of Transportation named the Southeast Corridor as one of the first five federally designated higher-speed rail corridors in the country in 1992. The Southeast Corridor is a network of passenger and freight rail that runs from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Fla., encompassing D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.

“The [NC DOT Rail Division] grant is specifically related to the acquisition of the S-Line rail corridor that runs from Petersburg, VA, down through Henderson and Vance County, into Raleigh and continues south through Cary, Apex, Sanford and Hamlet,” said Orthner.

Providing a brief history of the railroad, Orthner said the route through Henderson dates back to the 1830s and is one of the original railroads built in the country.

“In the late 1980s, the service changed because they truncated the line at Norlina, so they removed the tracks between Petersburg and Norlina,” said Orthner. “It’s now underutilized because it’s a stub-ended route, and the freight can only come in and out one way. So the acquisition of the corridor includes looking at how we can enhance freight by reconnecting the line north while also expanding passenger opportunities. We think it’s a great opportunity to do both on this line through this acquisition.”

To continue the project north, Orthner said DOT partners in Virginia are involved in similar acquisitions to connect the remaining line from Ridgeway to Petersburg.

According to the NCDOT, the Southeast is projected to see one of the largest population growths in the country over the coming decades. With a corresponding increase in freight volume expected, Orthner said improving rail infrastructure will reduce highway congestion and expand connectivity for both passengers and goods between states.

To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

The Southeast Corridor is a network of passenger and freight rail that runs from Washington, D.C. to Jacksonville, Fla., encompassing D.C., Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. (Graphic courtesy the NCDOT)