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Virginia's new rail authority just met for the first time
Virginia’s new rail authority just met for the first time
By Canaan Merchant (Elections Committee) November 3, 2020
Late last year Virginia made a blockbuster announcement for the future of its growing passenger rail system. The commonwealth announced they would purchase Right of Way from private railroad companies across the state to speed up and expand service. That means fewer barriers to improved service or delays from waiting on freight trains to move through an area before the passenger train can move.
While it was a big announcement it’s still just a preliminary step. One of the first tasks was to set up a board that could take control of the new resources available to the commonwealth and roll out the upcoming changes. ... The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is that body and they just had their first meeting on October 26. The Authority was announced in March but the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic pushed back the inaugural meeting of the VPRA’s board from the summer to now.
While Northern Virginia is well-represented on the board, including former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, the board is made up of transportation and planning experts from across the Commonwealth with Amtrak and VRE also taking a seat at the table.
The VPRA will have the ability to make long-range decisions on behalf of Virginia’s rail passengers outside of the political process. In March GGWash writer Wyatt Gordon explained that it is similar to the commonwealth’s Port and Airport authorities who help make decisions and plans for those facilities. Its budget plans still need to be approved by Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board but those budgets can be long-range.
{snip}
Comparison of Virginia rail routes between 2009 and 2019.
{snip}
Canaan Merchant was born and raised in Powhatan, Virginia and attended George Mason University where he studied English. He became interested in urban design and transportation issues when listening to a presentation by Jeff Speck while attending GMU. He lives in Reston.
By Canaan Merchant (Elections Committee) November 3, 2020
Late last year Virginia made a blockbuster announcement for the future of its growing passenger rail system. The commonwealth announced they would purchase Right of Way from private railroad companies across the state to speed up and expand service. That means fewer barriers to improved service or delays from waiting on freight trains to move through an area before the passenger train can move.
While it was a big announcement it’s still just a preliminary step. One of the first tasks was to set up a board that could take control of the new resources available to the commonwealth and roll out the upcoming changes. ... The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) is that body and they just had their first meeting on October 26. The Authority was announced in March but the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic pushed back the inaugural meeting of the VPRA’s board from the summer to now.
While Northern Virginia is well-represented on the board, including former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, the board is made up of transportation and planning experts from across the Commonwealth with Amtrak and VRE also taking a seat at the table.
The VPRA will have the ability to make long-range decisions on behalf of Virginia’s rail passengers outside of the political process. In March GGWash writer Wyatt Gordon explained that it is similar to the commonwealth’s Port and Airport authorities who help make decisions and plans for those facilities. Its budget plans still need to be approved by Virginia’s Commonwealth Transportation Board but those budgets can be long-range.
{snip}
Comparison of Virginia rail routes between 2009 and 2019.
{snip}
Canaan Merchant was born and raised in Powhatan, Virginia and attended George Mason University where he studied English. He became interested in urban design and transportation issues when listening to a presentation by Jeff Speck while attending GMU. He lives in Reston.