CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – All aboard! The New River Valley is one step closer to having an Amtrak station after Gov. Ralph Northam signed a bill into law on Friday.
House Bill 1893, which Del. Chris Hurst introduced, will establish the New River Valley Passenger Rail Station Authority. The bill will allow the region to enter a profit-sharing agreement and establish a governing board with members from the area and from higher institutions of learning.
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This announcement comes after years in the making, and members of the local New River Valley Passenger Rail Initiative want to have the station on a parcel of land near the Christiansburg Aquatic Center.
According to officials, VDOT and Norfolk Southern are in the process of finalizing plans to bring passenger rail to Christiansburg.
“HB 1893 was signed by Governor Northam today,” said Hurst. “I am excited about this major step towards bringing passenger rail to the New River Valley. This measure will bring new economic opportunities to the region, make traveling easier for residents and students alike, help reduce congestion on I-81, increase tourism, and allow the NRV to become a new transportation hub for rail travel. The New River Valley is already a great place to live and this makes it even better. I’m so proud to be a part of this historic project and seeing all of our hard work finally paying off.”