Bedford received a grant of over $1.5 million for a new passenger rail stop

Bedford, Virginia – Bedford might soon see the opening of a new intercity passenger train stop. The town was awarded a grant for potential growth through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Rail Administration.

The municipality will receive $1,481,000 in federal funds for planning and preliminary engineering work associated with the “Bedford Passenger Rail Stop” concept. On Macon Street at 4th Street, the station will be built on lines owned by Norfolk Southern.

“It’s exciting. It’s developing from an idea and a concept to the finished product. Since it will surely draw more people to the town that our businesses and services can serve, we expect some growth. If they decide to use it, the 80,000 people who live in Bedford County also offer another opportunity to have access to this form of transportation. We now know that our neighbors in Franklin County and Smith Mountain Lake were largely responsible for the demand for this. The town manager, Bart Warner, stated.

The estimated cost of this rail stop project development phase is $1,856,000. The 80% grant was provided by DOT money, and the expenses are divided 80/20. As the 20% match of non-federal funds, the Town of Bedford Town Council has made a $375,000 contribution. Warner also stated that “we think it would certainly be appropriate for neighboring local government jurisdictions and the Commonwealth of Virginia to offset some of that cost and we will welcome that involvement.” Warner acknowledged that the Town of Bedford is able to pay for that match in this round.

The complete rail stop project is expected to cost between $21.4 and $23.2 million, including the grant award amount but excluding property acquisition. In the future, the findings of the engineering and environmental preliminary assessments will be used to seek additional funds for the final detailed design and construction.

The construction is now anticipated to be finished in 21 to 24 months when a grant agreement with the Federal Rail Administration is signed.

Surface parking, a caretaker-style station, a high-level platform for level boarding, intertrack fencing to deter trespassing, and drop-off locations for vehicles and vehicles are all features of the completed Bedford Station. The duration of construction and opening is not yet known.

The Town of Bedford had a working intercity passenger rail station from the mid-1850s until 1971, when Amtrak began operations and service in the area was discontinued. In 2014, the Virginia Department of Train and Public Transportation (DRPT) struck an agreement to extend passenger train service from Lynchburg to Roanoke. Following the announcement of this deal, local stakeholders formed the Bedford/Franklin Regional Rail Initiative (BFRRI) in 2014 to advocate enhanced train service in the area.

As part of their continuous conceptual development for a station in Bedford since the beginning of a daily train extension from Lynchburg to Roanoke in October 2017, DRPT and the BFRRI commissioned the Bedford Regional Passenger Rail Stop Study. This study, which was completed in October 2021, took into account eleven options for the site location. NS and the Town worked together throughout the whole station development process. The site was selected because it is approximately one mile from the core business district, meets all stakeholder requirements, and is entirely inside the NS and Macon Street rights-of-way, limiting the impact to neighboring lots. The Macon Street location, which is the preferred choice, will go through preliminary engineering and be evaluated for an environmental NEPA study with grant funds.

“The community will benefit and welcome a passenger rail station in Bedford.” A station will connect our rural towns to urban areas throughout the Northeast Corridor. By enabling remote work from home, it will promote economic development as more people move into the town and the surrounding area. Additionally, the establishment of a passenger rail station will only boost our local tourism sector and its advantages. “I would like to thank all of the federal and state legislative support we got in this endeavor, as well as the people in BFRRI and the community who have worked to make this a reality,” said Tim Black, the mayor of Bedford.

U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-9) made the announcement on October 24, 2024. Through the Federal application, Congressman Griffith was instrumental in providing the pertinent Congressional Districts for Federal financing, which are directly tied to the projects. The application was also supported by Democratic U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, as well as several members of the Virginia General Assembly.