5 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

Richmond, VA Times-Dispatch, 8/5/16:

 

Parking lot at Staples Mill Amtrak station will get double the spaces

 

For long-suffering travelers jostling for parking spots at the Staples Mill Amtrak station, relief is on the horizon.

Park here to read the story.

[KevinKorell]

WWBT-TV, NBC-12 in Richmond, VA, 8/5/16:

Staples Mill busiest Amtrak stop in South, expansion for parking planned

After the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation confirmed Richmond’s Staples Mill Road Station is the busiest Amtrak location south of Union Station, officials announced the expansion of now limited parking spaces to accommodate the region’s growth in ridership.

This story has a few concerns:

Staples Mill has consistently outpaced Richmond’s Main Street Station in ridership since opening in 1975.

While the building was there since 1901, Main Street Station had been closed in 1972 after floods from Hurricane Agnes. Amtrak did not resume stopping there until 2003. So naturally between the 70's and 2003 the Staples Mill Road station was the only game in town thus Main Street's ridership was Zero.

When Main Street Station did reopen 13 years ago, the master plan was to first have the Newport News trains stop there. The second phase was to extend some trains that currently start or end at Staples Mill Road down to Main Street. And a third and final phase was to reroute all other trains that start or end in points south (Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Service) via Main Street Station using the track that passes on the other side of the Main Street platform. They never went beyond the first phase of that plan. Had they done so, the demand for parking at Staples Mill would not be as high as it has been the past few years.

[KevinKorell]

All this time (over a year since the last post above), one could have assumed the project began. We saw no evidence of it when we visited Richmond in January on the Fest.  Now comes yet another article saying it is beginning. Well, maybe... in phases.  Moral of the story, believe it when you see it complete.   From WWBT-TV, Channel 12 in Richmond, VA, 8/24/17:
 

 

Amtrak parking lot expansion underway

  
A major project is underway that will be a major help to anyone who takes the Amtrak Train on Staples Mill Road, but it's not going to be finished anytime soon.

A project started last week to improve the parking situation. Right now, there are only 274 places to park. After this proect is finished, parking spaces will double.

 Update

[KevinKorell]

WTVR-TV, CBS-6 in Richmond, VA, 11/16/17:

 

 

Amtrak warns of Staples Mill station construction ahead of holiday travel season

 

Construction on the parking lot at the Amtrak's Staples Mill station may cause headaches for travelers during the busy travel season.

 

Kimberly Woods, Amtrak's spokesperson, said the parking lot widening project is currently limiting parking spaces for their customers.

 

 

More

[KevinKorell]

Richmond, VA Times-Dispatch, 1/16/18:

 

 

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First phase of Amtrak parking lot expansion finished at Staples Mill station

 

 

 

The first phase of work to expand the cramped parking lot at Amtrak’s Staples Mill station is finished, adding 115 new spaces, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation announced Tuesday. Also ready for passenger use is a new rear entrance off Bremner Boulevard.

 

 

Full story

[KevinKorell]

Looks like the project has finally come to fruition.  From WWBT-TV, Channel 12 in Richmond, VA, 6/28/18:

 

 

Staples Mill Amtrak station debuts new parking expansion

 

 

The parking lot expansion project at Amtrak's busiest southeast station officially opens Thursday.

 

The Staples Mill Road Station parking lot previously held 274 spaces for Amtrak passengers boarding the train at Staples Mill, but now has 589.

 

 

 

Update