To assist communities looking for ways to improve, redevelop or restore train stations to support the growing demand for passenger rail service, Amtrak is hosting its seventh Civic Conversation to share its expertise and experience with local leaders.
The event is being held in Huntington, West Virginia, today and focuses on some communities situated along the Cardinal route (New York – Cincinnati – Chicago.) Case studies and presentations of transportation-oriented development and funding sources are being presented, including the restoration of the Amtrak station in Osceola, Iowa. The mayor of Osceola will share how the city received funding and restored the busiest Amtrak station in the state.
In addition, participants are receiving a review of the requirements and best practices needed to ensure the station complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Improving stations is vital to the continued interest and growth of passenger rail, as demonstrated by 15 consecutive months of Amtrak ridership growth. This strong performance is part of a long-term trend that has seen America’s Railroadsm set annual ridership records in seven of the last eight fiscal years, including more than 28.7 million passengers in FY 2010.
Working with the communities to improve these stations is important, as roughly a third of all Amtrak stations are owned by local municipalities. Of the 528 stations Amtrak serves, Amtrak and other railroads each own about 27 percent (most of the Amtrak-owned stations are in the Northeast), eight percent are privately owned, and the remaining five percent are property of other entities, such as port authorities, commuter railroads, or transit agencies.
Amtrak created and maintains the GreatAmericanStations.com website that enables users to engage in an exchange of useful information and also provides a point of initial contact which can lead to potential partnerships in this initiative to rebuild and revitalize stations. The website also provides information on current station projects, individualized station information, benefits of the restoration initiatives, tips on how communities can start a station renovation project, and daily updates on Amtrak-related news items.
