Virginia Railway Express (VRE) secured $20 million in funding through the 1-395/95 Commuter Choice program, which reinvests express lane tolls revenues in public transit and other transportation improvements in northern Virginia’s I-66 and I-395/95 corridors.
The funding, which was approved with votes by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, will support reinstatement of the Amtrak Step-Up program and construction of a new VRE station in Crystal City. The projects represent two of VRE’s five projects it submitted applications for in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 cycle. The cycle has a total of 16 projects total. The commuter choice program has awarded $107.9 million to 58 projects since 2017.
“This funding will provide both short- and long-term benefits to VRE and its passengers,” said VRE Operations Board Chair James Walkinshaw. “Our riders have been clamoring for a return of the Amtrak Step-Up program, which was suspended during the pandemic. Reinstatement and the possible expansion of this program will offer alternative travel options to many VRE passengers.”
The Amtrak Step-Up program allows VRE multi-ride ticketholders to ride select Amtrak trains for an additional charge. The $1.48 million in 1-395/95 Commuter Choice funding will not only provide for the program’s reinstatement but subsidize the cost of Step-Up tickets on VRE’s Fredericksburg Line, which runs parallel to I-95 and I-395. VRE is working with Amtrak to finalize trains to include in the program and a mechanism to allow VRE passengers to ride, as Amtrak began requiring reservations on all trains when the pandemic hit.
The second project to be approved for funding is a $18.8 million grant for a new Crystal City station. The grant will complete the funding commitments for the project and will leverage more than $50 million in federal, state and regional funds.
The project will expand and relocate the station and platform, as well as include related track modifications. The current station accommodates four railcars. The new station will accommodate eight-car trains, allowing passengers to board from any railcar. The new “island platform” will allow two full-length trains to simultaneously service the platform.
The design also accommodates a future pedestrian/bicycle connection between the station and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This project is related to and will be coordinated with the Alexandria Fourth Track project and the Long Bridge Capacity Improvements, part of Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative.
“This new station will help anchor redevelopment in the area and support the state’s Transforming Rail in Virginia program,” said Walkinshaw. “Station access and service reliability will also be improved as a result of this project.”
