Quantico VRE Station Upgrades Celebrated With Ribbon Cutting

QUANTICO, VA — A major upgrade project at one of the Virginia Railway Express stations was celebrated with a ribbon cutting last Friday.

The $27.5 million project by VRE and the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority provided a newly-constructed pedestrian bridge, replacing an at-grade crossing. The station also has an extended platform and three boardable platform edges. The station house, which dates back to 1953, got fresh paint, new furnishings and new display screens.

VRE the project will help improve safety and rail capacity on its Fredericksburg Line as well as the state-supported Amtrak service.

"This transformative project – which brings a renewed sense of vibrancy to the Quantico station and town surrounding it – is the result of strong partnerships with other railroads, local jurisdictions, Marine Corps Base Quantico, and federal and state agencies," said Rich Dalton, VRE's CEO. "These improvements will enhance the passenger experience, increase operational flexibility, and make the station accessible."

The Quantico station is on the Marine Corps base, which requires DBIDS credentials to enter.

The updates to the Quantico station are part of a larger effort to add 9.2 miles of a third mainline track between control points Arkendale and North Possum Point. The project seeks to improve on-time performance for Amtrak and VRE trains by allowing faster passenger trains to pass slower trains. The $101.4 million Arkendale project has funding from Virginia and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

"The Arkendale project represents the first completion of rail capacity projects in the Commonwealth, and these projects will enable more passenger service, thereby offering Virginians more choices to avoid the 'all day rush hour' on our interstates," said DJ Stadtler, executive director of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. "This project was funded by both federal and state tax dollars signaling a commitment from both Washington and Richmond to expanding passenger rail service in Northern Virginia."

North of the Quantico station, VRE is planning a new station in the Potomac Shores community. A VRE spokesperson said the Potomac Shores station is nearing construction, and the parking garage serving the station is close to completion. The train station is in the final design phase and will be part of transit-oriented development envisioned as a town center for Potomac Shores.