This is the largest renovation of the landmark station, which opened in 1908 and is located close to the US Capitol, which houses the US Congress
The United States Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has unveiled its concept for a massive redevelopment of the Union Station, the transport hub of the capital of the United States, Washington DC.
This is the biggest-ever renovation of the landmark station which opened for service in 1908 and is close to the political power centre of the country, the US Capitol, which houses the United States Congress. Not just the biggest-ever makeover, the renovation of the Union Station would also be the first major infrastructural development project in the US capital in over three decades.
The authorities have released the draft of the Washington Union Station Expansion Project (WUSEP) and moved for the requisite federal environmental studies and review processes closer to completion. If approved, the implementation of the project could take nearly two decades for completion. Reports say that construction costs alone are estimated to come in at around USD 8.8 billion.
According to the officials, ultimately, the proposed modernisation project would see what is currently the country’s second-busiest intercity rail hub extensively transformed by the year 2040. Infrastructural enhancements would involve the addition of 10-metre-wide passenger platforms, a new train hall, updated concourses lined with retail outlets and eateries, and an integrated bus terminal, among other improvements. However, the station’s 115-year-old main hall, which was designated a historic landmark in 1964, would be preserved in its entirety, they say.
An earlier draft of the Union Station Expansion Project (USEP), a vision laid out three years ago and put on hold due to the pandemic, was criticised as being too car-centric for featuring the inclusion of a multi-level parking garage. This newly revised version features far less real estate devoted to parking, and includes an underground pick-up and drop-off area, and more integrated bus, bike and pedestrian access.
The Washington Union Station multi-modal transportation hub presently serves around 37 million riders in the DC Metro Area annually, and links together multiple forms of public transit, including Amtrak intercity trains, the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) and Virginia Railway Express (VRE) rail lines, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Metrorail system, local and intercity bus services, the DC Streetcar network and local for-hire vehicles, such as taxis and ride-share options.
Through this investment plan, DC Metro Area and railroad officials aim to modernise what they say is a critical gateway to the nation’s capital and provide greater passenger capacities for travelers across the busy Northeast Corridor. Newsreports say that the updated proposal is the Northeast Corridor region’s top contender for securing infrastructure development funding through a law signed by President Biden in 2021.
To that effect, the reports added, 15 Congresspersons, including the entire National Capital Region delegation, last week sent a letter to the Biden Administration urging the prompt provision of robust funding and approval of an expedited timeline for the project. In a statement, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and her co-signees posited that the station’s proposed expansion would more than double its current capacity.
‘‘Union Station is five blocks from the US Capitol, serves as a transportation gateway to the District, and has historically welcomed more travellers per day than either Reagan National or Dulles International airports. Additionally, Union Station serves as the backbone connecting East Coast rail lines to the north and south,” Congresswoman Norton has been quoted as saying.
“We cannot delay the project indefinitely and ensure the station continues to function, so we must urge the Biden administration to fund and expedite the project,’’ she added.
