Officials gathered in Ettrick, Virginia, to break ground on a long-delayed renovation of the area's historic Amtrak station, a project meant to drag the 71-year-old depot into compliance with modern accessibility standards. Representatives from the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, the Federal Railroad Administration, Amtrak, CSX, Chesterfield County and Senator Tim Kaine's office took part in the ceremony, according to the Progress-Index account of the event.
The station, located across from Virginia State University, has been flagged as a problem for years. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority says a 2019 state assessment identified Ettrick as one of the Amtrak stations with the greatest need for state-of-good-repair work, and the agency has stated plainly that the station is not in compliance with standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The renovation is intended to address those needs.
What the Renovation Will Actually Build
The centerpiece of the project is an 850-foot platform and an enclosed wheelchair lift, according to VPRA's project description. The agency says the new platform is intended to make boarding and exiting safer and shield passengers from the weather. The renovation also covers access improvements to the ticket window and restrooms, along with new interior and exterior signage throughout the station.
Outside the building, VPRA says the parking lot will be reconstructed with upgraded lighting, landscaping and stormwater drainage. The agency's project page states the work will restore the station to good repair and improve accessibility for the thousands of riders who pass through each year.
Cost estimates for the project have shifted over time. VPM reported in 2023 that the renovation was then described as a $10.6 million undertaking expected to take four years; the Progress-Index's account of this week's groundbreaking puts the current projected cost at $18.5 million. The project will be funded in part through a Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.
Station Stays Open Throughout Construction
Despite the scale of the work, VPRA's bid documents specify that Ettrick Station, which serves five Amtrak routes, will remain operational and open to passenger traffic throughout construction.
The Ettrick project is part of a broader effort to improve passenger rail service.
A Station That Almost Didn't Survive
The renovation marks a notable turn for a station that was nearly erased altogether less than a decade ago. Plans unveiled in 2017 proposed closing Ettrick Station entirely and relocating service to a more visible spot off the boulevard in neighboring Colonial Heights. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported at the time that a study had identified four potential locations for a replacement station and that public comment was being sought on the options.
That relocation push ran into sustained local resistance. A 2018 report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch described a group of Ettrick residents opposed to the station closing and moving to Colonial Heights. The relocation plans were ultimately shelved in 2019 following that public opposition and pressure from state and federal legislators, clearing the way for the state-of-good-repair renovation now underway instead.
The station serves five Amtrak routes.
