Transportation
Scott Shenk writes about transportation issues affecting Fredericksburg-area residents.
VRE posts its highest ever ridership totals
The Virginia Railway Express has tallied its ridership figures for fiscal year 2012 and the commuter railway service has topped last year’s all-time numbers.
While all but one of VRE’s top ridership days were set in 2011, overall FY 2012 was better.
In his first CEO report, interim chief Richard Dalton reported that VRE handled 4.772 million rider trips in fiscal 2012, which ended June 30. In FY 2011, VRE reported a ridership total of 4.512 million. In fiscal 2010, the commuter rail service reported 4.033 million rider trips and the year before that 3.857 million.
Dalton added that VRE’s on-time performance is still above 90 percent for the Fredericksburg lines, though that figure has dropped recently, primarily due to heat restrictions and track work.
He also gave an update on some local work projects.
The third track that will be built as part of Spotsylvania’s new station is moving along, Dalton reported.
Design work on the third track is expected to be finished by the end of the year, with the plans that it could be completed by the end of 2013. The 2.6-mile third track will connect the new Spotsylvania station to the mainline.
The plan is to also have the station project completed by the end of 2013.
Expansion work on the Brooke and Leeland station parking lots also continues to move along.
At Leeland, the stormwater structures are in place and crews are grading the area, according to Dalton. Crews are also installing lighting in the new area. Paving is scheduled for this month, and VRE hopes that the additional 196 spaces will be ready for use in September.
At the Brooke lot, utilities have been moved, while crews continue excavation and work on stormwater structures. The 234-space expansion is expected to be complete in December.
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