City in North Carolina to Enhance Transportation Infrastructure by Adding Second Train Platform and Restoring Historic Train Station Following Purchase
Salisbury Station Expansion and Restoration to Boost Transportation Hub
Salisbury, North Carolina is set to enhance its transportation infrastructure with the planned expansion and restoration of Salisbury Station. The city has purchased the 117-year-old historic Salisbury Depot for $3.5 million, marking the beginning of an ambitious project.
The project includes the expansion of the train passenger waiting area, the addition of a second platform for Amtrak trains, and the development of a full-service multimodal transportation hub. This hub will integrate bus services, pedestrian access, bicycles, and rideshare options, aiming to facilitate easier connections within the community and reduce reliance on single-occupancy vehicle use.
The restoration will preserve the depot’s architectural heritage, maintaining its distinctive Spanish-mission design and decorative gargoyles. As a local landmark and a building on the National Register of Historic Places, the city must adhere to guidelines about the interior and exterior of the building.
The initiative aims to elevate Salisbury Depot's role as a transportation hub, serving both train passengers and local commuters more effectively. The purchase and renovation are primarily funded by an $11.7 million federal grant from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), along with support from local and state partners.
The city is partnering with the Historic Salisbury Foundation, which originally saved and restored the depot decades ago. The broader effort includes support for regional passenger rail projects, such as restoring service to Asheville. The foundation will use proceeds from the sale to expand preservation efforts in the area.
By 2045, the city is projected to support approximately 100,000 local passenger boardings and nearly 290,000 connecting trips annually. The official transfer of ownership is anticipated within the next three months, with the building of a second platform to accompany the current one used by Amtrak following shortly.
In the past, the Salisbury Depot has been featured in the movie "Leatherheads," directed and starring George Clooney. The historic train station was a setting and one of the shooting locations for the film, along with Greenville, South Carolina. The foundation hired an architect, replaced the roof, restored rooms, and fixed the electricity and plumbing of the Salisbury Depot over four years in the 1980s.
Salisbury is providing $320,000 from its general fund and $1.7 million through the Strategic Transportation Improvements Program for the project. The city's goal is to increase the number of people riding the train and reduce single-occupancy vehicle use by improving access to other modes of transportation.
According to Kelly Baker, assistant city manager, the idea of the transportation hub is to move people from the depot getting off the train to anywhere they need to go in the community. Salisbury is preserving the depot and making additions to help return the building to its railroad focus.
The Salisbury Depot, designed by architect Frank Milburn, was abandoned by Norfolk Southern and the North Carolina Railroad in the 1980s. The city's purchase of the depot for $3.5 million marks a new chapter in its history, aiming to revitalize its role as a transportation hub and a local landmark.
[1] City of Salisbury Press Release
[2] Salisbury Post Article
[3] WNC Passenger Rail Restoration Project
[4] Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
- The expansion and restoration of Salisbury Station, which will be a full-service multimodal transportation hub, will include integration of bus services, enhancing transportation management in the city.
- The Salisbury Depot, originally saved and restored by the Historic Salisbury Foundation, is set to return to its railroad focus with the addition of a second platform for Amtrak trains, a move supported by finance from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program.
- With the Salisbury Station's projected annual passenger boardings reaching approximately 100,000 by 2045, the transportation industry for the city is expected to experience significant growth, promoting a reduced reliance on single-occupancy vehicles.
