After more than 56 years without passenger rail service in the coastal city of Wilmington, N.C., a newly commissioned passenger rail study has proposed routes for the Wilmington to Raleigh train service that recommends travel through Goldsboro rather than Fayetteville.
"We think that the decision to go on this side is a no-brainer versus going the Fayetteville side," Steve Unger, co-head of Eastern Carolina Rail, told the Wilmington StarNews for a story published April 30.
"This has been long identified as the best route, but this is finally putting a stamp on it."
Unger's organization is a nonprofit advocacy group dedicated to returning passenger service to the Port City.
WGI Inc., an engineering firm in West Palm Beach, Fla., released a draft of the Southeastern North Carolina Passenger Rail Feasibility Study in April, citing decreased travel times alongside lower construction and maintenance costs as primary factors driving the routing decision.
According to a news release from Eastern Carolina Rail, the Goldsboro route would save approximately $170 million in estimated project costs and decrease travel time between Wilmington and Raleigh by about one hour in comparison to the Fayetteville route. As a consolation prize, though, Fayetteville would get expansions in the passenger service running between that city and Raleigh.
The current report calls for passenger stops at Raleigh's Union Station, Clayton, Selma's Amtrak station, Goldsboro, Wilmington and two other additional sites still to be determined, the StarNews noted.
"This is excellent and exciting news," said Gene Merritt, co-head of Eastern Carolina Rail, in the release.
"This report [shows] we are finally on our way."
The nonprofit would like to see least one passenger stop in every county along the route and has also recommended the Wilmington International Airport as a possible location for a stop, Unger said.
"We've already made presentations in [the towns of] Burgaw, Wallace, and Warsaw," he added.
"Imagine if you could hop on a train in Burgaw and come into Wilmington and commute without having to drive down [Interstate 40]."
Last September, Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo expressed his support for the reintroduction of passenger rail in the Port City when he wrote, that the city "can and should be a part of a passenger rail system in North Carolina."
Unger agreed that the implementation of the route has been long-awaited, highlighting the potential benefits to Wilmington and the surrounding areas.
"It would provide, at a very reasonable cost, probably under $30 a ticket one-way [for] public transportation that moves just about the same speed as hopping in your car and driving to Raleigh or vice versa," he explained. "The economic benefit to the towns and cities along the way is tremendous."
An Additional Freight Line Would Connect to State Port
A second rail line also is being considered between Wilmington and the state port, which would be used for freight. Currently, one track services Wilmington via Lumberton with no backup, according to the release.
"This would offer a second line and a direct route to Raleigh, a direct route reaching the North Carolina Global TransPark, [and] it will also help connect the two state ports," Unger said. "For the military to be able to move goods in and out of Wilmington, having this rail line here would be a tremendous and strategic asset."
Preliminary federal grants of $500,000 have been awarded for both projects in addition to five other passenger rail projects in the state. A portion of the funds will be allocated to track upgrades, allowing trains to run at up to 79 mph, and the re-establishment of passenger rail depots.
Looking ahead, planning and construction will eventually necessitate a combination of both federal and state funding, according to Eastern Carolina Rail. The selection of the two additional passenger stops will ultimately depend on a variety of factors.
"Part of it is community interest: how bad do you want service? The need [for cities and towns] to press their case is important," Unger explained. "To some degree, it's up to the county and town officials, but we're making the case for the whole line."
Following a public comment period for stakeholders later in May, the next step is the initiative's final report, Unger told the StarNews.
This would lead to a Service Development Plan, what the draft report called a "high-level business, operating, and capital plan with the objectives of demonstrating operation and financial feasibility" requiring a 10 percent state match to the 90 percent federal funding.
Passenger Rail Offers Cleaner Alternative
Three daily trains are expected to carry more than 80,000 riders annually from Wilmington, Eastern Carolina Rail noted. With bus travel being the only current public transportation method connecting Wilmington to Raleigh, the potential for passenger rail would be "awesome,"Unger said.
"It doesn't pollute nearly as badly as air travel does and it'll take a few cars off the road if people choose to ride the train," he added.
With Raleigh developing into a major East Coast passenger rail hub, the route could also allow for future train travel from Wilmington to Northeast states like New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Overall, the project would be expected to take between seven to 12 years to complete, Unger said, with a total cost of roughly $810 million.
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