Make Union Station a Reality: Vote YES on the Transportation Bond
The building where the future Union Station would live
On October 11th, Raleigh citizens will elect a new mayor, City Council representatives, a new school board, and vote on two bond referenda. One of these referenda is a $40 million bond for transportation improvements. At the center of this bond is $3 million to build the proposed Union Station in the Warehouse District.
Few things have the ability to affect a city in a positive way as improvements to transportation and infrastructure. It is because of this I encourage you to join me in voting YES on the referendum.
The inside of the building where the future Union Station would be
Potential For Grand Transformation
It wasn’t that long ago that the area around the proposed site was a ghost town and a rather scary place to be at night. This particular building is nearest to the Boylan Wye, which for decades served as a community for passing travelers hopping on freight cars. The bridge provided shelter, and the sharp grade of the curve at the Wye made it particularly easy to hop aboard the slow-moving freighters. The junction between so many lines also made it a transit point for more than just those at the Amtrak station:
This is also one of Raleigh’s richest sites for homeless anecdotes – the small bonfires directly under the bridge, at least one murder I can remember – plus the railroad shacks that have served as shelter. Years ago, there were practically hobo mansions built into the old wooden beam dumpstalls built into the hillside between the wye and the station.
The shacks are all gone, and the graffiti and traveler remnants are fewer and far between. Directly overhead on one side of the bridge is the Boylan Bridge Brewpub, now a bastion of nightlife providing an incredible view of the city. The area has been a bit slower to recover than the other areas of downtown, but it’s moving in the right direction.
The left side of this early 1970s photograph shows the building where the proposed Union Station would be. Also visible is a viaduct that once connected Boylan Heights to the Warehouse District. Image taken by Raleigh Boy.
A New Gateway to the Arts District
The site of the proposed station is in a vacant building on the edge of the Warehouse District. Like most of the buildings around it, it was once home to Dillon Supply, a company that produced steel and pipe products. The new Union Station would renovate and build upon this former industrial structure built in the 1960s.
Exterior of the Contemporary Art Museum, a neighbor to the proposed Union Station
Dillon Supply has vacated nearly all of the buildings, and the area is now home to a growing arts community – including Flanders Gallery, Visual Art Exchange, the new Contemporary Art Museum, DesignBox, among others.
Passengers disembarking from this potential station would get a proper introduction to the city of Raleigh: a fantastic view of the skyline, art galleries, and the authentic feel of an area rich with history. Fayetteville Street is just a couple of minutes walk away.
Transportation Fuels Growth: Why Raleigh Needs a YES Vote
The existing Amtrak station nearby is inadequate for today’s needs, much less that of the future. As passenger rail continues to grow year after year, it’s important that we provide a new, modern, and capable facility for people arriving in to the Capital City. Further, investment in rail travel makes economic sense: “Every $1 invested in rail systems (track, locomotives, bridges, etc.) returns $3 to the American economy” (source).
More specifics on the proposed station:
Raleigh’s proposed Union Station would be a hub located in Downtown. It would connect Raleigh’s multiple transportation modes, including Capital Area Transit bus service; Triangle Transit’s regional bus service; long-distance bus service (Greyhound); Amtrak rail service; the Silver Star, Carolinian and Piedmont rail services; and future local and regional rail transit, including high-speed rail services. Raleigh’s Union Station would be among the first facilities in the state to have a high-level platform that allows passengers to board trains without the need for steps.
The existing Amtrak Station on Cabarrus Street can no longer adequately serve an increasing number of rail passengers and must be replaced with a larger facility.
The most important point is that you vote in the upcoming municipal elections (as well as encourage those around you to do so), but I also hope you will join me in voting yes on this referendum.
Further Information:
- Bond Referendum Would Allocate Funds to Union Station Project (City of Raleigh)
- 2011 Municipal and Board of Education Elections (Wake County Government)
- Polling Place Locator (North Carolina State Board of Elections)
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09/23/2011
We badly need an improvement in infrastructure and transportation. Recently, I visiting Paris and London where we had the opportunity to use a public transportation system that most can’t imagine. Think of the commerce situations we could create if business travelers could make 300-mile journeys in 2 hours. That’s all it takes on Eurostar between Paris and London. Furthermore, you can go from 30 miles outside the city to proper downtown in less than half an hour with no cost of fuel. These systems are difference makers and would enable job growth and a number of opportunities for workers in smaller towns. Look at the unemployment rate in neighboring counties around the Triangle. If these folks could commute in a reasonable amount of time, certainly this would improve their employment odds.
10/21/2011
will be sad to see this building turned into some public facility. there’s some beautiful art in there and its a huge space, if only the cops would leave us alone…
01/03/2012
David,
Shut-up. I think it would be really nice if they would rebuild that viaduct.
09/20/2013
Having lived in Raleigh for more than 60 yrs I remember these old – gone, in most instances, buildings. The old Dillon Bldg along with the C.A. Dillon Family, were a very active and important facet of Raleigh. They provided employment and a livelihood to many citizens of Raleigh and also were active members of the Edenton Street Methodis Church. C.A. Dillion, Jr not only operated the Dillion steel business, but he sang in the choir at Edenton St. and he was the radio broadcast announces for the NC State Pack Woofpack basketball games at the old Reyonolds Bldg for years.