North Charleston station

Last updated
North Charleston
Intermodal Transportation Center
Amtrak inter-city rail station
General information
Location4565 Gaynor Avenue
North Charleston, South Carolina
United States
Coordinates 32°52′29″N79°59′53″W / 32.87472°N 79.99806°W / 32.87472; -79.99806
Owned byCity of North Charleston
Line(s) Charleston Subdivision
Platforms1 side platform
Tracks2
Bus stands2
Bus operators
  • Aiga bus trans.svg CARTA
  • Aiga bus trans.svg Southeastern Stages
Construction
Structure typeAt-grade
AccessibleYes
ArchitectDavis & Floyd, Inc.
Other information
Station code Amtrak: CHS
History
OpenedDecember 13, 2018 (2018-12-13) [1]
Passengers
FY 202237,461 [2] (Amtrak)
Services
Preceding station BSicon LOGO Amtrak2.svg Amtrak Following station
Yemassee
toward Savannah
Palmetto Kingstree
toward New York
Yemassee
toward Miami
Silver Meteor
      Auto Train does not stop here
Former services
Preceding station Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Following station
Ravenel
toward Tampa
Main Line Monks Corner
toward Richmond

The North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center is an intermodal transit station in North Charleston, South Carolina, United States. It serves as the Amtrak train station for the Greater Charleston area as well as a bus terminus for the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) and Southeastern Stages, a regional intercity bus common carrier. The street address is 4565 Gaynor Avenue, and is located in the Liberty Hill neighborhood. [3]

Contents

History

Project for the current station began in 1996 with a feasibility study and site selection led by CARTA. The site chosen was a 36-acre (15 ha) tract located on West Montague Avenue, wedged between Dorchester Road and Interstate 526. From 1997 to 2007 the project went through a series of refinements, land purchasing and required NEPA assessments. With a 2007 groundbreaking, construction began with infrastructure and a park and ride lot.

In 2009, Davis & Floyd, Inc. joined the project, providing the architectural design and engineering for the building. The final design was a 32,000-square-foot (3,000 m2) two-story double-towered edifice, evoking the architecture style of the Charleston Union Station that existed from 1907 to 1947. The facility was to included leasable space, restaurant/retail space, CARTA administration offices, additional meeting space and operations for Amtrak, CARTA and Southeastern Stages. In 2010, the project qualified for the State of Good Repair Program, providing Federal dollars from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). [4]

In 2012, because of the close proximity to the CSX Bennett Yard, the company rejected a platform permit without sidetrack. Additional costs related to constructing a sidetrack, so the station would not impede freight rail traffic, made the site no longer cost feasible thus stopping the project. [5] [6]

In 2014, CARTA began the process of relocating the project to Gaynor Avenue, adjacent to the existing Amtrak station. new NEPA and NHPA assessments were started as well zoning, permits, redesign and disposal of the Montague Avenue site. Bus tests were conducted on July 29, 2014, to confirm vertical clearance under Sevenmile Viaduct. [7] [8]

In 2015, project management and ownership was transferred from CARTA to the city of North Charleston. To keep costs within the $14.5 million budget, the new facility was downsized from 32,000 square feet (3,000 m2) to 14,217 square feet (1,320.8 m2), eliminating the leasable space, restaurant/retail space and CARTA administration offices. [9] On February 2, 2016, the FTA gave final approval citing no significant impact on the environment. [10] Phase one of construction began on August 24, 2017, with the new building and reconstruction of one-half of the side platform. [6] The North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center officially opened with early-morning train service on December 13, 2018. [1] [11]

In 2019, phase two of construction includes the razing of the Atlantic Coast Line depot, reconstructing the remaining half of the side platform, roadway modifications, CARTA bus turnoffs and vehicle parking. [1]

Atlantic Coast Line depot

The former Atlantic Coast Line/Amtrak station Charleston, South Carolina Amtrak.jpg
The former Atlantic Coast Line/Amtrak station

Opened in 1956, the Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) depot reflects mid-century modern design popular at the time of construction. It is characterized by clean lines and minimal ornamentation. Typical features of the mid-century modern aesthetic found in the Charleston depot include a flat roof, large groupings of windows with horizontal lights, and shallow cantilevered canopies at the first and second floors. Red brick and dyed-green concrete panels arranged in alternating horizontal bands emphasize the building's rectilinear lines. Public spaces feature exposed brick on the lower walls and floors of durable green terrazzo; both materials can stand the wear and tear of large crowds and are easy to maintain. [12]

Passenger service was located on the first floor. As the station was built during the height of segregation, it was built with two separate waiting areas, each with their own sets of restrooms. In the days of segregation, whites used one waiting area and blacks used the other. The second floor housed the ACL freight office for the Charleston division; the office closed when became part of CSX Transportation's Florence division. In 1967, ACL merged with Seaboard Air Line Railroad to become Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). In 1971, passenger operations was transferred to Amtrak, while the station remained owned by SCL (later CSX Transportation). In 1972, the city of North Charleston was incorporated. In the 1980s, fencing topped with barbed wire surrounded the station after a rash of burglaries. [6]

On December 13, 2018, all passenger rail service was relocated to the North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center and the former Atlantic Coast Line/Amtrak station was officially closed.

Because the station was eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, the City of North Charleston and CARTA made an agreement with the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) that they will provide measured drawings and professional photography of the interior and exterior, to be submitted to SHPO and Clemson University as the repositories. An erection of a state historic marker. And salvage one of the exterior green tiles (before or during demolition) and include it and other photographs and information related to the station in the North Charleston Intermodal Transportation Center museum space. [10]

Services

The station is served by two Amtrak routes, for a total of four trains daily:

Amtrak operating hours are at 4:00am–11:45am and at 4:00pm–11:45pm, which includes the ticket counter, passenger assistance and baggage service. [13]

The station appears in Amtrak timetables as Charleston.

Layout

The nearly 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m2) single-story station is constructed in brown brick and textured concrete masonry units, with stylized pilasters that visually break up the long, horizontal facades. At one end is a tower, while a projecting bay with triangular parapet and clock face marks the main entrance. A network of canopies protect travelers from inclement weather as they arrive or depart by car, bus or rail. The steeply pitched, hipped seamed-metal roof has prominent shed dormer windows that, along with numerous other windows at ground level, allow natural light into the facility.

The interior is set up with an entry concourse, Amtrak concourse and passenger concourse through the center connecting CARTA and Southeastern Stages at opposite ends. The floor has light and dark gray diamond pattern and accented with organic stone and wood elements. The facility is fully accessible compliant and offers additional meeting space and a museum to the Liberty Hill neighborhood. [9] [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Union Station</span> Major transit hub and passenger rail stop in the District of Columbia

Washington Union Station, known locally as Union Station, is a major train station, transportation hub, and leisure destination in Washington, D.C. Designed by Daniel Burnham and opened in 1907, it is Amtrak's headquarters, the railroad's second-busiest station, and North America's 10th-busiest railroad station. The station is the southern terminus of the Northeast Corridor, an electrified rail line extending north through major cities including Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston, and the busiest passenger rail line in the nation. In 2015, it served just under five million passengers.

<i>Silver Star</i> (Amtrak train) Amtrak service between New York and Florida

The Silver Star is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 1,522-mile (2,449 km) route between New York City and Miami via Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia, Raleigh, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, Jacksonville, Florida, and Tampa, Florida. The Silver Star and its sister train in the Silver Service brand, the Silver Meteor, are the descendants of numerous long-distance trains that operated between Florida and New York for most of the 20th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Railroad and Banking Company</span> Historic American railroad and banking company

The Georgia Railroad and Banking Company also seen as "GARR", was a historic railroad and banking company that operated in the U.S. state of Georgia. In 1967 it reported 833 million revenue-ton-miles of freight and 3 million passenger-miles; at the end of the year it operated 331 miles (533 km) of road and 510 miles (820 km) of track.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Union Station (Massachusetts)</span> Train station in Springfield, Massachusetts, US

Springfield Union Station is a train and bus station in the Metro Center area of Springfield, Massachusetts. Constructed in 1926, Springfield Union Station is the fifth-busiest Amtrak station in the Commonwealth, and the busiest outside of Greater Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority</span>

The Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) provides area residents and visitors public transportation within parts of Charleston and Dorchester counties in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina, including the cities of Charleston, North Charleston and the surrounding communities of Mount Pleasant, Summerville, James Island, Sullivan's Island, and the Isle of Palms. CARTA presently contracts with Transdev for staffing and managing the bus drivers in addition to maintaining and scheduling the buses. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 2,191,500, or about 7,100 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paoli station</span> Train station in Paoli, Pennsylvania

Paoli station is a passenger rail station located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia at 13 Lancaster Avenue, Paoli, Pennsylvania. It is served by Amtrak's Keystone Service and Pennsylvanian trains, and most SEPTA Paoli/Thorndale Line trains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlottesville Union Station</span> Railway station in the United States

The Charlottesville Union Station, located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, is served by Amtrak's Cardinal,Crescent, and daily Northeast Regional passenger trains. It is Amtrak's third-busiest station in Virginia, aside from its all-auto Auto Train station in Lorton. The station is situated in the northeast quadrant of the junction between two railway lines. The Cardinal uses the east–west line, owned by the state of Virginia, and formerly by CSX Transportation, and operated by the Buckingham Branch Railroad, while other services use the north–south line owned and operated by Norfolk Southern Railway. The station is within walking distance of the University of Virginia, which is the major employer in the area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center</span>

The William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center (RTC) is an Amtrak intermodal transit station serving the Syracuse area. It is owned and operated by Intermodal Transportation Center, Inc, a subsidiary of Centro, and is also served by Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and Trailways. Local and regional bus transportation is provided by Centro. Various taxi firms provide service to the Center, as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza (Toledo)</span>

Martin Luther King Jr. Plaza is the main passenger rail and intercity bus station of Toledo, Ohio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacramento Valley Station</span> Railway station in Sacramento, California, US

Sacramento Valley Station is an Amtrak railway station in the city of Sacramento, California, at 401 I Street on the corner of Fifth Street. It is the seventh busiest Amtrak station in the country, and the second busiest in the Western United States. It is served by four different Amtrak train routes and connecting Amtrak Thruway motorcoaches. It is also the western terminus for the Gold Line of the Sacramento RT Light Rail system and the Route 30 bus serving Sacramento State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center</span> Transit facility in Massachusetts, US

The Joseph Scelsi Intermodal Transportation Center is a transit facility located in downtown Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The $11 million facility is named after Joseph Scelsi, a longtime State Representative who represented Pittsfield. Owned by the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA), it is serviced by local BRTA bus services, Amtrak intercity rail service, and Peter Pan intercity bus service. The second floor of the building houses two classrooms used by Berkshire Community College and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Area Multimodal Gateway</span>

Capital Area Multimodal Gateway, also known as East Lansing station, is an intermodal transit station in East Lansing, Michigan. Operated by the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA), it is served by Amtrak's Blue Water passenger train, local buses, and intercity buses. It opened in 2015 to replace a nearby Amtrak and bus station operating since 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlotte station (Amtrak)</span> Amtrak Station in Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte station is an Amtrak station located at 1914 North Tryon Street, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the northeast of Uptown Charlotte. Owned by Norfolk Southern, it is located near that railroad's yard outside Uptown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. Douglas Galyon Depot</span>

J. Douglas Galyon Depot, also known as Greensboro station, is an intermodal transit facility in Greensboro, North Carolina. Located at 236 East Washington Street in downtown Greensboro, it serves Amtrak passenger rail and is the city's main hub for local and intercity buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milwaukee Intermodal Station</span> Intercity station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US

Milwaukee Intermodal Station is an intercity bus and train station in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Amtrak service at Milwaukee includes the daily Empire Builder and the seven daily Hiawatha Service round trips. It is Amtrak's 18th-busiest station nationwide, and the second-busiest in the Midwest, behind only Chicago Union Station. The station is served by bus companies Coach USA - Wisconsin Coach Lines, Greyhound Lines, Jefferson Lines, Indian Trails, Lamers, Badger Bus, Tornado Bus Company, and Megabus. It is also the western terminus of the M-Line service of The Hop streetcar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dillon station</span> Passenger train station in Dillon, South Carolina

Dillon station is a train station in Dillon, South Carolina, served by Amtrak, the United States' railroad passenger system. It was originally built by the Florence Railroad in 1893, but only as a freight station. Once the railroad was consolidated into the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1898, the passenger station was opened in 1904. The station survived the merger of the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line Railroads into the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1967, only to terminate passenger service in 1971. Amtrak service to Dillon began on June 15, 1976, with the introduction of the Palmetto. The four-faced station clock also contains two Fahrenheit thermometers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raleigh Union Station</span> American intermodal transit station

Raleigh Union Station is an intermodal transit station in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Train service began the morning of July 10, 2018. Its main building serves as an Amtrak train station, while a future adjacent building will serve as the bus terminus for GoTriangle. The station is located at the Boylan Wye, a railroad junction used by CSX and Norfolk Southern, and adjacent to the Depot Historic District in downtown Raleigh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goldsboro Union Station</span> Historic site

The Goldsboro Union Station is a former passenger train depot and future intermodal transit station in Goldsboro, North Carolina, United States. Originally operating from 1909 to 1968, the Eclectic two-story brick depot was preserved as one of the most ambitious railroad structures in North Carolina, built as a symbol of the importance of railroading to Goldsboro. Currently closed-off for future renovations, the five-acre (2.0 ha) facility also includes the GWTA Bus Transfer Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center</span> Passenger train and bus station in California, United States

The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) is an intermodal transit center in Anaheim, California, United States. It serves as a train station for Amtrak intercity rail and Metrolink commuter rail, as well as a bus station used by the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART), Greyhound, Megabus, Flixbus and Tres Estrellas de Oro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Main Line (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad)</span> Historic railroad in the Southeast

The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad’s Main Line was the backbone of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad's network in the southeastern United States. The main line ran from Richmond, Virginia to Port Tampa just southwest of Tampa, Florida, a distance of nearly 900 miles. Along its route it passed through Petersburg, Rocky Mount, Florence, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, and Orlando. With the exception of a short 61-mile segment in Greater Orlando, the entire line is still owned by the Atlantic Coast Line's successor, CSX Transportation, and is still in service as their A Line.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nestman, Christopher (December 13, 2018). "First Look: New North Charleston train and bus station unveiled". Charleston, SC: WCIV . Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  2. "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2022: State of South Carolina" (PDF). Amtrak. June 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Liberty Hills, South Carolina
  4. "North Charleston Intermodal Station Gains Funding". Great American Stations (Amtrak). Archived from the original on March 27, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  5. "North Charleston Intermodal Facility Amtrak Coordination Meeting - Public-Mtg-PPT-61614" (PDF). Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority. June 16, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  6. 1 2 3 Rindge, Brenda (August 23, 2017). "North Charleston to break ground on long-awaited transportation center". The Post and Courier . Charleston, SC. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  7. "BridgeReports.com US 52 over S.C.L. Railroad-Priv. Rd, Charleston County, South Carolina" . Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  8. "Intermodal-Presentation-Liberty-Hill-82114" (PDF). Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority. August 21, 2014. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  9. 1 2 "North Charleston Intermodal Facility Amtrak Coordination Meeting - Public-Mtg-PPT-71415" (PDF). Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority. July 14, 2015. Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  10. 1 2 "U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration - FONSI" (PDF). Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority. February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  11. North Charleston's New Intermodal Facility on YouTube
  12. "North Charleston, SC (CHS) - Great American Stations". Great American Stations (Amtrak). Archived from the original on September 29, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  13. "North Charleston, South Carolina Train Station (CHS) - Amtrak" . Retrieved February 4, 2019.
  14. "North Charleston, SC (CHS) - Great American Stations". Great American Stations (Amtrak). Retrieved February 5, 2019.