The future Hillsborough Station is currently set to be completed in 2027, but the town might have to wait a little longer before it comes into fruition. The Orange County Board of Commissioners recently met with the Town of Hillsborough to hear the latest updates.
The 20 acre site — located between Gold Hill Way and the North Carolina Railroad tracks — could be a new heart for the town, according to Hillsborough’s Public Space and Sustainability Manager Stephanie Trueblood.
“In the past, Hillsborough’s always been thought of as a historic downtown,” Trueblood said. “But what we’re talking about is shifting this focus to a new, higher-density, transit-oriented development area that celebrates our arts and invites people in, helps with tourism, supports local businesses.”
Served by Amtrak, the net-zero-ready passenger station would be about 8,000 square feet and include town offices, a new boardroom, and an outdoor public gathering space in addition to its platform and ticketing area.
A proposed rendering for the future Hillsborough Station. (Image via the Town of Hillsborough.)
The town first prepared a concept plan for the project in 2016, later contracting Clearscapes to lead the design team in 2022. Along with parking and EV charging stations, the facility would also allow for multimodal transportation to Hillsborough’s downtown by way of the Ridgewalk Greenway. The station’s construction is set to be completed in February 2027, but Trueblood said that date will likely be extended.
Although Hillsborough approved the site plan in August, the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR) and Northfolk Southern (NS) cannot review it until the town executes a preliminary engineering agreement. However, Trueblood explained how there cannot be a PE agreement until indemnification and insurance terms are developed and approved.
“We are third in line for that. There’s sort of an unspoken rule that Northfolk Southern reviews one set of plans at a time in North Carolina. So Kannapolis and Salisbury are just ahead of us. They are currently negotiating their terms with the railroad. And I think they’re getting close to an agreement.”
A proposed rendering for the future Hillsborough Station. (Photo via the Town of Hillsborough.)
In accordance with the Town’s Comprehensive Sustainability Plan, a third of the site will be set aside for affordable housing. On the remaining acreage, there is potential for complementary residential and nonresidential transit-related development, like commercial space and either a multi-modal transportation center (MMC) and/or a performing arts venue.
The latter is something Hillsborough has a huge need for, according to Orange County Arts Commission Director Katie Murray.
“What I do know is the Eno Arts Mill has provided a lot of great visual arts space or artist studios or gallery or classroom, but even after just three and a half years we’re already busting at the seams,” she said at the February 17 meeting.
Murray said local artists deserve a purpose-built space to perform and host classes, citing how a lot of groups have to use schools and churches right now. And the venue could bring outside audiences who will spend money in town, she added.
And the MMC could provide additional amenities for pedestrians and cyclists utilizing the greenway. While neither board has expressed official support for either use, Trueblood said the two options are compatible. The biggest challenge is figuring out cost and partnerships, she added.
The current project cost is about $8 million, and it is partially funded through a 2016 Transportation Improvement Program grant. In 2020, Hillsborough also signed a funding agreement with the North Carolina Department of Transportation and GoTriangle.
With support from town staff, Orange County is also seeking additional funding for the multimodal hub through a USDOT grant, among other avenues. Hillsborough Commissioner Kathleen Ferguson stressed how those plan b’s will be essential, as the project is “just too important” not to have them.
“We did confirm that at least both our senators are very supportive of economic development when it’s framed that way,” Ferguson said. “I hope we are utilizing that in terms of federal asks. With all of this, I hope we are considering that.”
To view the full Orange County Board of Commissioners and Town of Hillsborough meeting, click here.
Featured image via the Town of Hillsborough.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Orange County and Hillsborough Commissioners Review Timeline for Future Train Station Chapelboro.com.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Orange County and Hillsborough Commissioners Review Timeline for Future Train Station )
Also on site :
- Metal Ions: The Next Frontier in Diabetes Management?
- Who are Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer? Meet the Eurovision 2025 presenters
- Starmer to send failed asylum seekers abroad - a year after Rwanda scheme scrapped