Last Thursday, two events occurred in the New River Valley that should fill us all with a sense of excitement and pride. I would like to take a moment to highlight the groundbreaking for the New River Valley AMTRAK station and the annual Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets award ceremony.
On the morning of Thursday, April 24, the New River Valley AMTRAK station had its official groundbreaking ceremony at the Historic Cambria Depot in the 42nd House District. Expansion of passenger rail to the New River Valley has been a long time coming, and it is a big deal for higher education, economic development, and leisure travel for our region. I am proud to have played a supporting role in this initiative, and I cannot wait for work to begin in earnest.
Passenger rail expansion to our region will provide numerous benefits. First, it will take some of the pressure off of I-81, especially for travel between the NRV and Northern Virginia (and beyond). High ridership numbers for the Roanoke AMTRAK route – some of the strongest in the nation – proves that our part of the state has a high demand for alternative travel and I expect that this route will continue that trend. The increased strength of our region’s rail connection to Northern Virginia and Washington, DC will be of major importance to Virginia Tech, especially due to the recent opening of Tech’s new Innovation Campus in Alexandria. Businesses seeking a reliable and convenient connection to markets northbound will benefit greatly, and tourism travel will certainly increase. And that is not all – expansion of passenger rail into the New River Valley opens up the possibility for new rail routes southward toward Bristol, and beyond. Business and leisure travel is about to become more convenient, and this is a very exciting time for those who value improvements to our transportation infrastructure.
Also last Thursday, the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets held their annual awards ceremony to recognize and honor cadets for their accomplishments during the last academic year. Dozens of cadets were recognized with awards from the different military branches, military and veterans groups – such as the VFW and Sons of the American Revolution, and many others that highlight cadets’ dedication to leadership, teamwork, and academic excellence. Of note, the Giles County administration and I recognized the Corps of Cadets for their assistance when I had requested their mobilization for cleanup from Hurricane Helene. Without any hesitation, the Corps marched into our community and provided help and hope when so many of our friends and neighbors needed both. In honor of this great deed, I submitted a commendation from the House of Delegates that was presented to the Corps of Cadets, and Giles County will be naming their new boat landing “Cadets Landing” in the Corps’ honor. The positive mark these young men and women left on our community will live on long after they graduate, and I cannot thank the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets enough for developing such impressive leaders.
As the Delegate representing the 42nd House District in the Virginia General Assembly, your concerns are my greatest priority. If ever I may be of assistance to you and your family, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DelJBallard@House.Virginia.Gov. You can also follow me on Twitter @JasonBallardVA or like my Facebook page, Jason Ballard for Delegate, to keep up to date with what I am doing in Richmond and in our community on your behalf.
