A mobility hub plan is the next step in trying to position Weldon for passenger rail service, Halifax County Economic Development Director Cathy Scott told commissioners Monday. 

The board unanimously approved a $50,000 allocation for the plan.

Scott said the Weldon Passenger Rail Working Group has reconvened work on what she described as a "parallel path." This strategy recognizes the Weldon passenger rail station as a stand-alone project that would fill a 58-mile access gap between Rocky Mount and Petersburg, potentially opening the door for passenger rail service for all of northeastern North Carolina.

“As you are aware, local, regional, and state partners have been working collaboratively to advance passenger rail service in Weldon with the support and direction of the NCDOT Rail Division,” Scott wrote in a memo to the board.

That effort included financial participation by Halifax County, Halifax County Business Horizons, and the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau. These groups provided local match funding in support of the Weldon Passenger Rail Project to seek full funding in the final prioritized project list for the 2023–2032 Strategic Transportation Improvement Program.

In 2020, Halifax County committed $50,000 a year for three years as matching funds for the STIP project. “While the Weldon Passenger Rail Project was not fully funded in the STIP, the board of commissioners has consistently recognized the value of passenger rail to northeastern North Carolina, including increased mobility, improved access to education and medical services, and long-term tourism and economic development benefits.” 

The draft North Carolina Comprehensive State Rail Plan was released in January, mentioning Weldon as a site for a passenger rail station and as part of a proposed Weldon-to-Raleigh intercity passenger corridor. That service runs between Raleigh and Richmond, following the NC Line from Raleigh to Selma and the A-Line from Raleigh to Richmond through Wilson, Rocky Mount, and the Weldon/Roanoke Rapids area.

“This service is envisioned to complement the Southeast Corridor Alignment on the S-Line,” Scott wrote. “Building on earlier efforts, the Weldon Passenger Rail Working Group has reconvened work on a parallel path, recognizing the Weldon passenger rail station as a stand-alone project that will fill a 58-mile access gap between Rocky Mount and Petersburg.”

As part of this renewed strategy, NCDOT and its partners are recommending the development of a Weldon Mobility Hub Plan as the next critical implementation step. “This plan will function as a feasibility and site assessment study only. Its purpose is to document desired amenities, evaluate alternative locations, and support selection of a preferred site and conceptual design for a future mobility hub that could accommodate a passenger rail stop.”

Scott said the NCDOT Integrated Mobility Division has contracted with a planning consultant to provide professional services for the plan. The total cost is $200,000. Weldon has legislatively directed funds to support a portion of the cost, and Halifax Horizons and the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau will also be requested to participate.

“This investment represents a practical next step to preserve and advance the county’s long-standing passenger rail goals,” Scott concluded. “It positions Weldon competitively within NCDOT’s current passenger rail priorities and ensures the project is project-ready as future state and federal funding opportunities arise.”