Richmond, VA - Staples Mill Road - Parking & Nearby Hotel

[Dovecote]

According to the Amtrak website there are 288 long term parking spaces at the the station. I am considering parking there for around 2 1/2 weeks to visit family up north. Is it safe to leave a car there for that period and safe to assume that spaces will be available for afternoon parking?

Any recommendations for a nearby hotel that is reasonably priced?

 

[pennyk]

I spent a couple of hours in the RVR station a few weeks ago during a layover. The parking lot was large, but it was packed. There were many cars "parked" illegall because there were no spaces remaining. An Amtrak ticket agent mentioned that they rarely have any vandalism in the parking lot. I do not know about hotels. I walked as far as a grocery store a couple of blocks away.

 

[Dovecote]

I spent a couple of hours in the RVR station a few weeks ago during a layover. The parking lot was large, but it was packed. There were many cars "parked" illegall because there were no spaces remaining. An Amtrak ticket agent mentioned that they rarely have any vandalism in the parking lot. I do not know about hotels. I walked as far as a grocery store a couple of blocks away.

Thanks Penny for the feedback on the parking lot. The reason I asked in the first place was due to this link from Amtrak http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=am/AM_Alert_C/Alerts_Popup&cid=1251623564137 in which they detail the not so ideal parking situation at this station.

I will wait for other feed back but it does not sound promising based on your recent experience and Amtrak's station info link.

 

[Big Iron]

The parking lot is safe and well lit. The station is not in a "bad" part of town. There have been issues with finding places to park and the parking lot company is not towing cars unless they are in a fire lane or blocking exits. My wife left there two weeks ago and found plenty of open spaces but she left on a Sunday morning. Remember to bring cash, no checks, debit or credit.......CASH. I think it is $8.00/day but not sure.

Regarding motels, there are a host of chain hotels within 5 minutes of the station. Depends on how you define reasonable. There is a Westin, Econo-Lodge, Days Inn and a bunch more. Focus your search on the 6600-8000 blocks of West Broad Street in Henrico County and that will get you within the 5 minute mark.

A bit further afield, maybe 15 minutes is an Aloft Hotel that is very nice and situated in an "urban/suburban" area with lots of shopping, restaurants, a nice gym next door.

 

[Anderson]

Well, the parking situation in VA is neither here nor there, but it's a chronic problem among VA's Amtrak stations. The main issue is that, while the VA rail plan cited a 76% increase in ridership since 2004, the situation is a bit more desperate than that since the Auto Train really "doesn't count" in many regards (it's isolated from the rest of the Amtrak stations in VA). Non-Auto Train traffic in VA was somewhere around 550k in 2004. It's at something like 1.073m for FY12, and probably well clear of 1.1m for FY13. In the last four years, it's gone from 714k to that...and VA simply hasn't been able to augment parking at /any/ stations in that time. Ridership at RVR is approaching (if it hasn't already exceeded) 1000/day.

In my experience, you'd be safe parking there. I've done long-term parking at RVR, and if you dump the car there late at night you should be fine with finding a space. There's enough traffic terminating there that a few spaces will open up.

As to paying for parking, they now take cards. It's a fairly new thing (i.e. only in the last few months), but I've been able to pay with a credit card there as of late. I think they probably got fed up with complaints about not taking cards (especially given that...well, let's face it, not all of us have ATM cards to use the "ATM machine located conveniently in the area", to quote the sign on the snack stand). And at last check, it was $5/day...though that might get changed given the demand situation.

 

[PRR 60]

Ridership at RVR, counting passengers only once (or or off, not on and off), is approaching 500 per day. Still a good amount.

 

[afigg]

Ridership at RVR, counting passengers only once (or or off, not on and off), is approaching 500 per day. Still a good amount.

The number of boardings and alightings at Staples Mill was 345 thousand in FY2012. Does not matter whether they were getting on or off, each one was a passenger going through the station, sitting on a bench, using the restroom, parking or retrieving their car, or if it was the same person that boarded a WAS bound train in the morning and got off a southbound train from WAS in the evening. They are not getting on and off on the same train.
With the growth in VA passenger ridership, RVR may reach 365K total passengers in FY2013 or a 1000 a day. As recently as FY2007, total number of passengers at RVR was 234 thousand, so the station has had a 50% growth in passenger volume in 5 years. RVR and the parking capacity were not built for that many. VA DRPT may have to give higher priority for the plans to replace RVR with a new suburban station.

 

[Anderson]

afigg,

Do you by any chance have the 2007 stat

Ridership at RVR, counting passengers only once (or or off, not on and off), is approaching 500 per day. Still a good amount.

The number of boardings and alightings at Staples Mill was 345 thousand in FY2012. Does not matter whether they were getting on or off, each one was a passenger going through the station, sitting on a bench, using the restroom, parking or retrieving their car, or if it was the same person that boarded a WAS bound train in the morning and got off a southbound train from WAS in the evening. They are not getting on and off on the same train.

With the growth in VA passenger ridership, RVR may reach 365K total passengers in FY2013 or a 1000 a day. As recently as FY2007, total number of passengers at RVR was 234 thousand, so the station has had a 50% growth in passenger volume in 5 years. RVR and the parking capacity were not built for that many. VA DRPT may have to give higher priority for the plans to replace RVR with a new suburban station.

Do you by any chance have the 2007 state station/ridership list? I'd be curious to compare that with 2012's. I had VA's for about three years, but I don't know where the old numbers are.

 

[Michael061282]

We REALLY REALLY REALLY need a new station in Richmond, unfortunately, unless Amtrak decides to put a station in the middle of ACCA Yard (Not happening) We aren't going to get one. Staples Mill Rd is just to crammed right now, Maybe they could add a second floor, but honestly I don't know what all the could do. They're already telling people to get to the station before 7am, even if you have a later train, or you'll have to park in a Park& Ride lot 5+ blocks from the station. I really don't know what all they can do other then build a parking deck and larger waiting room or move. None of those are really viable options. At least they finally put a stop light up for the station entrance on Staples Mill Road. Maybe they could add a South Richmond station somewhere (CSX would probably balk at that) to alleviate some passenger congestion.

 

[PRR 60]

Ridership at RVR, counting passengers only once (or or off, not on and off), is approaching 500 per day. Still a good amount.

The number of boardings and alightings at Staples Mill was 345 thousand in FY2012. Does not matter whether they were getting on or off, each one was a passenger going through the station, sitting on a bench, using the restroom, parking or retrieving their car, or if it was the same person that boarded a WAS bound train in the morning and got off a southbound train from WAS in the evening. They are not getting on and off on the same train.
With the growth in VA passenger ridership, RVR may reach 365K total passengers in FY2013 or a 1000 a day. As recently as FY2007, total number of passengers at RVR was 234 thousand, so the station has had a 50% growth in passenger volume in 5 years. RVR and the parking capacity were not built for that many. VA DRPT may have to give higher priority for the plans to replace RVR with a new suburban station.

Unless people use seperate cars coming and going, the correct passenger count to relate to parking capacity is 500. This was about parking, wasn't it? 288 spots for 500 passengers is better than 288 spots for 1000 passengers.

 

[Bus Nut]

PRR--except when you have people leave and return on different days. Then their cars stay there taking up slots. Although you are correct about there being daily commuters as well.

Michael--I have never understood this about VA, they can spend so durn much on DOT road projects, including that doomed Springfield mixing bowl project (that killed so many people, ugh), road widening, etc, but they have a horrible backlog on traffic signals so you get a warrant (which is usually past the point that a signal is needed) and wait 18-24mos for a signal?! I thought they were supposed to have raised taxes years ago to address that. It didn't help that that one governor tried to skirt around rules about DBEs by hiring a fly-by-night IT company that cost DOT millions of dollars. (The DBE rules are there because certain ethnic groups used, perhaps still do, control the road crew contracting business and would freeze everyone else out. Which is why the decision to use IT dollars to "comply" was shady to begin with.)

It's also rich when DOT officials block bus stops going in because of "safety" but delay delay delay on putting in traffic signals. Gotta wonder what they're teaching those grads at VTech.

Yeah, grrr, it's been over a decade and I'm still bitter.

PS: DOT also used to spend money like there was no tomorrow on parking decks and PNR lots. Wonder what happened.

PPS: Richmond used to have a lovely streetcar system. So sad.

 

[afigg]

Unless people use seperate cars coming and going, the correct passenger count to relate to parking capacity is 500. This was about parking, wasn't it? 288 spots for 500 passengers is better than 288 spots for 1000 passengers.

If people park their car at RVR for a week or 10 days, how many passengers are there? Not everybody is using the train to make a day trip to WAS. The bottom line is that RVR no longer has enough parking capacity.
BTW, the Draft 2013 Virginia State Rail Plan provides a neat breakdown of the number of boardings and alightings at each Virginia station by train service for FY2012. Unfortunately, the table lumps all the Regionals going to or through RVR in one category. Breaking out the numbers for the Newport News versus the RVR terminating trains would be interesting. For RVR, the breakdown is:

NE Regionals: 242,294

Carolinian: 33,183

Palmetto: 31,236

Silver Star: 24,073

Silver Meteor: 14,861

Total: 345,657

 

[Nathanael]

RVR and the parking capacity were not built for that many. VA DRPT may have to give higher priority for the plans to replace RVR with a new suburban station.

Well, the old VA DRPT plan was to first start running *all* the trains through RVM, which was expected to claim a large percentage of the people currently boarding at RVR. (RVM has parking too, and has much better passenger circulation.)

Unfortunately no effort has been taken whatsoever to rehabilitate or improve the tracks and bridges necessary to do that.

 

[Nathanael]

Maybe they could add a South Richmond station somewhere (CSX would probably balk at that) to alleviate some passenger congestion.

Richmond Main Street (RVM). The state rail plan has, for years, called for ALL trains to run through RVM. The plan for trains to Norfolk calls for all trains to run through RVM. The plan for SEHSR calls for all trains to run through RVM. The plan for Richmond Main St. Station calls for all trains to run through RVM...
...but the state hasn't spent even a single dollar on the bridge and tracks connecting from RVM across the James River to the south.

Anyway, RVM has parking and is pretty close to South Richmond, so it would probably achieve the goal of relieving pressure on RVR, if it had ALL the trains stopping at it.

 

[Anderson]

Maybe they could add a South Richmond station somewhere (CSX would probably balk at that) to alleviate some passenger congestion.

Richmond Main Street (RVM). The state rail plan has, for years, called for ALL trains to run through RVM. The plan for trains to Norfolk calls for all trains to run through RVM. The plan for SEHSR calls for all trains to run through RVM. The plan for Richmond Main St. Station calls for all trains to run through RVM...
...but the state hasn't spent even a single dollar on the bridge and tracks connecting from RVM across the James River to the south.

Anyway, RVM has parking and is pretty close to South Richmond, so it would probably achieve the goal of relieving pressure on RVR, if it had ALL the trains stopping at it.

There are some complicated issue here. For one, the tracks south of RVM are even more of a mess than the RVR-RVM tracks are. For another, apparently Richmond hasn't been terribly enthusiastic about putting up support for some elements of this project, leading some of the money to go elsewhere (i.e. starting up Regionals to Lynchburg and Norfolk).

 

[Traveler]

I arrived at the Staples Mill station before 8 AM on a Tuesday morning, for a trip to NY. There were no parking spaces. I was told there was available parking at a "park and drive" lot down the road, but there is no shuttle back to the station and I was carrying a a large suitcase, a second smaller overnight bag, along with my laptop and a hand bag. Also, I was returning a week later, at close to 11 PM at night. As a woman, only 5 ft, 2 in, it would be stupid to walk down Staples Mill Rd, late at night, all by myself, dragging luggage.

So, I did what others were doing; I parked in a non-parking space in station's parking lot. I was told not to worry, my car wouldn't be towed. And, it wasn't, but when I returned the following week, it had a huge dent on the side, along with a long scratch. Someone had hit my car and not even bothered to report it.

I thought taking the train would be less stressful than flying...... I was wrong.

When I got home I googled directions from the train station to the lot they had suggested I park my car. The .4 mile walk involves crossing Staples Mill.... (that would be fun with luggage) and the directions say the following...."This route may be missing sidewalks or pedestrian paths". Lovely.

 

[Palmland]

Since you are headed north, why not park downtown where there are hotels and parking and take one of the two Main St. station trains to NY.

Parking info:http://www.richmondgov.com/MainStreetStation/Parking.aspx

and hotel info: http://www.hotels.com/search.do?destination=1500+e.+main+st.+richmond%2C+va&arrivalDate=09%2F18%2F13&departureDate=09%2F19%2F13&rooms=1&children[0]=0&searchParams.rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&searchParams.resolvedLocation=CITY%3A1640201%3AEXACT_RED%3AHIGH&destinationId=&searchParams.landmark=&hotelId=

If you stay in a downtown hotel, you might be able to use their parking lot and taxis should be easy to get for the short drive to the station, if you didn't want to walk.

 

[xyzzy]

Parking at RVR has been abominable for over 10 years. If VDOT and Amtrak won't address the problem, why don't Henrico County and the City of Richmond? Directly across Staples Mill Road is an idle tract of land sufficient to double or even triple the size of the Amtrak parking lot.

 

[Nathanael]

For another, apparently Richmond hasn't been terribly enthusiastic about putting up support for some elements of this project, leading some of the money to go elsewhere (i.e. starting up Regionals to Lynchburg and Norfolk).

Oh. Ick. Bad Richmond!

 

[abcnews]

Park in Ashland and catch the train there, It is free on the streets... All the Northeast trains stop there - but not the Silvers, the Carolinian or the Palmetto.

 

[me_little_me]

If you decide you must go out of Staple Mill and intend to stay at a local hotel, why not just call them up and ask if they would let you park there if you stay there. I've done that a number of times at no cost for trains (airport area hotels often do that for flyers).

The cost of a short taxi ride (assuming the place has no complimentary shuttle) is probably going to be a better deal than 2 1/2 weeks at $8/day.

But I agree with abcnews and park in Ashland.

 

[xyzzy]

But I agree with abcnews and park in Ashland.

Quiet! If everybody does that, Ashland is sure to impose restrictions.

 

[Big Iron]

If you decide you must go out of Staple Mill and intend to stay at a local hotel, why not just call them up and ask if they would let you park there if you stay there. I've done that a number of times at no cost for trains (airport area hotels often do that for flyers).
The cost of a short taxi ride (assuming the place has no complimentary shuttle) is probably going to be a better deal than 2 1/2 weeks at $8/day.

But I agree with abcnews and park in Ashland.

My wife works about 3 miles from the station. About a month ago she took a cab from the station to work at a cost of $6.00. The cabbie wasn't too happy about the short fare but my wife considered that a personal problem.

I'm going to strongly consider the Ashland option for future trips.