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99-576: Funding for the SEHSR in the early 2000s was by the USDOT and the states of North Carolina and Virginia. Both states already funded some non-high-speed rail service operated for them by Amtrak , and own locomotives and passenger cars. On January 28, 2010, the White House announced that Southeast Corridor would receive $ 620 million of its request. This money was primarily for capacity upgrades along

198-597: A Great White Fleet , the company entered the warship business by building seven of the first sixteen warships. In addition to Collis, other members of the Huntington family played major roles in Newport News. From 1912 to 1914, his nephew, Henry E. Huntington , assumed leadership of the shipyard. Huntington Park , developed after World War I near the northern terminus of the James River Bridge ,

297-441: A blessed land/Gifted with a special view/Forever home for ev'ry man/With a spirit proud and true (repeat chorus to fade) Despite city efforts at large-scale revitalization, by the beginning of the 21st century, the downtown area consisted largely of the coal export facilities, the shipyard, and municipal offices. It is bordered by some harbor-related smaller businesses and lower income housing. Newport News grew in population from

396-582: A feasibility study was completed in August 2008 on the further extension from Charlotte through Spartanburg and Greenville, South Carolina to Atlanta and then Macon, Georgia . Further extensions to Savannah, Georgia , along with an extension from Raleigh through Columbia, South Carolina to Savannah and on to Jacksonville, Florida are also part of the federally designated SEHSR corridor, but those extensions have not yet been studied. All feasibility studies have suggested that synergy between parts of SEHSR and

495-699: A final approach into Atlanta. In December 2023, put forward by the North Carolina Department of Transportation , the Greenfield corridor was selected as part of the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program . It was granted up to $ 500,000 toward engineering and feasibility studies and is prioritized for future federal funding. There are three routes out of Atlanta being considered for high/higher speed rail. In 2012, during

594-611: A groundbreaking ceremony for the project, marking the official start of construction. The segment of the corridor between Raleigh and Charlotte travels along currently operational lines of the North Carolina Railroad , roughly parallel to I-85 . The portion of the route between Raleigh and Greensboro is over the H-line, while the Greensboro–Charlotte section travels along Norfolk Southern 's main line . (While

693-638: A high-speed rail between Atlanta and Jacksonville would be economically feasible. Fares between Atlanta and Jacksonville would range between $ 119.41 and $ 152.24. The construction for that route would cost from $ 5 billion to $ 16 billion. Another proposed rail project, known as the Transdominion Express , would connect to SEHSR and extend from Richmond west to Lynchburg and from Washington, D.C. ( Alexandria ) south via an existing Virginia Railway Express route to Manassas , extending on south to Charlottesville , Lynchburg, Roanoke and Bristol on

792-746: A more direct route for trains between Raleigh and the Northeast via Richmond. Since the abandonment of the S-line, Amtrak trains traveling north of Raleigh use the A-line and the North Carolina Railroad between Raleigh and Selma . (The A-line does not pass through Raleigh, instead running roughly parallel to Interstate 95 through Rocky Mount , Wilson , and Fayetteville .) The new S-line route will include station stops at Norlina, North Carolina, Henderson, North Carolina and Wake Forest, North Carolina . The proposed project does not include electrification of

891-567: A new seaport. The namesake, Sir William Newce, was an English soldier and originally settled in Ireland. There he had established Newcestown near Bandon, County Cork . He sailed to Virginia with Sir Francis Wyatt in October 1621 and was granted 2,500 acres (1,012 ha) of land. He died two days later. His brother, Capt. Thomas Newce, was given "600 acres at Kequatan , now called Elizabeth Cittie ." A partner Daniel Gookin completed founding

990-537: A part of Warwick County , one of the eight original shires of Virginia formed in the British Colony of Virginia by order of Charles I of England in 1634. Newport News was a rural area of plantations and a small fishing village until after the American Civil War . In 1881, fifteen years of rapid development began under the leadership of Collis P. Huntington , whose new Peninsula Extension of

1089-469: A restored S-line, as it did before 1986, and would also see the improvement in travel time. As part of Atlantic Gateway, Virginia sought to take control of the abandoned S-Line right-of-way between Petersburg and the North Carolina border. In late 2019, negotiations were concluded and CSX, Virginia, and North Carolina reached separate deals that called for the two states to acquire the portions of

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1188-542: A song was written by a city native and formally adopted by Newport News City Council in July 1989. The lyrics appear with permission from the author: (First verse): Harbor of a thousand ships/Forger of a nation's fleet/Gateway to the New World/Where ocean and river meet (Chorus): Strength wrought from steel/And a people's fortitude/Such is the timeless legacy/Of a place called Newport News (Second verse): Nestled in

1287-438: A staged effort that would first restore the S-line to its 79 mph (127 km/h) max speed state from the 1980s, and pursue other improvements only after service was restored. This would have the benefit of reducing the travel time between Richmond and Raleigh by nearly one hour for a much lower startup cost, though it may somewhat increase the cost of performing the later improvements. The Silver Star would also travel over

1386-642: A suburban station would be added at Bower's Hill in Chesapeake. In November 2014 the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) released a report recommending a different route, from Richmond to Suffolk to Norfolk via a new crossing of the James River near Charles City , bypassing Petersburg. This would provide combined high speed rail for a western portion of the Newport News route. It

1485-470: Is "to deliver the world's leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy through the safe, efficient, sustainable, and equitable movement of people and goods." In 1965, Najeeb Halaby , the chief of the independent Federal Aviation Agency strongly urged President Lyndon Johnson to set up a cabinet-level Department of Transportation. Halaby proposed merging the responsibilities of

1584-416: Is located in the humid subtropical climate zone, with cool to mild winters, and hot, humid summers. Due to the inland location, throughout the year, highs are 2 to 3 °F (1.1 to 1.7 °C) warmer and lows 1 to 2 °F (0.6 to 1.1 °C) cooler than areas to the southeast. Snowfall averages 5.8 inches (15 cm) per season, and the summer months tend to be slightly wetter. The geographic location of

1683-535: Is named for him. Collis Huntington's son, Archer M. Huntington and his wife, sculptor Anna Hyatt Huntington , developed the Mariners' Museum beginning in 1932. They created a natural park and the community's Mariners' Lake in the process. A major feature of Newport News, the Mariners' Museum has grown to become one of the largest and finest maritime museums in the world. The city grew in territory through

1782-591: Is nearly evenly split between the shorter distance provided by the more direct S-line routing and speed increases. The overall project cost for fully restoring and improving the S-line, including the curve straightening and new bridges necessary to raise top speeds to 110 mph (180 km/h), has been estimated at $ 4 billion. In response, the North Carolina-Virginia Interstate High-Speed Rail Compact Commission has proposed investigating

1881-559: Is not clear if the 2014 report will influence the project. Meanwhile, Virginia plans to expand conventional Amtrak service to both Newport News and Norfolk as part of a funding plan announced December 2019, encompassing major steps towards SEHSR on the Washington to Raleigh line. Between Richmond and Raleigh, the corridor uses the CSX S-line (the former Seaboard Air Line main line), which generally parallels US 1 . The tracks on

1980-680: Is the subject of popular speculation locally. Probably the best-known explanation holds that when an early group of Jamestown colonists left to return to England after the Starving Time during the winter of 1609–1610 aboard a ship of Captain Christopher Newport , they encountered another fleet of supply ships under the new Governor Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr , in the James River off Mulberry Island with reinforcements of men and supplies. The new governor ordered them to turn around and return to Jamestown. Under this theory,

2079-711: The 2020 census , the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the fifth-most populous city in Virginia and 140th-most populous city in the United States. The city is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula , on the northern shore of the James River to the river's mouth on the harbor of Hampton Roads. Most of the area now known as Newport News was once

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2178-462: The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway opened up means of transportation for the railroad to bring West Virginia bituminous coal to port for coastal shipping. Within a few years, Huntington and his associates also built a large shipyard . Newport News was incorporated in 1896, the new incorporated town . In 1958, by mutual consent by referendum, Newport News was consolidated with Warwick , rejoining

2277-554: The Great War , sits on the downtown waterfront. The "Eternal Flame" under the arch was cast by Womack Foundry, Inc. in the 1960s. It was hand crafted by the Foundry's founder and president, Ernest D. Womack. The downtown area has a number of landmarks and architecturally interesting buildings, which for some time were mostly abandoned in favor of building new areas in the northwest areas of the city (a strategy aided by tax incentives in

2376-535: The Lee Hall community, which retains historical features including the former Chesapeake and Ohio Railway station which served tens of thousands of soldiers based at what became nearby Fort Eustis during World War I and World War II . The larger-than-normal rural two-story frame depot is highly valued by rail fans and rail preservationists. In downtown Newport News, the Victory Arch , built to commemorate

2475-628: The Norlina Subdivision of CSX carrying some freight traffic. The North Carolina Department of Transportation was awarded a $ 47.5 million federal grant in 2020 to purchase the line. In early June 2022, a $ 58 million federal grant under the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements program to fund the initial engineering work necessary for rebuilding the S-Line between Raleigh and Richmond

2574-715: The North End . Developed primarily between 1900 and 1935, North End features a wealth of architectural styles and eclectic vernacular building designs. Extending along west to the James River Bridge approaches, it includes scenic views of the river. A well-preserved community, the North End is an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register . The 1958 merger by mutual agreement with

2673-478: The Tennessee border. USDOT The United States Department of Transportation ( USDOT or DOT ) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government . It is headed by the secretary of transportation , who reports directly to the president of the United States and is a member of the president's Cabinet . The department's fiscal year 2022–2026 strategic plan states that its mission

2772-658: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 120 square miles (310 km ), of which 69 square miles (180 km ) is land and 51 square miles (130 km ) (42.4%) is water. The city is located at the Peninsula side of Hampton Roads in the Tidewater region of Virginia , bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The Hampton Roads Metropolitan Statistical Area (officially known as

2871-508: The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) re-evaluated rail access to the Hampton Roads metropolitan area and on September 1, 2012, announced that while rail service from Richmond to Newport News will be maintained, the preferred high-speed corridor has been shifted to a Richmond–Petersburg–Norfolk alignment. The current Amtrak route through Suffolk would change to achieve more separation from freight, and

2970-757: The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority 's Metro Silver Line to connect Washington, D.C., and the Washington Dulles International Airport (DOT had previously agreed to subsidize the Silver Line construction to Reston, Virginia ). President Barack Obama 's budget request for 2010 also included $ 1.83 billion in funding for major transit projects. More than $ 600 million went towards ten new or expanding transit projects. The budget provided additional funding for all of

3069-789: The 'Cornwallis Surrender Centennial Celebration", a commemoration of the British defeat at the Battle of Yorktown . Huntington knew the railroad could transport coal eastbound from West Virginia's untapped natural resources. His agents began acquiring land in Warwick County in 1865. In the 1880s, he oversaw extension of the C&;O's new Peninsula Subdivision , which extended from the Church Hill Tunnel in Richmond southeast down

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3168-482: The 1960s through the 1990s. The city began to explore New Urbanism as a way to develop areas midtown. City Center at Oyster Point was developed out of a small portion of the Oyster Point Business Park. It opened in phases from 2003 through 2005. The city invested $ 82 million of public funding in the project. Closely following Oyster Point, Port Warwick opened as an urban residential community in

3267-725: The Atlanta-Louisville high-speed rail link is not federally designated, the link will connect two federally designated corridors, SEHSR and Chicago Hub Network . The same route has been included in the US High Speed Rail Network of the US High Speed Rail Association, a non-profit advocacy group. In June 2012, a feasibility study report presented to the State Transportation Board of Georgia indicated that

3366-768: The City Center. While the downtown area had long been the area of the city that offered the traditional urban layout, the city has supported a number of New Urbanism projects. One is Port Warwick , named after the fictional city in William Styron 's novel, Lie Down in Darkness . Port Warwick includes housing for a broad variety of citizens, from retired persons to off-campus housing for Christopher Newport University students. Also included are several high-end restaurants and upscale shopping. City Center at Oyster Point , located near Port Warwick, has been touted as

3465-517: The City of Newport News today are essentially the boundaries of the original Warwick River Shire and the traditional one of Warwick County, with the exception of minor border adjustments with neighbors. The city's original downtown area, on the James River waterfront, changed rapidly from a farm trading town to a new city in the last quarter of the 19th century. Development of the railroad terminal, with its coal piers, other harbor-related facilities, and

3564-575: The City of Warwick removed the political boundary, which was adjacent to Mercury Boulevard . This major north–south roadway carries U.S. Route 258 between the James River Bridge and the Coliseum-Central area of adjacent Hampton. At the time, the county was mostly rural, although along Warwick Boulevard north of the Mercury Boulevard, Hilton Village was developed during World War I as a planned community . Beyond this point to

3663-686: The Commonwealth of Virginia announced it would acquire the abandoned portion of the CSX S-Line between Petersburg, Virginia and Ridgeway, North Carolina ; negotiate rights for a route from Petersburg to Richmond; acquire large portions of right-of-way and track from CSX between Richmond and Washington; and purchase and rebuild the bridge over the Potomac River . Later in 2020, the State of North Carolina received federal funding allowing for

3762-496: The English colony of Virginia consisted of a population of approximately 5,000 inhabitants. It was divided into eight shires of Virginia , which were renamed as counties shortly thereafter. The area of Newport News became part of Warwick River Shire , which became Warwick County in 1637. By 1810, the county seat was at Denbigh . For a short time in the mid-19th century, the county seat was moved to Newport News. Newport News

3861-846: The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), in cooperation with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), initiated a Tier I Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for passenger rail service between Charlotte and Atlanta. During the scoping phase, the six possible routes from the feasibility study were reduced to the following three: All three options would be able to substitute the Suwanee and Doraville stations with ones in Lawrenceville and Tucker in Georgia, should CSX right of way be used for

3960-562: The James River (the eastern most section of which was called Hampton Roads ) for plantations, including the present area of Newport News. In 1619, the area of Newport News was included in one of four huge corporations of the Virginia Company of London . It became known as Elizabeth Cittie and extended west all the way to Skiffe's Creek (currently the border between Newport News and James City County ). Elizabeth Cittie included all of present-day South Hampton Roads . By 1634,

4059-554: The James River facilitates a large boating industry which can take advantage of its many miles of waterfront. Newport News also serves as a junction between the rails and the sea with the Newport News Marine Terminals located at the East End of the city. Served by major east–west Interstate Highway 64 , it is linked to other cities of Hampton Roads by the circumferential Hampton Roads Beltway , which crosses

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4158-516: The James River), Jefferson Avenue Park, Kiln Creek , Lee Hall , Menchville , Maxwell Gardens, Morrison (also known as Gum Grove), Newmarket Village, Newsome Park, Oyster Point , Parkview, old North Newport News (Center Ave. area), Port Warwick , Richneck, Riverside , Shore Park, Summerlake, Village Green , Windsor Great Park and Warwick . Some of these neighborhoods are located in the former City of Warwick and Warwick County. Newport News

4257-582: The Newport News-Norfolk ferry service at that time. The larger capacity Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel and the rebuilt James River Bridge each restored some accessibility and through traffic to the downtown area. Much of the newer commercial development has been along the Warwick Boulevard and Jefferson Avenue corridors, with newer planned industrial, commercial, and mixed development such as Oyster Point, Kiln Creek and

4356-581: The Post Office Department sanctioned "New Port News" (written as three words) as the name of the first post office. In 1866 it approved the name as "Newport News", the current form. During the 17th century, shortly after founding of Jamestown, Virginia , in 1607, English settlers explored and began settling the areas adjacent to Hampton Roads. In 1610, Sir Thomas Gates seized a nearby Native American village, which became known as Kecoughtan . At that time, settlers began clearing land along

4455-800: The Raleigh–Charlotte portion of the corridor ( a.k.a. the Piedmont Improvement Program), along with some money for the Richmond–D.C. portion, as the Tier II Environmental Impact Statement for the important Raleigh–Richmond portion was not expected to be complete until 2015. The first large section of the SEHSR, from Washington, D.C., through Virginia and North Carolina south to Charlotte, was projected in 2010 to begin service sometime between 2018 and 2022, based on funding availability. In 2019,

4554-526: The S-Line within their respective boundaries. Virginia will acquire 65 miles (105 km) of the S-Line between the North Carolina-Virginia line and Petersburg, while North Carolina will acquire 10 miles (16 km) of the line between Ridgeway and the North Carolina-Virginia line. North Carolina officials said that the Virginia deal will boost their efforts to acquire the remainder of the S-Line to Raleigh, which remains in light service as

4653-433: The United States Navy commissioned the third naval vessel named after the city with the entry of the Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine USS  Newport News , built at Newport News Shipbuilding, into active service. The ship was initially commanded by CDR. Mark B. Keef; the city held a public celebration of the event, which was attended by Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle. In conjunction with this milestone,

4752-465: The United States average is 320.9. According to the Congressional Quarterly Press' "2008 City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America," Newport News ranked as the 119th most dangerous city larger than 75,000 inhabitants. The neighborhood with the highest crime rates in Newport News is the East End . Among the city's major industries are shipbuilding, military, and aerospace. Newport News Shipbuilding , owned by Huntington Ingalls Industries , and

4851-479: The Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA) is the 37th largest in the nation with a 2014 population estimate of 1,716,624. The area includes the Virginia cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson , Portsmouth, Suffolk, Williamsburg , and the counties of Gloucester , Isle of Wight , James City , Mathews , Surry , and York , as well as the North Carolina counties of Currituck and Gates . Newport News serves as one of

4950-532: The age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.04. The age distribution is: 27.5% under the age of 18, 11.5% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

5049-424: The annexation of parts of Warwick County and also of the town of Kecoughtan in adjoining Elizabeth City County . In 1958, the citizenry of the cities of Warwick and Newport News voted by referendum to consolidate the two cities, choosing to assume the better-known name of Newport News. The merger created the third largest city by population in Virginia, with a 65 square miles (168 km ) area. The boundaries of

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5148-410: The business centers on the Peninsula. The city of Norfolk is recognized as the central business district, while the Virginia Beach oceanside resort district and Williamsburg are primarily centers of tourism. Newport News shares land borders with James City County on the northwest, York County on the north and northeast, and Hampton on the east. Newport News shares water borders with Portsmouth on

5247-416: The bypass Belt Line across the river. RVM, near the State Capitol , is preferred under federal guidelines as a central city location. Significant infrastructure changes between the draft and final EIS in May 2019 included: In December 2019, Virginia agreed to acquire 350 miles of right of way from CSX, effectively giving the Commonwealth control over much of the Richmond-D.C. leg of the corridor. As part of

5346-415: The city of Raleigh and NC DOT, also constructed Raleigh Union Station , a replacement train station located at the Boylan Wye intersection of the H-line and S-line. The station opened in July 2018 with a concourse and platform along the H-line only, but space is reserved for future construction of a northern concourse and platform along the S-line for future SEHSR trains. Added to the SEHSR Corridor in 1998,

5445-419: The city was 49.0% White , 40.7% African American , 0.5% Native American , 2.7% Asian , 0.2% Pacific Islander , 2.7% from other races , and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population (2.5% Puerto Rican, 2.5% Mexican, 0.4% Cuban, 0.3% Panamanian, 0.2% Dominican, 0.2% Guatemalan, 0.2% Honduran). There were 69,686 households, out of which 35.7% had children under

5544-414: The city's first mayor. The area that formed the present-day southern end of Newport News had long been established as an unincorporated town. After Reconstruction (the period after the American Civil War) the new City of Newport News was essentially founded by California merchant Collis P. Huntington . Huntington, one of the Big Four associated with the Central Pacific Railroad , in California, formed

5643-562: The city, with respect to the principal storm tracks, favours fair weather, as it is south of the average path of storms originating in the higher latitudes, and north of the usual tracks of hurricanes and other major tropical storms. As of the census of 2010, there were 180,719 people, 69,686 households, and 46,341 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,637.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,018.5/km ). There were 74,117 housing units at an average density of 1,085.3 units per square mile (419.0 units/km ). The racial makeup of

5742-402: The community was named for Newport's "good news". Another possibility is that the community may have derived its name from an old English word "news" meaning "new town". At least one source claims that the "New" arose from the original settlement's being rebuilt after a fire. Another source gave the original name as New Port Newce , named for a person with the name Newce and the town's place as

5841-756: The corridor without interfering with freight operations. NCDOT has worked with NS, CSX, and the NCRR to restore the double-tracking and make other incremental upgrades, a process that reduced the travel time between Raleigh and Charlotte by 35 minutes from 2001 to 2010. Additional work began in 2010 under the Piedmont Improvement Project (PIP), funded by a $ 520 million grant under the 2009 ARRA stimulus . The PIP projects included restoring complete double-track between Greensboro and Charlotte, adding passing sidings between Raleigh and Greensboro, straightening several curves, closing crossings, and building bridges to separate train and highway movements, all of which were completed by January 2018. The ARRA funds, along with funds from

5940-477: The costs, federal funds (including Amtrak) will cover another third, and the remainder will be sought from a variety of regional partners, such as VRE, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the District of Columbia, and Maryland, all of which have pledged support for bridge expansion. In 1996, USDOT added a connection from Richmond east to Newport News to SEHSR. However, with the extension of Northeast Regional Amtrak service to Norfolk in December 2012,

6039-483: The current travel time by thirty minutes. The draft version of the Tier II EIS was released in September 2017, with the final version released in May 2019. The study covered the corridor from the Long Bridge to a rail junction at Centralia , five miles south of Richmond. A new bridge would be built over the James River to expand service to Richmond Main Street station (RVM). Currently north-south through trains stop only at Richmond Staples Mill Road station (RVR), using

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6138-408: The deal, Virginia will build a new two-track rail bridge over the Potomac River for Amtrak and VRE trains parallel to the existing Long Bridge. The new bridge will take passenger traffic off the existing bridge, which will serve only freight traffic. The Long Bridge has historically been one of the worst bottlenecks in the national rail system. The Commonwealth of Virginia will cover roughly one-third of

6237-445: The design and engineering costs for providing relief for the capacity constrained Long Bridge over the Potomac River between DC and Alexandria. In October 2014, the Federal Railroad Administration filed a notice of intent to perform (in partnership with the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation) a Tier II Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for upgrading this segment, with the aim of increasing train frequency and cutting

6336-425: The final approach into Atlanta rather than the Norfolk Southern right of way that the former two cities are located on. In September 2019, the Tier I EIS was completed. Final selection of a preferred route and approach into Atlanta was deferred to the Tier II EIS, unfunded at the time. On September 30, 2020, the FRA and GDOT chose the Greenfield Corridor as the preferred alternative. However, it did not specify

6435-456: The government." Johnson convinced Congress to act and The Department of Transportation was authorized in October 1966 and launched on 1 April 1967, with a mission to ensure that federal funds were effectively used to support the national transportation program. Johnson proclaimed upon signing the act: "Transportation has truly emerged as a significant part of our national life. As a basic force in our society, its progress must be accelerated so that

6534-406: The harbor on two bridge-tunnels . Part of the Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport is in the city limits. The original area near the mouth of the James River was first referred to as Newportes Newes as early as 1621. The source of the name "Newport News" is not known with certainty, though it is the oldest English city name in the Americas. Several versions are recorded, and it

6633-618: The large coal piers supplied by railroad giant CSX Transportation , the modern Fortune 500 successor to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). Miles of the waterfront can be seen by automobiles crossing the James River Bridge and Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel , which is a portion of the circumferential Hampton Roads Beltway , linking the city with each of the other major cities of Hampton Roads via Interstate 664 and Interstate 64 . Many U.S. defensive industry suppliers are based in Newport News, and these and nearby military bases employ many residents, in addition to those working at

6732-540: The lines are owned by the North Carolina Railroad, Norfolk Southern has an operational contract for trackage rights .) Both see current freight and passenger traffic (Amtrak's Carolinian and Piedmont ), with freight traffic along the main line particularly heavy. However, double-tracking was removed from several sections of the Greensboro to Charlotte main line since its heyday, and significant signal upgrades, curve straightening, super-elevation, and restoration will be required to support high-speed passenger service along

6831-443: The most Freedom of Information Act FOIA requests, published in 2015 (using 2012 and 2013 data, the most recent years available), the Department of Transportation earned a D by scoring 65 out of a possible 100 points, i.e., did not earn a satisfactory overall grade. Newport News, Virginia Newport News ( / ˌ n uː p ɔːr t -, - p ər t -/ ) is an independent city in southeastern Virginia , United States. At

6930-402: The need for improved coordination and expressed frustration at the lack of an overall plan. "One looks in vain", he told Johnson, "for a point of responsibility below the President capable of taking an evenhanded, comprehensive, authoritarian approach to the development of transportation policies or even able to assure reasonable coordination and balance among the various transportation programs of

7029-453: The neighboring Northeast Corridor is important. The Charlotte to Raleigh portion is predicted to be much more profitable with the corridor connected to D.C. and the Northeast Corridor. Similarly, the feasibility study found it much easier to justify the Charlotte to Atlanta and Macon route if the Charlotte to D.C. portion was completed. Atlanta is also the connecting point between SEHSR and federally designated Gulf Coast Corridor . In May 2013,

7128-604: The new "downtown" because of its new geographic centrality on the Virginia Peninsula, its proximity to the retail/business nucleus of the city, etc. Locally, it is often called simply "City Center". Nearby, the Virginia Living Museum recently completed a $ 22.6 million expansion plan. Newport News is also home to a small Korean ethnic enclave on Warwick Boulevard near the Denbigh neighborhood on

7227-529: The new midtown business district. Fifteen hundred people now reside in the Port Warwick area. It includes a 3-acre (1.2 ha) city square where festivals and events take place. In January 2023, a six-year-old shot his teacher Abby Zwerner in an elementary school in Newport News. Newport News is located at 37°4′15″N 76°29′4″W  /  37.07083°N 76.48444°W  / 37.07083; -76.48444 (37.071046, −76.484557). According to

7326-681: The northern end of the city. Although it lacks the density and character of larger, more established enclaves, it has been referred to as "Little Seoul"—being the commercial center for the Hampton Roads Korean community. Newport News has many distinctive communities and neighborhoods within its boundaries, including Brandon Heights, Brentwood, City Center , Colony Pines, Christopher Shores-Stuart Gardens, Denbigh , Glendale , East End , Hidenwood, Hilton Village , Hunter's Glenn, Beaconsdale, Ivy Farms, North End Huntington Heights (Historic District – roughly from 50th to 75th street, along

7425-624: The northwestern end include the reservoirs of the Newport News Water System (which include much of the Warwick River ), the expansive Newport News Park , a number of public schools, and the military installations of Fort Eustis and a small portion of the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown . At the extreme northwestern edge adjacent to Skiffe's Creek and the border with James City County is

7524-464: The peninsula through Williamsburg to Newport News, where the company developed coal piers on the harbor of Hampton Roads. His next project was to develop Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company , which became the world's largest shipyard. Opened as Chesapeake Dry Dock & Construction Company, the shipbuilding was intended to build boats to transition goods from the rails to the seas. With President Theodore Roosevelt 's declaration to create

7623-536: The postwar years). City leaders are working to bring new life into this area, by renovating and building new homes and attracting businesses. The completion of Interstate 664 restored the area to access and through traffic which had been largely rerouted with the completion of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel connecting neighboring Hampton with the Southside in 1958 and discontinuance of

7722-403: The poverty line, including 20.6% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over. Newport News experienced 20 murders giving the city a murder rate of 10.8 per 100,000 people in 2005. In 2006, there were 19 murders giving the city a rate of 10.5 per 100,000 people. In 2007 the city had 28 murders with a rate of 15.8 per 100,000 people. The total crime index rate for Newport News is 434.7;

7821-495: The projects currently receiving Recovery Act funding, except for the bus rapid transit project. It also continued funding for another 18 transit projects that are either currently under construction or soon will be. Following the same, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 delegated $ 600 million for Infrastructure Investments, referred to as Discretionary Grants. The Department of Transportation

7920-707: The proposed corridor travels along 123 miles of CSX track currently used by CSX freight trains, non-high-speed Amtrak trains, and the VRE commuter rail's Fredericksburg Line . Federal funding in the amount of $ 75 million issued in September 2012 paid for construction of a third main track in Stafford and Prince William counties, while Virginia's Atlantic Gateway infrastructure project funded additional main tracks in two segments in Fairfax County along with some of

8019-539: The purchase of the active segment of the CSX S-line between Ridgeway and Raleigh . As of 2023, Tier II planning is complete for the Washington to Raleigh section, and for portions of the Raleigh to Charlotte section. Tier I planning, in cooperation with North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, is complete for the Charlotte to Atlanta section, with some routing to be determined. The D.C. to Richmond segment of

8118-689: The quality of our life can be improved." In 2012, the DOT awarded $ 742.5 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to 11 transit projects. The awardees include light rail projects. Other projects include both a commuter rail extension and a subway project in New York City , and a bus rapid transit system in Springfield, Oregon . The funds subsidize a heavy rail project in northern Virginia , completing

8217-562: The railway, unlike in the Northeast Corridor. However, top speeds would be raised from 79 to 110 miles per hour (127 to 177 km/h), resulting in an average speed of 85–87 mph (137–140 km/h). Travel time currently between Richmond and Raleigh on the Carolinian and Silver Star is close to four hours, but full implementation as proposed would reduce this to nearly two hours. The proposed two hours in time savings

8316-637: The same study with top speeds of 180 mph (290 km/h) to 220 mph (354 km/h) or higher. The three routes are: For the Louisville route, a feasibility study indicated that the high-speed trains for this link would be economically feasible. The stations along the route could include Cartersville and Dalton in Georgia; Chattanooga , Murfreesboro and Nashville in Tennessee; and Bowling Green and Elizabethtown in Kentucky. Although

8415-493: The segment of this line between Centralia, Virginia and Norlina, North Carolina were removed in the late 1980s and through traffic shifted to the CSX A-line (the former Atlantic Coast Line main line). The relative absence of freight trains along the remaining portions of the S-line will mean that significant curve straightening and other work can be accomplished without disrupting current service. The S-line also provides

8514-432: The settlement. In his 1897 two-volume work Old Virginia and her Neighbors, American historian John Fiske writes: ... several old maps where the name is given as Newport Ness, being the mariner's way of saying Newport Point. The fact that the name formerly appeared as "Newport's News" is verified by numerous early documents and maps, and by local tradition. The change to Newport News came about through usage; by 1851

8613-432: The shipyard, brought new jobs and workers to the area. Although fashionable housing and businesses developed in downtown, the increase in industry and the development of new suburbs pushed and pulled retail and residential development to the west and north after World War II . Such suburban development was aided by national subsidization of highway construction and was part of a national trend to newer housing. In July 1989,

8712-476: The southeast and Suffolk on the south across the Hampton Roads Area, and Isle of Wight County on the southwest and west and Surry County on the northwest across the James River . The city's downtown area was part of the earliest developed area which was initially incorporated as an independent city in 1896. The earlier city portions also included the " East End " or "Southeast" community, which

8811-451: The study for the Tier I Environmental Impact Statement, two main alternatives for higher speed rail have been considered. The first alternative is called Shared Use with top speeds of 90 mph (145 km/h) to 110 mph (177 km/h). The second alternative is called Hybrid High Performance with top speeds of 130 mph (209 km/h). There are also high-speed rail alternatives in

8910-404: The two localities to approximately their pre-1896 geographic size under the more widely-known name of Newport News. With many residents employed at the expansive Newport News Shipbuilding , the joint U.S. Air Force – Army installation at Joint Base Langley–Eustis , and other military bases and suppliers, the city's economy is very connected to the military. The location on the harbor and along

9009-666: The undersecretary of commerce for transportation and the Federal Aviation Agency to achieve this goal. While the federal government was granted authority over aviation and railroads through the commerce clause of the Constitution, the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration primarily provided funding for state and local projects, without significant influence over road construction and operation. Halaby emphasized

9108-630: The west, much of the city takes on a suburban nature. Many neighborhoods have been developed, some around a number of former small towns. Miles of waterfront along the James River, and tributaries such as Deep Creek and Lucas Creek, are occupied by higher-end single family homes. In many sections, wooded land and farms gave way to subdivisions. Even at the northwestern reaches, furthest from the traditional downtown area, some residential development has occurred. Much land has been set aside for natural protection, with recreational and historical considerations. Along with some newer residential areas, major features of

9207-496: The western part of the country's First transcontinental railroad . He was recruited by former Confederate General Williams Carter Wickham to become a major investor and guiding light for a southern railroad. He helped complete the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway to the Ohio River in 1873. On October 19, 1881, the first train to ever depart from Newport News left Lee Hall Depot on temporary tracks and arrived at Yorktown for

9306-406: Was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 36,597, and the median income for a family was $ 42,520. Males had a median income of $ 31,275 versus $ 22,310 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,843. About 11.3% of families and 13.8% of the population were below

9405-434: Was a rural area of plantations and a small fishing village until after the American Civil War . Construction of the railroad and establishment of the great shipyard brought thousands of workers and associated development. It was one of only a few cities in Virginia to be newly established without earlier incorporation as a town. (Virginia has had an independent city political subdivision since 1871.) Walter A. Post served as

9504-574: Was announced. The North Carolina Department of Transportation projected a service begin on the route between 2025 and 2029. On December 5, 2023, United States Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg , U.S. Senator of North Carolina Thom Tillis , and Governor of North Carolina Roy Cooper announced the state will be receiving a $ 1 billion federal grant to develop the S-Line between Raleigh and Wake Forest for high-speed passenger rail service. On July 1, 2024, Buttigieg and Cooper, along with various state and local officials, participated in

9603-542: Was authorized a budget for Fiscal Year 2016 of $ 75.1 billion. The budget authorization is broken down as follows: In 2021, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act . The $ 1.2 trillion act included over $ 660 billion in funding for transportation-related infrastructure projects over the five-year period of fiscal years 2022–2026. In the latest Center for Effective Government analysis of 15 federal agencies which receive

9702-406: Was available and highways were built. While the shipyard and coal facilities, and other smaller harbor-oriented businesses have remained vibrant, the downtown area went into substantial decline. Crime problems have plagued the nearby lower-income residential areas. West of the traditional downtown area, another early portion of the city was developed as Huntington Heights. In modern times been called

9801-591: Was predominantly black American, the "North End" and the shipyard and coal piers. The town of Kecoughtan in Elizabeth City County was annexed by Newport News in 1927, extending the city along Hampton Roads from Salter's Creek to Pear Avenue. After World War II, public housing projects and lower income housing were built to improve housing in what came to be known as the East End or "The Bottom" by locals. The city expanded primarily westward where land

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