Providence, RI

The current Providence station opened to the public in 1986 and is located at the base of the beautiful statehouse grounds. It is the third major passenger rail facility to serve the residents of Rhode Island's capital city. The original Providence Union Station, opened in 1848, was considered one of the first major passenger rail facilities in the nation, and united a handful of rail lines that provided connections to Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts, and later to New York City. The second station was built and opened in 1898 after the first was destroyed by fire.

Today's station was designed to pay homage to its important and dignified neighbors, particularly the statehouse. As such, it is a one-story stone-clad structure with modest columns along the main façade and a clock tower at the southern end. It is watched over by the "Independent Man," a gilded bronze statue that surveys the city from its perch atop the capitol's gleaming white marble dome. Passengers waiting to board one of the 41 daily trains serviced by the station can bask in the ample sunlight that fills and warms the interior through large floor-to-ceiling windows.

The station building was financed with federal funds made available through the Northeast Corridor Improvement Project (NECIP), which established a "Stations Program" to focus efforts on the rehabilitation or construction of passenger rail facilities. As the NECIP got underway in the late 1970s, city leaders and planners brought up the idea of realigning the tracks in downtown Providence to remove a viaduct and extensive rail yards. Ultimately, the 1979 master plan included a new Amtrak station, revamped street grid and bridges, public spaces, visual connections between the statehouse and downtown, and land for commercial opportunities.

Over the next ten years, the Woonasquatucket River was realigned along its natural course, and Waterplace Park was installed along the banks of the Woonasquatucket, Moshassuck and Providence rivers. Amenities include a 1.5 mile riverwalk, boat landings, amphitheater, sculpture, pavilions, and fountains. The historic cove, which had been filled in during the 19^th century, was recreated as a focal point, and the river was crossed by elegant bridges reminiscent of those found in Venice. In retrospect, Capital Center, Waterplace Park, and the new Amtrak station stand as testaments to the vision of city, state, federal, and private sector leaders who foresaw the value of new infrastructure and its ability to revive and transform a city.