Most days, the Guadalupe Amtrak Station sits relatively empty and unused, with few people stopping by to catch a train or bus ride in and out of town.
Planned upgrades to the facility are looking to change that.
“It is a wonderful opportunity for the city as a whole, and also for travelers from Santa Maria, all over, nearby to take a trip on the train,” said longtime Guadalupe resident George Alvarez.
Wednesday morning, we told Alvarez and other locals about the renovation plans for the station, which include the installment of charging ports for electric vehicles, bicycle amenities and a public restroom.
“The Amtrak is a necessary transit method,” said Francisco Arreola, a driver for the Guadalupe Express bus. “We have many students from San Luis, people from Tijuana and San Diego. I think the improvements will be good.”
Arreola, who has worked as a bus driver in town for almost two decades, believes the renovations could encourage more people to use public transit for trips into town.
“With the Royal Theater project and all the different things happening in Guadalupe, there will be more of a desire to come out here for these events and see our community. The Amtrak is just one element of it,” added Todd Bodem, Guadalupe City Administrator.
Bodem says right now, crews with SBCAG are in the early phases of the project, surveying the area and finalizing a design for how the Amtrak station may look in the near future.
“I think it will definitely attract more people, for sure,” said Carla Urias of Guadalupe.
Urias says she moved to Guadalupe five years ago but is yet to catch a ride from the Amtrak station.
Alvarez, meanwhile, who uses public transit regularly, was thrilled when we told him about the long-awaited upgrades to his neighborhood bus stop.
“It takes everyone’s shares in these upgrades. The whole community, Santa Maria, whatnot is going to improve. It is a beautiful place, but it has to be protected,” Alvarez said.
Funding for the more than $1.3 million project comes from around $800,000 in state grants and local tax dollars.
According to city officials, renovations should get started later this year and Bodem says that by early 2025, Guadalupe’s upgraded Amtrak station could be ready for your next ride.
