Recent construction at the Rippon station to allow public access to a wildlife refuge has been completed.
The Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge, which is adjacent to this VRE station, is a National Wildlife Refuge (located at the meeting point of the Potomac River in Virginia and the Neabsco Creek) established with the purpose to protect the features of a contiguous wetlands area.
VRE’s parent commissions, through VRE, were asked to permit public pedestrian access across the station to reach the refuge. Completed construction includes a platform extension, stairs, and a ramp on the east side of the platform.
The 325 acres of woodland and freshwater tidal marsh has been administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service since 1970; currently, it is part of the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The refuge covers wetlands and woodlands, and has a railroad right-of-way bordering its western edge.