[3] In 2004, VRE's Strategic Plan indicated the possibility of a station in Spotsylvania at a Route 17 site, citing existing ridership from the county and the need for increased parking, as well as noting that the extension could be constructed relatively cheaply, allowing for near-term implementation.

In September 2009, they additionally voted to join its associated funding district, the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC).

[10] A Department of Environmental Quality public comment period regarding the third track lasted from January to February 2013.

[15] A $20 million contract with CSX Transportation was approved in September 2013; this signing allowed construction but work did not yet begin.

[16] A later date of June 2014 was announced in November 2013 due to delays in negotiations, as the owners of the property upon which the third track and parking lot will be built disputed the price they were to be paid for the land.

[17] Construction on the third track started in early 2014, but not on the parking lot and station, due to a continued lack of agreement.

[18] In July 2014, VDOT filed a certificate of take in a county court, which the property owners consented to; this allowed the land to be transferred even without a final agreement on the sale price.

[24] In March 2015, the VRE board voted to terminate the $8.7 million contract with one company, which had been working on the third track project, due to numerous safety violations.

[32] Later that month, an agreement for a price of $3 million – substantially higher than VRE's original offer – was reached for the purchase of the parking lot property.