Phoenixville Regional Rail Plan Moving Forward

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — The mayor has put together a 20-person team to study the feasibility of a proposed plan to connect Phoenixville by rail to Philadelphia and the Main Line, following an approval of the move by the Borough Council on Tuesday night.

It marks an important, if preliminary, step forward for the project. The 20-person task force is comprised of local leaders and key members of the community (full list of participants selected include below). The project is being funded by local developer Manny DeMutis.

“There is a need to increase public transportation options to Phoenixville with the recent expansion of residential units in the downtown," DeMutis said. "There have been 809 new apartments in the downtown and 440 houses built in the borough equating to approximately 2500 new residents. The professional planners must recognize and respond to the reality that Phoenixville is the growing population center in Chester County and has become a small city."

Thomas E. Frawley Consulting will conduct the feasibility study.

Talks of bringing passenger rail service to Phoenixville have been swirling for years, if not decades. DeMutis himself led the Citizens for the Train effort a few years ago, but the project was not able to secure government funding.

>>New Regional Rail Proposal Would Connect Phoenixville To Philly

Local leaders have strongly advocated for a rail line that would reduce traffic along the increasingly busy Route 422 corridor, with specific concern for the ongoing commercial and residential growth in the Phoenixville area. Advocates of past proposals have also pointed towards environmental benefits.

Developers are proposing two alternatives. The first option, which has been formally presented, involves extending the Manayunk/Norristown line into Phoenixville. Because the infrastructure for this line is already largely in place, it is the cheaper and quicker alternative.

A second project is a longer term "greeline" project, which would connect Phoenixville to the Paoli Train Station on the Main Line. The project would use diesel light rail technology and would run on public roadways - largely along Route 29 - as well as rail freight tracks that are already in place. It would provide a critical link for Phoenixville area commuters to the simultaneous commercial growth of the Great Valley area.

"Phoenixville's downtown revitalization has been so successful that everyone wants to live near our walkable downtown entertainment district," DeMutis added. "All we are doing is responding to need."

Former Phoenixville Revitalization Coordinator Barry Cassidy has been put in charge of the project.

The members of the task force include: Catherine Bianco, Gerri Bocella, Carol Bouche, Karl Bucas, Patrice Callahan, Ann Cummins, Conor Cummins, Jeremy Dalton, Paul Drucker, Jonathan Ewald, Brooke Ginty, Megan Inmon, Alex Teplyakov, David Meadows, Marian Moskowitz, Michael Murray, Bill Sauerteig, Edwin Soto, Lesley Snyder and Adam Supplee. Chris Hoops will serve as recording secretary, officials said.

Image via Barry Cassidy