Phoenixville Sends Letter To SEPTA Approving Passenger Rail

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Phoenixville's Borough Council has sent a letter to SEPTA which formally endorses the project to bring passenger rail service to Phoenixville from Philadelphia. The letter is a step forward, but several other municipalities must also still provide similar official support.

The motion, unanimously approved by Borough Council at a recent meeting, brings the still developing project a small but important step closer to reality.

"I ask everyone to be a patient with the process," Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler said in a statement. "Moving through the preliminary approval process takes time and effort. We have already begun the process of meeting with the other taxing authorities with the goal of officially gathering their support and endorsement of the project."

The project, launched in 2018, aims to extend SEPTA's Manayunk/Norristown line to three new stations in King of Prussia, Schuylkill Township, and the Steel City.

That plan has seen some adjustments over the past few months, leading into the updated plan as was approved by Borough Council this month. Most notably, it will now require new rail cars, as opposed to the reuse of old rail cars. The old cars "did not meet the standard for long-term financing," according to borough officials.

A second change is location of the Schuylkill Township train station. The original proposal had the station on a curve, but it's now located on a straight track at the Valley Forge Conference Center. This is not final by any means; Schuylkill Township has asked for more sites to be reviewed.

Finally, the project is looking into additional federal funding as a way to finance the project, and has identified three programs that could be of assistance, a grant, a loan, and a subsidy. The Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Program grant (CRISI) could pay up to half of the estimated $100 million cost.

A 35-year loan from the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program would assist in costs, while the Restoration and Enhancement Grants program could be used as a subsidy during the initial phase.

Supporters of the project tout numerous potential benefits, including alleviating traffic on the Route 422 corridor, reducing carbon emissions, and providing an economic boost to the area.

Officials are hopeful the property value increase will include a three-mile swath surrounding each station, with the greatest increase occurring within three-quarters of a mile.

In March, organizers said they were planning on hosting public meetings to gain input from local residents over the coming months.

In addition to gaining the approval of local municipalities, the project must also gain the support of SEPTA and Norfolk Southern.

Catch up on the latest coverage of the Phoenixville rail project:

• $100M Phoenixville Passenger Rail Project Taking Shape
• Task Force Confident Phoenixville Passenger Rail Will Happen
• Phoenixville Rail Project Taking Shape; 3 New Stations Proposed
• Phoenixville Mayor's Task Force Approved