Town Hall Meeting Upcoming On Phoenixville Commuter Rail Project

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — An upcoming town hall meeting will provide the public with an update on the ongoing Phoenixville commuter rail project while also offering residents a chance to provide their input on the plan.

The meeting will be held at Phoenixville's Columbia Station on Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m.

Organizers hope the meeting helps educate the public on the positive economic and environmental impact of the project, while also explaining its progress. The proposal calls for an extension of SEPTA's Manayunk/Norristown line with three new stations in King of Prussia, Phoenixville, and Schuylkill Township.

"Through the Transit Revitalization Investment District Act (TRID), we have adapted the funding mechanism to solve our problem, giving us, as a community, the ability to prioritize our transportation needs," Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler said. "We need a train."

A plan to fund the $100 million project became clearer last month. In the coming weeks, the Phoenixville Mayor's Task Force will pitch a plan to all impacted municipalities and school districts to create the new TRID. The financing review committee, to which Phoenixville elected a representative in March, will then discuss and ultimately suggest three new "tax increment districts" which would contribute funding.

Municipalities and schools then have a chance to vote to create the TRID. Presentations have already been made to Phoenixville borough and Schuylkill Township, as well as Phoenixville School District. A presentation to the Chester County Commissioners is slated for April 24.

The town hall meeting officially marks the beginning of the third phase of the project, according to head developer of the project, Manny DeMutis. Phase one involved getting input from Norfolk Southern, whose tracks would be used for the project. In phase two, a revised plan was given to SEPTA, which gave feedback, and the proposal was revised again.

"We are now taking the plan public for comment in a public informational setting to increase the number of potential users in the project," DeMutis said. "This is about as grassroots as you can get."

Those who wish to attend the meeting should RSVP online here. A live stream of the meeting will also be available at SteelCityRail.com.

Columbia Station is located at 4 Bridge Street.