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    1. Rail

    SEPTA to Hold Public Meetings on King of Prussia Rail Project

    March 1, 2016
    SEPTA has scheduled three public meetings on the King of Prussia Rail Project.
    Related To: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)

    SEPTA has scheduled three public meetings on the King of Prussia Rail Project. Each meeting will include an open house and an information session that will offer participants an opportunity to review the Project's Recommended Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) route for extending rail service to destinations in King of Prussia and Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County via SEPTA's Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL).

    Sessions will be held on the following dates:

    • Monday, March 7, 4-8 p.m. (Presentation: 6 p.m.)
      Radisson Hotel Valley Forge, Grand Ballroom 235
      1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA
    • Wednesday, March 9, 4-8 p.m. (Presentation: 6 p.m.)
      Norristown Municipal Building
      235 E. Airy Street, Norristown, PA
    • Tuesday, March 15, 2-8 p.m. (Presentations: 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.)
      Doubletree Hotel Valley Forge, Jefferson Ballroom
      301 W. DeKalb Pike, King of Prussia, PA

    Representatives from SEPTA and the King of Prussia Rail consultant team will provide an overview of recent project activities, including the selection of the recommended LPA, which was chosen from five possible routes. The LPA travels along a portion of the PECO and the Pennsylvania Turnpike right-of-way, behind the King of Prussia Mall to 1st Avenue, terminating at North Gulph Road adjacent to the Valley Forge Convention Center and Casino. The LPA would have five stops and a park-and-ride lot for commuters at Henderson Road.

    "The extension of the Norristown High Speed Line into King of Prussia would be an asset for this area's growing travel, business and shopping needs and it is important for the public to come to the meetings and provide their feedback on the project," said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel. "While the LPA is the recommended routing for the extension, the final decision has not been determined. We invite the public to come to learn about the LPA, including how the recommendation was made, and offer their comments on this project and all proposed routes."

    The NHSL currently provides service between SEPTA's 69th Street and Norristown Transportation Centers, serving the Main Line area in Delaware and Montgomery counties, and connecting to Center City Philadelphia. The extension would provide passengers with a direct, one-seat ride from 69th Street and Norristown to various destinations in the King of Prussia/Valley Forge area.

    "The King of Prussia rail extension will be a catalyst for continued growth in Montgomery County," said Montgomery County Commissioner Val Arkoosh. "It will provide a convenient option for both employees and employers in our largest employment center, while at the same time linking University City, Center City and King of Prussia in a seamless public transit system that will enhance accessibility to Valley Forge and King of Prussia." 

    Launched in fall 2012, the King of Prussia Rail Project includes the preparation of an Alternatives Analysis/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), SEPTA has been meeting with officials, area stakeholders and the public in order to identify the LPA. The Draft EIS is scheduled for public circulation in December 2016. Future activities include the preparation of a Final EIS and issuance of a Record of Decision, followed by preliminary design, final design and construction.