The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has opened its first new regional station in nearly 20 years as part of a public private partnership.
The Philadelphia-area transit agency held a Nov. 16 ribbon-cutting to mark the opening of its new 9th Street Regional Rail Station in Lansdale. The project was developed as part of a P3 with the borough of Lansdale, Lansdale Parking Authority and Stoltz Real Estate Partners. The new station is located on and adjacent to property that formerly housed the American Olean Plant.
As part of the P3, SEPTA constructed the station platform, sidewalks and temporary garage in a $1.8 million budget. Stoltz built a permanent parking lot along with site drainage features. Lansdale Borough and Lansdale Parking Authority completed an extension of 9th Street for the project.
"This is a true public-private-partnership," said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel in a statement. "Cooperation on this initiative has been extraordinary and the new station facilities will be a catalyst for smart growth opportunities in Lansdale."
The new station was made possible by Pennsylvania Act 89, a comprehensive transportation funding law passed in November 2013. Transit agencies across Pennsylvania will receive an additional $360 million for capital improvements in fiscal year 2016, according to SEPTA.
"Transit users expect and deserve a safe and modern system, and Act 89 is helping transit providers across the state make long-awaited improvements possible," said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards in a statement. "I applaud SEPTA for quickly putting these investments to work and for their vision of much-needed improvements to come."
SEPTA also reconstructed the Wayne Junction Station in a $31.5 million project that was aided by a $4 million Federal Transit Administration grant. The refurbished station was dedicated on Nov. 13.
SEPTA is the primary transit provider for the Philadelphia region and the sixth-largest transportation agency in the nation.
