by Push&Pull Master
BPP1999 wrote:I agree with the above poster. If SEPTA could get some "manna from heaven" to help them knock off some of the larger, more necessary backlog of system improvements/stabilization, then they would presumably have less excuses to defer/ignore expansion (or, more applicably, restoration) projects. Of course they might instead choose to plate their stations in gold instead of expanding at that point.Well, the two projects that are on SEPTA's radar have made some big progress lately.
I certainly don't understand how, after 35 years, the only two projects that are close to shovel-ready are a lousy 3-mile restoration to Wawa and an extremely expensive project to KOP, of which few details have yet to be hammered.
It would seem that along with Quakertown and WC, Pottstown could be put together quickly, no, since that's been studied 800 times already and the rail infrastructure is already there.
Wawa is at least shovel ready and some track work was done on it a few years ago. It really isn't SEPTA's fault that this has taken forever because they were relying on I80 tolls to get this project built and then the Feds shot down the toll plan meaning no money for a while. Now with Act 89, they can finally get going on it when the much needed infrastructure projects are finished first.
KOP fortunately has been making lots of progress over the past year or two. As someone said above, they have already worked out 3 main alignments/trunks and are releasing the next tier of alternatives this fall and the DEIS will be released next year.
Also, SEPTA has been working with Upper Merion on it and convincing the NIMBYs that it is a good project (which means the 202 alignment will probably be scratched out).
The other projects also have a positive future: SEPTA took over the Navy Yard extension this year and preparing to do an EIS soon, The Boulevard BRT project just got TIGER money, Atglen has a funding source in Penndot, and Pennridge is supposed to get rebooted.