Groundbreaking Ceremony

On Tuesday, February 28, 2017, FTA joined the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), and Amtrak to announce the start of a project to incorporate American Disability Act (ADA) improvements into the Paoli commuter rail station.

The improvements include:

• a new high-level center platform 
• elevators and ramps 
• a pedestrian overpass
• improvements to the parking area and the existing station building 
• infrastructure changes that allow for construction of the platform, making it accessible for all

The close to $40 million project will set the stage for construction of the Paoli Intermodal Transportation Center, an expanded transportation center envisioned to serve the growing needs of the traveling public, support the Paoli business district and spur future economic growth in the area.

The 63-year-old Paoli Train Station is located in Chester County along the 104-mile Keystone Corridor, which extends from Philadelphia to Harrisburg, PA. The Amtrak-owned station serves about 1 million riders annually, who ride Amtrak's Keystone and Pennsylvanian trains, SEPTA's Regional Rail Paoli Thorndale Line, six SEPTA bus routes, and connecting services that feed into the station.

FTA is contributing close to $15 million of the ADA improvement costs, and Region III Administrator Theresa "Terry" Garcia Crews participated in the event. Construction for the project is being performed and managed by Amtrak.