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9/27/2022
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority announced last week it has advanced two key initiatives, the King of Prussia Rail (KOP) project and a Trolley Modernization project.
SEPTA's board voted to begin the process of purchasing about 70 parcels in and around the proposed KOP rail alignment. The transit agency will begin appraising the properties, determining fair market value, making offers and reaching an agreement with property owners, SEPTA officials said in a press release.
KOP will extend the existing Norristown High Speed Line by 4 miles into the King of Prussia neighborhood. SEPTA has budgeted $390 million for the project in its fiscal-year 2023 capital budget; the authority is also seeking a grant from the Federal Transit Administration to fund up to 60% of the project's cost.
The board also approved the purchase of a 13-acre property in southwest Philadelphia for SEPTA's Trolley Modernization program. The land is a potential site for a new maintenance facility to be centrally located and large enough to accommodate the future fleet of trolleys, SEPTA officials said.
The property has an existing structure that could be adapted to SEPTA's needs. The property also has enough room for a planned rail yard. Existing trolley tracks run adjacent to the property. SEPTA officials estimate the authority could save $20 million if it buys the land and repurposes its assets, rather than buying an empty plot. The property is worth $22 million, according to a SEPTA appraisal.
Trolley modernization funding is included in the agency's FY23 capital budget and 12-year spending program.