Royersford, Pottstown Can Benefit From Rail Expansion, Says Rep.

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — A Reading-to-Philadelphia rail corridor with a stop in Phoenixville has been talked about before and it may have a renewed chance for funding as infrastructure is the topic of policy hearings in Harrisburg this week.

State Rep. Joe Ciresi led today's House Democratic Policy Committee to discuss how the state can get on board to use passenger rail to improve regional access and reduce traffic congestion.

The hearing featured three panels of testifiers highlighting President Joe Biden's recent infrastructure plan and how rail connection across the state could help rural and suburban areas benefit from economic growth.

Policy Committee Chairman Ryan Bizzarro said in the hearing, "Improving passenger rail has the potential to create jobs, streamline commutes, and would have a positive environmental impact on the state. I thank Rep. Ciresi for hosting today’s hearing and I look forward to continuing this conversation on how the investment of state and federal dollars can boost economic development throughout the state."

"Our partnerships, both with the private sector and our federal elected officials, will be crucial to moving this forward. The benefits of enhanced passenger rail service in our commonwealth would do wonders for small and local businesses, for the entertainment and restaurant industry, and in helping to decrease vehicle traffic on our roads,” Ciresi said.

One intermodal freight train can keep 300 trucks off the roads, according to Rudy Husband, vice president of Norfolk Southern. Along with Jennie Granger, deputy secretary for multimodal transportation with the state Transportation Department and Jody Holton, assistant general manager of planning, SEPTA, Husband provided an expansive look at how investment in rail will improve the safety of existing passenger rails without interfering with freight transport the nation has come to rely on.

Jim Mathews, president and CEO of the Rail Passengers Association, and Brian Pitzer, executive director of All Aboard Erie, told the committee how investment and expansion of passenger rail would help tie the country and state together. Matthews said Meridian, Mississippi’s multimodal investment, resulted in an economic return 170 times their initial investment, and he testified that the region continues to see returns and benefits.

John Weidenhammer, president of Berks Alliance; Lawrence C. Malski, president of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority; and Mark Spada, president of Western Pennsylvanians for Passenger Rail, discussed how bus and rail service can complement one another and how legislators can advocate for the investment necessary to execute transportation plans.

"I was grateful to the testifiers and the participants in today's hearing for continuing an important conversation about investment in passenger rail service," Ciresi said.

"What we learned today is critical to making wise decisions about infrastructure and what is involved to bring much-needed improvements to transportation in many parts of the state, especially in Pottstown, Royersford, and other stops on the potential Reading-to-Philadelphia corridor that I've long been working to resurrect," Ciresi added.

Investment in passenger rail would support many of the House Democratic Policy Committee’s objectives, including COVID recovery, job creation, infrastructure improvement, economic fairness and community development.

Complete hearing testimony and video of it are available here.

In July 2020, a new passenger rail project from Reading to Philadelphia was proposed, with a stop in Phoenixville. An original plan of three new stations in Phoenixville, Schuylkill Township, and King of Prussia was tabled at that time.

One study painted an encouraging portrait of the region's economic future should the project be completed. The rail line could bring $356.1 million in economic benefits to the region over the course of its first 30 years in operation, from 2024 to 2053, according to an earlier report by Smart Growth America and the Phoenixville Mayor's Task Force on Resumption of Passenger Rail Service.

Read an earlier Patch report on the project here.

Justin Heinze contributed to this report.

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