Plan the Keystone Blog

COATESVILLE WRAP UP

On Nov. 10 PennDOT held a public forum from 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. at the Coatesville City Hall to provide an update on the Coatesville Train Station Project. During this time, residents were able to talk to members of the Plan the Keystone team, including representatives from Chester County and the City of Coatesville. There was also a brief question-and-answer session where residents and stakeholders asked questions and voiced thoughts about the project.

During the meeting, the Environmental Assessment that the Federal Transit Administration and PennDOT recently completed was discussed, and is available to view here. This study is also available  to residents without Internet access at the Coatesville City Hall and the Coatesville Public Library. This Environmental Assessment is currently in the public comment process, which closes Sunday Nov. 27, 2011 at 5 p.m. 

Residents were also presented with potential renderings of the Coatesville Train Station, as it may appear when constructed. Finally, a timeline was presented to residents featuring PennDOT’s projections on how long the project will take to reach fruition. All materials presented at the public forum are available here.  Have an idea or missed the meeting?  Please leave your comments for the Plan the Keystone Team below.

Public Invited to Coatesville Train Station Update Meeting

PennDOT will hold a public meeting on Nov. 10 to update the community on the Coatesville Train Station Improvement Project. The meeting will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Coatesville City Hall Building, One City Hall Place, Coatesville.

PennDOT, in partnership with the City of Coatesville and the Chester County Planning Commission, has been working to relocate the Coatesville train station to a location the public identified during an August 2010 workshop. PennDOT will also review recently completed Environmental Site Assessments in the train station area which will be used when making future land-use decisions.

The current station does not comply with federal Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and PennDOT is working to address this issue and explore ways to further enhance the station and its surroundings. PennDOT anticipates that construction of station upgrades will begin in two to three years.  Please feel free to attend the Nov. 10 meeting or share your thoughts below regarding the project.

 

Downingtown Train Station Charrette Closing Night Recap

This week, members of the Downingtown community worked with the Plan the Keystone team to develop concepts for a new train station at an alternative location in the borough. The team presented the concepts to the public on the evening of Thursday, Oct. 27. Three alternative sites were considered, each of which provide the opportunity for new ADA-compliant platforms, a new station building or shelters, surface or structured parking, transit-oriented development, and pedestrian connections. The concepts for the three sites were displayed on boards so that the public could leave comments on each design via sticky notes. The team also displayed potential streetscape improvements for several roads and key intersections in the borough. Opportunities for wayfinding, bike lanes, and trail connections were also discussed during the evening.

Bob Garrett from PennDOT explained next steps for the project which involve creation of a working group, refinement of the concepts, and a constructability analysis of the three alternative locations. If you were not able to attend the charrette and would like to view the presentation, please find it here. We are continuously looking for public input so please post any comments below. We look forward to continuing to work with the Downingtown community to develop its vision for the train station!

Downingtown Train Station Charrette Days Two and Three Design Sessions Recap

The Plan the Keystone team held design sessions over the course of two days where members of the public were invited to drop-in and provide feedback on alternative train station locations and concepts.   The public also provided input on locations for wayfinding, streetscaping and a vision for the borough. Great ideas were received and are being incorporated into revised concepts and the closing night presentation.  If you were not able to attend one of the drop-in design sessions, you can view the train station concepts and voice your opinion at the closing night presentation to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 at Borough Hall.  Also, feel free to leave comments below.

 

Downingtown Train Station Charrette - Opening Night Recap

More than 40 people turned out for the opening night of the Downingtown Train Station Community Charrette on Monday, Oct. 25, 2011.  The evening began with a presentation in which the project team and Bob Garrett of PennDOT discussed the importance of Downingtown as a stop along the Keystone Corridor, as well as preliminary project findings.  Participants then divided into small groups to discuss opportunities for the borough and what they valued most about Downingtown including its small town character, history, and open space and recreational amenities.  

Following the opportunities discussion, the groups brainstormed ways to improve the station, connect the station to the downtown and the region, improve access and mobility, and leverage station investment to improve Downingtown’s economy.  Items discussed included ways to improve ADA access, a need for wayfinding and streetscaping, bus connection, and the importance of pedestrian walkability.  

The evening was a great success and the Plan the Keystone team looks forward to developing concepts for the station and obtaining your feedback.  If you were not able to attend Monday night’s workshop, the presentation is available here for download.  Feel free to leave us comments below with any of your ideas for the train station and borough.

PUBLIC INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN UPCOMING DOWNINGTOWN TRAIN STATION COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

Would you like to share your vision for the new Downingtown Train Station?  Join the Plan the Keystone team for an interactive community workshop later this month to develop designs for the station and identify ways to improve access and passenger amenities.

The workshop will consist of opening night and closing night presentations and three days of drop-in working sessions.  Participants may join the working sessions and provide input at any time in the schedule – full session attendance is not required. The full schedule is as follows:

• Monday, Oct. 24 - Downingtown Borough Hall; 6:30 p.m. - Opening Presentation
• Tuesday, Oct. 25 - Downingtown Borough Hall; 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. - Working Session
• Wednesday, Oct. 26 - Downingtown Borough Hall; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. - Working Session 
• Thursday, Oct. 27 - Downingtown Borough Hall; 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. - Working Session; 
  6 p.m. - Work-in-Progress Presentation

 The workshop will be held at the Downingtown Borough Hall located at 4 W. Lancaster Avenue. There is a parking lot located behind the building.

Feel free to attend all portions of the workshop or stop in when it’s convenient for you!  We look forward to working with you on this exciting opportunity for Downingtown!

Parkesburg Train Station Project Workshop – Closing Session Recap

This week, the project team worked with members of the Parkesburg community to prepare concepts for the train station and discuss opportunities for the borough.  A presentation was delivered to the public in which the Plan the Keystone team recapped the events of the workshop, presented seven designs for the train station, discussed wayfinding and streetscaping, and informed the community on next steps for the project.  The seven train station concepts were also displayed on boards so that the public could view the designs in detail and leave comments on each via sticky notes. 

If you were not able to attend the workshop and would like to view the presentation, please find it here.  We are continuing to look for public input so please post any comments below with ideas for the team to consider.  Overall, the workshop was a huge success and we are excited about the positive feedback that we received.  We look forward to continuing to work with the Parkesburg community to develop its vision for the train station!

Parkesburg Train Station Project Workshop – Day Two Design Session Recap

The project team held a design session to develop concepts for the Parkesburg train station. Members of the public were invited to stop in and provide feedback to the project team throughout the day as they worked on designs.

Concepts were developed for the existing train station site and for a location to the east, closer to Borough Hall. Designs for both locations included increased parking, 500-foot high level platforms, new landscaping, platform elevators, and a pedestrian bridge. Day two was a success and we hope that you can join us this evening as we present the refined concepts and look for your feedback! 

Parkesburg Station Project Workshop – Opening Day Recap

The Community Workshop for the Parkesburg Train Station Area began on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 23.  Approximately 20 participants attended the opening-night presentation and workshop to talk about opportunities for improvement of the train station and downtown Parkesburg. 

The evening began with a presentation in which the project team and Bob Garrett of PennDOT discussed the importance of Parkesburg as a stop along the Keystone Corridor and preliminary project findings.  Participants then divided into small groups to discuss what they valued most about Parkesburg, including its small town character, facilities (library, park etc.), proximity to other urban areas, its history, and open space. They also discussed opportunities for the borough and train station including attracting more businesses, increasing connections and walkability, and encouraging SEPTA to expand service to the borough.

The groups then brainstormed ideas for three “themes” that emerged so far in the planning process: improve the station, connect the station to key Parkesburg assets, and improve mobility in Parkesburg.  The groups poured out a multitude of ideas and suggestions for potentially relocating the station or improving the existing station, improving ADA access, opportunities for East and West Bridge Street, and improving parking among many other suggestions.       

The day was a success and the project team looks forward to working with the public to develop concepts over the next two days. 

Not able to make the opening night’s workshop?  Feel free to view the presentation here and leave us comments below with any of your ideas for the train station and Borough.

UPCOMING PARKESBURG STATION PROJECT WORKSHOP LOOKING TO GARNER COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Would you like to see improvements made at the Parkesburg station such as a ticket office and waiting room?  Do you have a vision for the station and redevelopment of the surrounding area that you would like to share?  The Plan the Keystone Team in cooperation with PennDOT and the Borough of Parkesburg will be holding a public workshop to garner community input into development of goals and a vision for the Parkesburg station. 

We will be holding workshop on August 23^th, 24^th, and 25^th at the Parkesburg Borough Hall (315 West First Avenue, Building 1, Parkesburg).  The opening presentation will take place on Tuesday, August 23 at 6:30 p.m.  It will be followed by a public workshop on Wednesday, August 24 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  The final day of the workshop on Thursday, August 25 will involve a public workshop from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and conclude with a final public presentation at 6:30 p.m. Feel free to attend all three days of the workshop or stop in for a portion of it.  Your input is valuable and we look forward to hearing your ideas!