A rendering of the what the new Coatesville Train Station will look like.
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) advised the public and contractors that the new Coatesville Train Station is being advertised for bid beginning today.
“We and the Coatesville community have worked hard on this project and we are excited that it’s moving forward,” PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian said. “This is a huge opportunity to partner not just on the station, but also potentially spur other development in the region.”
The selected contractor will build the project aimed at revitalizing the surrounding community with a modern accessible train station and improve connections to the Keystone Corridor. The new station will improve ADA accessibility and provide level boarding platforms, elevators, ramps, site lighting and security, improved drainage, and surface parking for local and regional commuters. Additionally, the project will enhance multimodal connectivity and ensure that freight movements through the new station area are maintained.
Interested contractors must be registered business partners with PennDOT and submit their bid through PennDOT’s Engineering and Construction Management System (ECMS). Additionally, contractor construction-related questions must be submitted electronically through ECMS.
A pre-bid meeting will be held virtually on July 27, 2021, and all interested contractors are encouraged to attend. Project information can be obtained on the project solicitation page of ECMS.
“Members of City Council, residents and community stakeholders have anticipated news of this much needed transportation structure, and now it’s finally here. The new train station is a critical piece of the city’s ‘re-imagine Coatesville’ focus and collective economic revitalization efforts. Coatesville residents, including our youth with transportation challenges, will soon have access to other regional areas, and daily commuters can cut their drive time significantly with a nearby regional station,” said Coatesville City Manager James Logan. “It has been long journey and PennDOT has worked tirelessly with Amtrak, City Officials, members of the Coatesville Redevelopment Authority, and Coatesville’s Construction Team to help guide us through this entire process. We appreciate their commitment and partnership.”
Prior to project design, PennDOT led multiple planning efforts with the Coatesville community to identify strategies that would revitalize the area surrounding the proposed train station. Streetscape projects on Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue completed in 2019 and 2020 improved access from Coatesville’s downtown area to the proposed new train station location.
Speaking on behalf of the Chester County Board of Commissioners, Chair Marian Moskowitz said, “This bid announcement is a great step in the effort to bring the much-needed train station to Coatesville, and it is welcomed by everyone who cares about the city’s future. Each train coming into the new station will bring with it opportunities for development and businesses growth, and each train leaving the new station will give access to regional jobs and greater economic opportunities for those living in Coatesville. The county is pleased to be a partner in this revitalization, including funding support for the parking garage connected with the station.”
PennDOT intends to begin construction in late fall 2021 with completion anticipated in 2025. This project is financed from the Federal Transit Administration and state transportation funds.
“Investments in transit infrastructure are critical to the economic vitality of the region, and we appreciate that PennDOT continues to make upgrading the Keystone Line a priority,” said SEPTA General Manager/CEO Leslie S. Richards. “The Coatesville Train Station project will be another important improvement, and today’s announcement is a welcome milestone. We look forward to working with PennDOT, Chester County and the City of Coatesville in serving this growing community.”
The new train station will facilitate increased train frequencies to the station, which will contribute to ongoing economic development efforts throughout the community.
“We look forward to continuing our coordination with PennDOT on the Coatesville Station project,” said Amtrak AVP of Infrastructure Access & Investment Tom Moritz. “PennDOT’s and the Coatesville community’s dedication has resulted in an exciting project that will provide a significant benefit to the Keystone Service.”
