 The Schuylkill Valley Metro (SVM) public transportation project is proposed for the Schuylkill Valley Corridor, extending approximately 62 miles between Reading and Philadelphia. It is a joint project sponsored by the Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The region within the corridor is one of the fastest growing areas in southeastern Pennsylvania. Its two principal highways, the Schuylkill Expressway (1-76) and the US Route 422 Expressway, as well as many arterial and secondary roads, are plagued by congestion. With the tremendous growth of jobs and population taking place in the corridor, land development is occurring rapidly with commensurate loss of farmland and open space. Meanwhile, many of the older, former industrial towns in the corridor are in need of economic development. Existing public transportation consists of limited bus service, concentrated primarily toward the Reading and Philadelphia ends of the corridor and a commuter rail service between Philadelphia and Norristown and Philadelphia and Cynwyd that does not directly serve the newer centers of growth in the corridor.
Existing freight railroad rights-of-way, both active and inactive, provide the opportunity to economically extend rail transit service throughout the length of the corridor. These existing rights-of-way offer additional space to allow construction of separate tracks, if necessary, for a modem system capable of providing a high level of service at reasonable cost. In addition to helping to relieve traffic congestion and reduce pressure to expand highways, a modern service such as this can also serve as the catalyst to spark economic development in older towns served by the rail corridor. Additionally, this service can help to focus future growth into patterns that reduce dependence on the automobile, thus helping to reduce the pressure to develop irreplaceable farmland and other open space.
The Schuylkill Valley Metro Feasibility Study investigated the potential for providing rail transit to the SVM Corridor and concluded that substantial benefits would be realized from the implementation of either light rail or commuter rail service. (Note: The SVM Corridor is defined as all those municipalities traversed by the project rail alignment as well as all additional municipalities within two miles of the alignment.) The corridor stretches from Spring Township (west of Reading) to the City of Philadelphia. The alignment generally parallels the Schuylkill River along the existing railroad right-of-way from Wyomissing Borough to Philadelphia
The Major Investment Study (MIS) and Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) are the next steps in transportation planning and project development following the completion of the SVM Feasibility Study. The SVM MIS compares the effectiveness of various investment strategies for achieving the transportation goals of the SVM Corridor. The MIS investigated commuter rail and light rail service along with a host of other alternatives, including alignment alternatives, highway improvements, and transportation systems management strategies, as potential strategies for meeting the mobility needs of the Corridor. The DEIS, in addition to documenting the MIS findings, describes the affected environment and discuss the project's environmental impacts and potential mitigation alternatives. These steps have recently been completed and submitted to the Federal Transportation Administration for approval.
The next task to be undertaken will be the Preliminary Engineering study. This study will make the final determinations as to what the Schuylkill Valley Metro will actually become. The Preliminary Engineering will determine the exact alignment of the tracks, the vehicles to be used and the architecture of the stations and surrounding areas. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) will also be completed at this time. Following the completion of the Preliminary Engineering and the FEIS, actual construction can begin. Provided that all of the necessary funding can be appropriated, the system could be operational by 2010.
To get information go to
www.septa.org/reports (official website) or www.svmcoalition.com
(Schuylkill Valley Metro Coalition website).
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The Schuylkill Valley Metro (SVM) public transportation project is proposed for the Schuylkill Valley Corridor, extending approximately 62 miles between Reading and Philadelphia. It is a joint project sponsored by the Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). The region within the corridor is one of the fastest growing areas in southeastern Pennsylvania. Its two principal highways, the Schuylkill Expressway (1-76) and the US Route 422 Expressway, as well as many arterial and secondary roads, are plagued by congestion. With the tremendous growth of jobs and population taking place in the corridor, land development is occurring rapidly with commensurate loss of farmland and open space. Meanwhile, many of the older, former industrial towns in the corridor are in need of economic development. Existing public transportation consists of limited bus service, concentrated primarily toward the Reading and Philadelphia ends of the corridor and a commuter rail service between Philadelphia and Norristown and Philadelphia and Cynwyd that does not directly serve the newer centers of growth in the corridor.
