Description
The existing Downingtown Station is located along the Keystone Corridor in Downingtown, PA. The existing station location is greatly constrained by limitations of available land and the track geometry. The superelevation and curvature of the tracks make it impossible to provide high-level platforms and achieve modern ADA standards at the existing station location. The Downingtown Station Project will replace the existing station and relocate it approximately one half of a mile to the east where the Keystone Corridor crosses US Route 322 (Brandywine Avenue). This location was selected as it is one of the few areas in Downingtown Borough that has straight track. The new station will continue to serve both Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail service.
The proposed Downingtown Station will provide parking in each of the four quadrants of the crossing of US 322 and the Keystone Corridor. These additional parking lots will provide approximately 480 parking spots, an increase in parking spots over what is at the existing station. Bike racks will also be provided in each of the four project quadrants.
The new station will utilize high-level platforms east of US 322 that allow for level boarding of the trains and meet ADA standards. Each quadrant will have an elevator and stair tower to provide access from each of the parking lots to the proposed platforms. Pedestrian bridges will be constructed across US 322 at platform level to increase safety and eliminate the need for pedestrian crossings of US 322.
The tracks are currently supported by a stone arch bridge which represents a constricting point along US 322 with narrow vehicular lanes, a narrow sidewalk on one side only under the bridge, and a sub-standard vertical clearance of 12’-0”. The project will replace this bridge and provide wider vehicular travel lanes in each direction, an additional turning lane, roadway shoulders, ample sidewalks for both pedestrians and bicyclists, and increase vertical clearance to 16 feet.
