The Mount Joy Train Station’s reopening was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Executive Deputy Secretary Yassmin Gramian, Deputy Secretary for Multimodal Transportation Jennie Granger, Federal Transit Administration Region 3 Administrator Terry Garcia Crews and state and local officials attending the event.
"The Mount Joy station not only helps move passengers along the Keystone Line but is also a gateway to the local community," Gramian said. "Its improvements will create more efficient transportation and improved customer service throughout the Keystone Corridor."
PennDOT collaborated with federal and local entities through a multi-year process of visioning, conceptual development and design throughout the remodeling process. The Mount Joy improvement project was funded solely with state and federal funds.
Following the groundbreaking in 2016, 69 parking spaces have been added along East and West Henry Street parallel to the train tracks. A long-term parking lot, a covered walkway, landscaping and ADA accessibility improvements were also part of the project.
Rounding out the improvements are an elevator and stair towers, high-level platforms with canopies and lighting leading down to each platform. A pedestrian overpass between each tower was also added for a total project cost of approximately $33 million.
Prior to this revitalization project, PennDOT says Mount Joy was merely a stop along the Keystone Line, with a set of stairs leading down to the tracks – no significant seating and no accommodations for passengers with disabilities. The primary focus of this project was to create an accessible passenger train station that allows all individuals equal access to public transportation.
"Our transportation network is more than just roads and bridges," Granger said. "It’s critical that when we think about how we can better connect our communities we’re looking at all of the modes of transportation and how we can make them work better for everyone."
