SEPTA on Nov. 13, joined with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Acting Administrator Therese McMillan, federal, state and local officials, and community members, to celebrate the completion of a major reconstruction project at historic Wayne Junction Station.
Located on Windrim Avenue in the city’s Nicetown neighborhood, near the border of Germantown, Wayne Junction Station has been a regionally significant transportation hub station since it was opened by the Reading Railroad in 1881. It was originally designed by renowned architect Frank Furness, and was rebuilt in 1901. After more than 100 years of use, the facility had fallen into a state of disrepair.
The $31.5 million project to revitalize the facility had been deferred due to funding constrains, however, a $4 million FTA Livability Grant awarded in 2011 was a catalyst for SEPTA to advance the initiative. SEPTA worked closely with the community to ensure the success of the project, which aimed to retain the station’s historic significance while also positioning it to be at the center of economic growth in the surrounding neighborhoods.
“We have great partnerships at the federal, state and local levels that enabled this project to be a success,” SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. “Pat” Deon Sr. “Efforts like these support key parts of our transit infrastructure, and are crucial to sustaining and growing economic development in the Greater Philadelphia Region and throughout Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”
Although it required significant construction, the station remained open while work was underway to maintain regular service for customers. Wayne Junction serves as a multi-modal transfer point between six of SEPTA's regional rail lines, as well as three major transit routes – the Route 75 Trackless Trolley, and Bus Routes 23 and 53. The station serves over 321,000 riders annually.
“Wayne Junction Station is a critical part of the SEPTA system, and we’re thrilled to be able to deliver these improvements to our riders and the community,” said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel. “The reconstruction delivers full ADA accessibility and long-needed modern amenities for our riders, while preserving the station’s rich history.”
Wayne Junction Station is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Renovations to the station building and Germantown Head House were coordinated with the Germantown Preserve and Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The project received the 2015 Grand Jury Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
“The modernization of the Wayne Junction rail station makes it more inviting for people to take the train, and that will make these neighborhoods, and others throughout metro Philadelphia, more livable and more sustainable,” said FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan, who was at the ribbon cutting. “For residents and businesses in Nicetown, the completion of this project means they will benefit from safer, more accessible and environmentally friendly access to SEPTA transportation services.”
Renovations included making the station compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the construction of new station platforms and new elevators; ADA compliant egress throughout the station; upgrading power, signal and track infrastructure; restoring passenger tunnels and stairways; improving passenger amenities including signage; lighting; Audio Visual Public Announcement (AVPA) system; and new HVAC systems, shelters, canopies and benches.
“In Philadelphia and across the United States, this Administration is committed to bringing aging transit facilities like SEPTA’s Wayne Junction Station into a state of good repair,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Residents in the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadelphia can now take advantage of a newly modernized rail station that provides important ladders of opportunity, connecting people to jobs and education, while encouraging continued growth and transit orient development.”
The project is also possible in part thanks to Act 89, the state’s comprehensive transportation funding law passed in November 2013.
“This project is an example of the critical investments transit providers needed that were shelved for years due to scarce resources,” Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. “Act 89 is ensuring that safety improvements and other upgrades can occur across the state, ultimately improving service for transit users.”
The project is already helping spur Transit Oriented Development in the communities surrounding the growth in the communities surrounding the station.
“This station is the gateway to the growing Nicetown neighborhood,” said Majeedah Rashid, Chief Operating Officer of the Nicetown Community Development Corporation. “The improvements here are a big part of our revitalization as a community, and we expect it will continue to deliver benefits for years to come.”
