SEPTA seeks feedback for King of Prussia rail plan

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. (WPVI) -- SEPTA is making plans to expand its service through Montgomery County, and they want the public to weigh in.

It's called the King of Prussia Rail Project, a $1 billion plan.

The King of Prussia Mall is the biggest employment engine west of Philadelphia. But, for non-drivers, it is accessible only by bus.

SEPTA's high speed line stops in Norristown.

Now, the transit agency is moving full speed ahead on extending the line out to King of Prussia, where they believe they would pick up an additional 9,000 riders a day.

"I think it would be a lot more convenient because it's taken me two hours to get hour here by bus rather than train," said Geneva Write of North Philadelphia, adding she believes a train would cut her time in half.

"All the workers out here would love a train to come out here," said Evelyn Bolton, of Darby, Pa.

SEPTA is now starting to sell the new train route they want to build more rail lines on.

"It comes off the Norristown High Speed Line, comes down PECO's right-of-way, then into the Turnpike's right-of-way, then along the back side of the mall with two stops at the mall, and then comes north onto First Avenue and then right into the business park," said Liz Smith of SEPTA.

There are hopes to start construction in 2020, with the new line up and running in 2023.

"We tried to route the extension in a way that we stay mainly within public rights of way," Smith said. "But there is a small section along the Pennsylvania Turnpike that we back up to a residential area. We're within the Turnpike's right-of-way, we're working with them to secure access to that right-of-way, but we're still adjacent to residential areas."

SEPTA is hoping to get a half-billion dollars in federal funding, but that's only half the bill.

For more information, and to find out how you can weigh in, visit KingOfPrussiaRail.org