By Lauren Pinheiro, Staff Reporter
The Paoli train station and surrounding roads will enter into phase two of the construction of the Paoli Transportation Center Plan. Designs of remodeled roads, bridges and additions of a roundabout will finalize tentatively in mid-2024. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has been finalizing renovation plans since 2019, when it completed phase one of the project.
Phase two consists of a $35 million demolition and remodeling plan that will fix traffic signals, change the intersection of East Central and West Central avenues into a roundabout and relocate the bridge overtop North Valley Road to Lancaster Avenue and Darby Road. Additionally, the modifications will allow for easier access to roadways, a parking lot expansion and sidewalks lining each road.
PennDOT civil engineer and manager of Paoli Transportation Center Plan Mirlene Saintval hopes the bridge recreation will keep local commuters safe.
“The existing North Valley Road Bridge that is over the tracks is in poor condition,” Saintval said. “It is a huge component in having people know that they are traversing over a bridge that will last at least 50 to 75 years.”
The safety of the community is PennDOT’s main motivation for the renovations. Sophomore Suri Ahn, a Paoli resident, is in support of new renovations to improve traffic in the area and believes more sidewalks are needed.
“I think they would really help because I know that sometimes in that area, there’s a lot of traffic jams when I’m coming home from school or when I’m going to school,” Ahn said. “There’s a lot of pedestrians and people with jobs that walk to and from the station, and improved sidewalks would make that easier.”
The roundabout connecting to the entrance of the station will allow for safer travel by setting a safe speed limit.
As the project is in its final design stages, the final locations of electrical poles and telephone lines need approval from PennDOT.
“As I see it, there’s a more modern feel to the train station because of these renovations,” Ahn said. “I saw a greater use of the train station because of these renovations. It’s easier and way more convenient for a lot of people to use.”
Lauren Pinheiro can be reached at [email protected].
