Sen Casey fought to restore service between Reading and Philly; new designation and award made possible by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Designation is critical step towards federal funding for Reading to Philly rail service
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has included the Reading to Philadelphia corridor in its Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program with the goal of reestablishing direct passenger rail service between the cities. The Corridor ID Program was established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to assist with the development of intercity passenger rail corridors. The designation comes with a $500,000 grant to be used for planning, scoping, and building out a service development plan.
“For generations, passenger rail service helped connect Reading and Philadelphia, helping southeastern Pennsylvanians get to school and work, and access economic opportunity and recreation,” said Senator Casey. “I have fought to restore rail service between the two cities, including voting for the infrastructure law, because bringing passenger rail service back will be a game-changer for the region’s economy, families, and communities.”
The re-established rail line would run on an existing rail alignment that has not had passenger trains since 1981. It would also have new intermediate stops in Pottstown, Phoenixville, and potentially Norristown, PA with four to eight daily roundtrips connecting southeastern Pennsylvanians with Philadelphia and New York, NY, from Reading. In February of 2023, Senator Casey sent a letter of support to the FRA urging them to consider the Reading to Philadelphia corridor for the Corridor ID program. Casey also worked with Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA) to deliver community project funding in FY22 to support necessary early-stage planning for the line.
The Corridor Identification and Development (Corridor ID) Program is a comprehensive intercity passenger rail planning and development program established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Senator Casey fought to pass. The program is guiding intercity passenger rail development throughout the country and creating a pipeline of intercity passenger rail projects ready for implementation.?
