SEPTA reopens Ardmore station
After a six‑year closure and two decades of planning, SEPTA reopened Ardmore Regional Rail station with high‑level platforms, elevators, and improved shelters — a tangible accessibility and safety upgrade that aligns with federal standards. The station’s multi‑year delivery shows how accessibility retrofits and SMS objectives can be bundled into a single capital project. (cbsnews.com)
Operations moved back to the reconstructed Ardmore station on March 23, 2026, with SEPTA shifting boarding to the newly completed platforms after the site was taken out of service in 2019. (trackyourtransit.com) DVRPC’s project listing budgets Phase 1 at $53.6 million, with $50.6 million identified in prior‑year funds and $3.0 million programmed in FY2025 for the ADA accessibility and station enhancements. (dvrpc.org) Local reporting that tracked contract changes and pandemic delays places the near‑final construction tab closer to $59–60 million rather than the earliest estimates. (phillyvoice.com) Advancing PA Rail’s project summary documents an earlier $36 million estimate for core construction and specifies platform geometry: a 528‑foot high‑level platform and a 200‑foot low‑level platform, plus tunnel renovations, new elevators and stormwater/site work. (advancingparail.com) The Federal Transit Administration issued a Finding of No Significant Impact for the Ardmore Transit Center in June 2011, stating the replacement station, high‑level platforms and associated facilities would be in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. (transit.dot.gov) Project delivery was phased: Phase 1 (design complete; construction 2019–2026) focuses on accessibility and station amenities, while Phase 2—still without a scheduled budget—contemplates an accessible multi‑level parking garage of roughly 500 spaces plus bus berthing, with timing tied to ridership recovery. (septa.patternstream.cloud) SEPTA positions the Ardmore work inside its Station Accessibility Program and broader Regional Rail capital plan, which documents systemwide moves toward raised platforms, upgraded station amenities and a 12‑year capital investment framework. (wwww.septa.org)
