Amtrak to Discuss Historical Adverse Effects of Zoo-to-Paoli Project

Officials from Amtrak and managers of the massive Zoo-to Paoli Electrification Transmission Line Project will meet with consulting parties Monday at 5 p.m. at Bryn Mawr College to discuss the project’s effects on historic resources located within the project area.

Amtrak plans to upgrade the existing overhead electrification system along a 20-mile segment of the Keystone Corridor between the Philadelphia Zoo substation and the Paoli substation.

The existing catenary poles, approximately 40-50 feet in height, will be replaced with new poles, approximately 60-75 feet high with a few poles reaching 100 feet high at overhead bridges. The Bryn Mawr substation also will be demolished and replaced, and the site expanded to include a new substation to help support the catenary voltage between the Zoo and Paoli substations.

Meetings were previously held in June 2013 and September 2014 with consulting parties such as the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission to present findings from cultural resources investigations. The June 1 meeting at the Benham Gateway Building at Bryn Mawr College will provide follow-up to the discussions and present the current status of the project studies.

According to the draft executive summary of the findings, a total of 28 historic properties were included in the Area of Potential Effects, including the Pennsylvania Railroad Main Line. The report prepared by Stell Environmental says the replacement of the towers and demolition of the Bryn Mawr substation will present an adverse effect on the railroad’s physical historic resources. Amtrak and the project management company, the Burns Group, will develop with the consulting parties measures to mitigate the adverse effect, according to the summary.

The National Historic Preservation Act requires sponsors of federally funded projects to take into account the potential project effects on historic properties. Section 106 entitles parties with a demonstrated interest in history or historic preservation to provide comments and suggest mitigation measures, if necessary, for the project.

Contact Allen Heist at (610) 286-0100 or aheist@stellee.com, with any questions or to RSVP for Monday’s meeting.

(Photo courtesy The Burns Group)