According to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), by 2035, 1,910 weekday riders would be interested in commuting to Center City from West Chester.

However, commuting directly to Center City is estimated to cost $379.8 million, far beyond current transportation budgets. 

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An alternative solution is a shuttle service from West Chester transferring enroute at Wawa that would attract 1,350 weekday riders. At an estimated cost of $16.4 million, this approach - the West Chester Metro Initiative - offers a far more feasible option for West Chester residents.

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West Chester Metro proposes to operate a battery-powered shuttle train 38 times each weekday between West Chester and Wawa, connecting with SEPTA regional rail trains to and from Center City.

 

Benefits include

• Embracing less conventional, but equally functional and safe technologies and techniques that have been service-proven elsewhere 

• Enhancing the quality of life for West Chester Borough and surrounding communities 

• Being a testbed for emergent green technology 

• Co-existing with the WCRR tourist trains 

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Lower costs are achieved by

• Using recycled rail to correctively maintain and restore existing track

• Avoiding electrification by using battery-powered, zero-emission trainsets

• Deferring signalization expense through FRA-approved temporal separation 

• Minimizing station costs with permeable, stabilized gravel parking lots

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Learn more about Popup Metro, the battery-propelled shuttles transforming rail transit.

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