Souderton approved for another grant for train station project

Another $200,000 is coming down the track for the planned renovations and upgrade to the former Souderton train station.

Construction work at the station, two accompanying buildings and the surrounding parking lot area is expected to begin this year. Last year, the borough began leasing the site from SEPTA. After the upgrade and renovations, the buildings will be subleased to businesses in an economic development move.

On-scene work to design the project started recently.

The engineers are just starting survey work and field measurements, Souderton Borough Manager Mike Coll said.

The winter weather has hampered that work, though, he said.

The snow has been slowing that down quite a bit, he said.

Two grants totaling $1.5 million were previously approved for the train station project.

In November of last year, Coll said the borough had applied for another $200,000 state grant in 2011, but hadnt received a response and assumed it would not get the grant. The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development had recently contacted him about that grant, though, raising the hope the borough would get the grant, he said.

The state now has approved that grant, Coll said at the Feb. 3 Souderton Borough Council meeting at which the board approved the grant agreement.

This money is for the engineering and design expenses, Coll said. Continued...

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Souderton approved for another grant for train station project