Ciresi determined to find mass transit solution for commuters
Rep. Joseph Ciresi February 6, 2020 | 4:39 PM
ROYERSFORD, Feb. 6 – State Rep. Joe Ciresi traveled via mass transit from his home in Montgomery County to Philadelphia Thursday morning to illustrate the tremendous amount of time and effort commuters experience every day heading to work.
“It’s no secret that Route 422 resembles a parking lot rather than a road during commuter traffic hours,” Ciresi said. “Even when Montgomery County residents opt to avoid traffic and ride mass transit, many in our community need to drive an hour or more to reach the nearest train – and SEPTA buses experience the same heavy traffic as cars.”
Ciresi traveled from his home in Limerick to a SEPTA station in the Montgomery County Community College West Campus in Pottstown. After boarding a bus at 7:20 a.m., he traveled to the Norristown Transportation Center. During the journey, Ciresi was joined by state Rep. Joe Webster, D-Montgomery, who boarded the bus in Collegeville. The two state lawmakers were joined by SEPTA officials and eventually boarded a train for Philadelphia. The trip took 2 hours and 15 minutes to travel to Suburban Station in Center City Philadelphia.
“Fewer mass transit options results in more cars on the road, which creates more headaches for everyone involved,” Ciresi said. “There are no easy solutions, but I’m committed to working with city, county and state officials and agencies to improve the situation.”
Ciresi hosted a town hall last year to explore options to improve the commute. He had one expert detail trackless trams, which would cost $30 million for a station, three cars and 10-mile line. Meanwhile, construction of a light passenger rail could cost more than $170 million. Ciresi and his staff are laying the groundwork for a Congestion Relief Options Study while a funding source is identified. The study would examine previous analyses along the Route 422 corridor, identify potential transit options, and include a pre-feasibility analysis.