Excellent News! We have learned just a moment ago that in addition to the approximately $6 million we are getting from the Federal Government (thru Gerlach/Omnibus) and the $6 million from Harrisburg (from Rendell through Dranoff) for Ardmore, SEPTA today announced that they were pledging up to $10 Million towards Ardmore! Way to go SEPTA! That brings the total thus far to approximately $22 million in funding by our estimations (provided SEPTA can indeed contribute the maximum of ten million dollars).

So if Wayne's train station renovation is costing close to or is $31 Million, at least we are well on our way to funded....so now we will see what specifically Dranoff is ponying up and well, Amtrak...after all as track/train station landowner, Amtrak is making out the best and we hope they make up a good part of the difference.

Here is the official press release from Lower Merion Township:

SEPTA Grant to Fund up to $10 Million for Ardmore Transit Improvements
Funds Included in 2009 Capital Budget and Subject to Approval by SEPTA Board
Posted Date: 10/8/2008 3:02 PM

SEPTA has notified Lower Merion Township that up to $10 million in funding has been included in the Authority’s Fiscal Year 2009 Capital Budget and Fiscal Year 2009-2020 Capital Program for the Transit and Regional Rail Station Program to advance the transit improvements planned for Ardmore. “This is excellent news, which adds to both our $5.8 million federal earmark and our $6 million RCAP State grant for the Ardmore Station project,” remarked Doug Cleland, Township Manager.

The SEPTA grant must be spent on the project’s public transportation improvements, including (but not limited to) a new ADA-accessible train station, high level platforms, structured parking facility, ADA-accessible paths and related bus transportation enhancements. In addition, SEPTA would be provided 300 parking spaces to replace existing parking and provide additional spaces to address current and future needs.

SEPTA’s commitment of funds is subject to the approval of the SEPTA Board and availability of Federal Department of Transportation appropriations.

“This substantial SEPTA grant signifies the Authority’s commitment to Ardmore and is a credit to the excellent project leadership displayed by our Township staff, our consultants and the Dranoff Properties team,” noted Bruce D. Reed, Board President.

Sigh....if we can all just survive the ensuing drama of Suburban Square's rezoning (as in the Hatfield vs. McCoy tensions on the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners over this), if we can just survive the fact that Ardmore has no master plan and needs one (recap: we have a redevelopment plan, MUST which is a zoning overlay of concentric mesiness, and a varied assortment of other development plans all competing with each other), and the fact that this entire township not just Ardmore is a nasty snarly mess of traffic and parking with need of solution, we might actually get somewhere....