Phase 1 (15% Design) of preliminary engineering is now complete and the Refined Route of the King of Prussia Rail Project (KOP Rail) was released. The Refined Route was improved from the recommended Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) with the North/South design option.
The design refinements included:
- Detailed engineering analysis of the rail alignment and guideway design
- Minor modifications to station locations and designs
- Initial assessments of potential property and environmental impacts
- Studies of rail operations, and other details
These design refinements were the direct result of community input, comments at the public hearings and other stakeholder meetings, coordination with affected property owners, engineering criteria, and continued review of the existing land use and future development opportunities. These designs are still preliminary and are not ready for construction.
Phase 1 is integral to the successful completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and joint Record of Decision (ROD) from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), which is anticipated in late 2020/early 2021. The FEIS identifies environmental and community impacts and commits to specific mitigation and minimization actions to eliminate or reduce negative effects. The ROD is a concise public record of FTA’s decision.
After the FEIS/ROD phase, Phase 2 of preliminary engineering built on the efforts of Phase 1 and added more detail during 30% design. Phase 2 also includes FTA requirements for project development, such as a project management plan, cost estimate, and project delivery schedule.