SEPTA’s King of Prussia Rail Project (KOP Rail) is a transformative project that will connect residents with opportunity across the Greater Philadelphia region. KOP Rail will provide a safe, convenient, reliable, and efficient transportation option to Upper Merion Township residents and provide the following benefits.
Increases Mobility & Faster Connections:
KOP Rail will reduce travel time to/from Center City from 75 minutes to 45 minutes, significantly less than a typical trip on heavily congested I-76.
KOP Rail will provide carless access to jobs at the King of Prussia Mall, the second largest mall in the United States, and Moore Park KOP, a mixed-use community comprised of commercial, residential, retail, dining, and industrial spaces.
KOP Rail will enhance personal opportunity by linking residents to educational and medical institutions, as well as shopping, dining, entertainment and other social activities.
KOP Rail will provide easy connections to area trails, parks and recreation areas, including Valley Forge National Historical Park, First Avenue Linear Park, the Schuylkill River Trail, and the Chester Valley Trail.
KOP Rail will allow students to easily access colleges and universities along the Norristown High Speedline as well as in University City and Center City.
KOP Rail will allow students to easily access internships without a car.
Adds Home Value
KOP Rail will generate a total property value premium of $2.5 billion. This includes $1.8 billion in increased value for existing housing. The value premium includes:
A total home value of $83 million, or $31,600 per house, for homes within one mile of the five proposed KOP Rail Stations.
An increased value of $992 million for homes within a mile of the existing Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) (an increase of 9.4%).
KOP Rail Increases Local Tax Revenue
KOP Rail’s new service and associated activity will increase downtown King of Prussia’s commercial property value to $260 million, providing a strong and stable tax base that will continue to keep taxes low.
KOP Rail Addresses Mobility Needs of Seniors, People with Disabilities, & Millennials
KOP Rail will be fully compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
KOP Rail will be accessible to residents who do not live within in walking distance:
- Park-and-ride facilities at each end of the extension.
- Passenger drop-off/pick-up with ride-hailing accessibility at each station.
Will make the community more attractive to home buyers – particularly millennials who want to drive less and seek high-frequency transportation when making real estate decisions.
KOP Rail will be a convenient experience for passengers using wheelchairs or walkers, pushing strollers, pulling luggage, walking their bikes, or who have difficulty climbing stairs.
KOP Rail will provide the ability to live in a single-car household.
KOP Rail Saves Money
KOP Rail will be an affordable way to travel.
KOP Rail can help commuters save up to $3,760 a year in fuel and parking expenses.
KOP Rail can help households that eliminate a car can save up to $12,000 per year in car insurance, gas, maintenance, and parking.
Public Transit Helps Improve Quality of Life
Public transit is linked to healthier lifestyles
Public transit users get more than three-times the amount of physical activity per day than those who don’t, just from walking to and from their transit stops and their final destination.
Public transit is ten-times safer than driving
Public transit has less than a tenth the per-mile traffic casualty (injury or death) rate as automobile travel.