By Rachel Kamel
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The $150 million Baltimore Penn Station renovation project that began on Oct. 29 will make the train hub compliant with the American with Disabilities Act while also allowing more high-speed rail lines along the 16-stop Northeast corridor between Boston and Washington.
The Baltimore Penn Station Partners, the group that is overseeing the project, said the multi-faceted project includes repairs to improve the station’s appearance and functionality while still preserving the history of the station.
The project includes an expansion that is being constructed over the tracks at Penn Station that will include a high-speed rail platform, modernized station functions and increased capacity. Transit functions that will be relocated to the new expansion include ticketing and baggage.
The concourse level of Penn Station will be used for commercial businesses. In addition, an additional platform will be built and will become the second ADA-compliant platform at the station.
As part of the project, a new 250,000-square-foot mixed use commercial and residential building will be constructed next to the Lanvale parking lot, according to the Penn Station website. The street-level retail programs will create a “lively 24/7 atmosphere,” said Baltimore Penn Station Partners. The rest of the Lanvale parking lot will be turned into a parking garage to ensure that parking options are not lost.
A Baltimore Penn Station press release said that Amtrak is rebuilding one of the low-level platforms into an ADA-compliant high-level platform. Amtrak is also building a new ADA-compliant platform.
“This project is the embodiment of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda,” said Amit Bose, the deputy administrator for the Federal Railroad Administration, referring to the $2 trillion bill currently making its way through Congress. “Baltimore residents, businesses, as well as those traveling on MARC and Amtrak will all benefit from a modern and fully accessible facility.”
“Accessibility for disabled and elderly people is not only about physical access to vehicles and systems,” the EMBARQ Network said, adding that accessibility also means scheduling signs that are easy to access and understand.
According to Beth K. Toll, Amtrak’s public relations manager, the ADA-compliant platforms will not be the only piece of increased accessibility.
“The redevelopment and expansion program will also improve accessibility and customer experience at the expanded concourse level with improved passenger information and wayfinding systems, new ticket counters, customer service facilities, and retail amenities,”
Toll said. “Amtrak is committed to proactively providing accessible and inclusive experiences to best serve our passengers with disabilities while also engaging and receiving feedback from the disability community.”
The four-year redevelopment project is being funded by multiple organizations, with Amtrak kicking in the most at $90 million, according to the Baltimore Penn Station website.
The website said Beatty Development and Cross Street Partners (CSP) are funding the development of new retail spaces on the concourse level of the existing station and office space on the upper three levels of the existing station. While the exact amount of funding has not been disclosed, this money is coming from debt, equity, and historic tax credits.
Toll said in a statement that the agreement between Amtrak and Penn Station Partners calls for spending $60 million in rail infrastructure and platform improvements that also improve accessibility.
The Baltimore Penn Station project is not alone in Amtrak’s current redevelopment.
According to Baltimore Penn Station Partners, Amtrak is working on an additional 28 new Acela high-speed trains. There are currently only 20 Acela trains that move over 8 million passengers a year.
The increase in Acela trains would allow Acela services to increase from every hour to every 30 minutes during peak hours. The additional platform at Baltimore Penn station would be able to help accommodate this increase.
New York Penn Station, which is owned by Amtrak, is also undergoing major redevelopment with plans of adding nine additional sets of tracks, five platforms and other infrastructure upgrades, according to the New York Times.
The Baltimore Penn project also includes a green roof, large glass windows with energy-efficient glazing that will allow for maximum levels of natural light, high-efficiency HVAC systems, low flow toilets and water fixtures.
Disability Rights Mayland was unavailable for questioning on how effective they believe these accessibility changes will be and how prevalent issues of accessibility in the station have been.