The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced that it will soon take the next steps toward entering into a public-private partnership (P3) contract with a private partner to develop parking and commercial development around the Middletown train station (Connecticut, US), which will be rebuilt through a multi-partner project.

Keystone Connections, a team comprised of Cedarwood Development, Inc., Star America Capital Advisor, LLC., Raudenbush Engineering, Inc., JEM Group, LLC, U.S. Facilities, Inc., and Walker Parking Consultants/Engineers, Inc., qualified for the next phase of the procurement based on its response to a Request for Qualifications issued by PennDOT in September 2016.

Consistent with the process it has adopted for P3 projects, PennDOT soon will issue for comment a draft Request for Proposal (RFP) to Keystone Connections which, when finalized, will establish the criteria for Keystone’s proposal to develop, design, build, finance, operate, and maintain parking facilities that provide a minimum of 400 parking spaces for transportation use as well as undertake commercial development.

Additionally, the project will include the construction of the Emaus Street extension and a pedestrian bridge over Route 230 to the Penn State-Harrisburg campus.

PennDOT anticipates finalizing the RFP over the next few months with a goal of receiving and reviewing a detailed proposal later this year.

The P3 development will complement the work PennDOT, AMTRAK, and Norfolk-Southern are doing to build the new Middletown station. Site preparation under a US$2.6 million contract is underway and is expected to be completed in May 2017. Norfolk-Southern is expected to start an estimated US$6.5 million in track work later this year. AMTRAK's track work, estimated to cost roughly US$4.3 million, will start late next year. Work on the new station and platform, estimated to cost $24.4 million, is expected to start late in 2018.

PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards, said:

"We are taking another innovative step forward to enhance transportation options and improve the quality of life for the area around the Middletown station on the Keystone passenger rail line. We will work with this development team on moving this concept to a reality."

"Our ongoing work to enhance the Keystone Corridor is attracting an ever increasing group of riders. These efforts set the stage for better transportation options and a renewed vibrancy to the communities along the Corridor."