The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), has announced it is starting a request for qualifications (RFQ) process to solicit a Public Private Partner to develop parking and retail around a revitalized Middletown train station.

PennDOT’s vision is that the P3 partner will develop, design, build, finance, operate and maintain parking facilities that provide a minimum of 400 parking spaces in an eight-acre tract near the newly relocated AMTRAK station as well as undertake possible commercial/retail development. 

In addition, the partner will construct an Emaus Street extension as well as a pedestrian bridge over Route 230 to the Penn State-Harrisburg campus. The partner will be required to maintain the project site for at least 30 years.

Interested parties have 60 days to respond with a statement of qualifications.
 
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 US$24.4 million, is expected to start late in 2018.

For more information, please visit the bussiness opportunity website.

PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said.

“The Keystone Line offers an attractive travel option for more than one million riders a year and enhancing stations along the route can help attract even more riders. Renewed stations also help build strong surrounding communities and that is the goal of our P3 plans.”

“Our goal is to build transit ridership at the Middletown station and add an attractive transportation and commercial hub for the community. This is part of our mission to build a better Pennsylvania and mobility for its citizens.”