This well-timed post from SEPTA Watch came through my blog reader this morning:

The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is the Philadelphia area organization that is deputized to prioritize federal transit funding. It’s now writing up its list of 2009 priorities.

Interested in having a say in the matter? DVRPC is having a public meeting this Wednesday, May 14, between 4 and 6pm to talk about the proposal. It will be held at the DVRPC Conference Center at 190 North Independence Mall West (near the National Constitution Center) on the 8th Floor.

SEPTA Watch also directed me to a Philadelphia City Council hearing a few weeks ago about a prospective bike sharing program that was very educational. Now that I’ve had a chance to witness that public hearing, I’m compelled to represent our new R3 group for the first time. I’ve got two days to gather all the information I need to make a persuasive argument for getting the R3 West Chester line into their plans somewhere. My initial plan is to stand up in front of the DVRPC and whine for 20 minutes or so about the price of gas, but I suspect that plan might need to be refined a little bit. (Fouuuuur dollars! UGGHH)

The current draft of the Transportation Improvement Project (TIP) for PA has rail service being extended to Wawa, which we knew was going down anyway:

This project will provide for the restoration of rail service approximately 3 miles between the existing R3 Media/Elwyn Regional Rail Line terminus at Elwyn, Delaware County, to a proposed terminus at Wawa, Delaware County. Service restoration will require new track, catenary, signals, communications and structures between Elwyn and Wawa, as well as the construction of a new station and parking facility at Wawa, Delaware County. The project is in close proximity to US Route 1, a major highway artery serving this area. Route 1 would provide excellent highway access to the large park and ride facility proposed at Wawa.

It would be great to get an extension to West Chester at least mentioned briefly in this document, which I will approach as our main goal tomorrow. It would be even better if it were to immediately warrant it’s own priority item. I will provide updates as we go along, as I expect to learn a lot in a short amount of time over the next few days.