By Judy Kroeger, Connellsville Daily Courier
Connellsville's new Amtrak station is virtually complete.
The waiting area will be finished when chairs and benches are installed in the coming weeks.
"I love it," Councilwoman Marilyn Weaver said. "It's so much better. It's part of bringing the city back step by step."
The new $1.25 million station, built with federal capital funds, replaces the former bus-shelter-type structure erected in the 1970s.
Danelle Hunter, media relations manager for Amtrak, said the project began in early November.
The Capitol Limited, which travels between Chicago and Washington, D.C., is the only passenger train that stops in Connellsville. Because of a lack of passenger volume, Amtrak chose not to install restrooms in the station.
Hunter said that, at this time, the station will not allow passengers to load and unload bicycles, but that may change. "This is an effort we are working on."
"It's nice," Mayor Charlie Matthews said. "I'm disappointed there's no restroom, but it's definitely a beautification to the city."
The station could become the focus of growth.
Michael Edwards, executive director of the Connellsville Redevelopment Authority, said he has received communication from a developer in the hospitality industry. "He follows Amtrak and has expressed interest in Connellsville. It's encouraging." Edwards did not name the developer.
Three years ago, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council funded a design charette for downtown Connellsville. Part of the focus, Edwards said, "involved how we can connect the train station to the Main Street area downtown. The charette included some concepts. The Sprout Fund is also involved, through its program, Making Connections."
Edwards called the new station "encouraging. That kind of investment doesn't come to Connellsville that often. There is a lot of investment and interest in investment going on in the city now."
A ribbon cutting for the train station is being planned. It will take place April 29 at a time to be announced.
(The PEC design charrette was funded by a grant from the Growth Fund of the Community Foundation of Fayette County.)
