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Norristown Transportation Center

Coordinates: 40°06′47″N 75°20′42″W / 40.113125°N 75.345054°W / 40.113125; -75.345054
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Norristown Transportation Center
A Manayunk/Norristown Line train passes under the Norristown High Speed Line platform
General information
LocationDeKalb and East Lafayette Streets
Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
United States
Coordinates40°06′47″N 75°20′42″W / 40.113125°N 75.345054°W / 40.113125; -75.345054
Owned bySEPTA
Line(s)Norristown Branch
Platforms2 side platforms
Tracks2
ConnectionsSuburban Bus SEPTA Suburban Bus: 90, 91, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, 131
Bike transport Schuylkill River Trail
Construction
Parking520 space parking garage
136 Free surface parking
44 with permits
Bicycle facilities4 racks
AccessibleYes (NHSL platforms only)
Other information
Fare zone3 (Regional Rail)
History
RebuiltJune 15, 1989[1]
Electrified25 Hz (Regional Rail)
Third rail (NHSL)
Passengers
2017856 boardings
781 alightings
(weekday average)[2] (Regional Rail)
Rank20 of 146 (Regional Rail)
Services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station
Norristown–Main Street Manayunk/​Norristown Line Conshohocken
Terminus Norristown High Speed Line Bridgeport
Former services
Preceding station SEPTA Following station
Valley Forge Park
toward Pottsville
Pottsville Line North Broad Street
Preceding station Lehigh Valley Transit Company Following station
Main Street
toward Allentown
Liberty Bell High Speed Line
Until 1951
Bridgeport
via Rink station
Preceding station Reading Railroad Following station
Abrams
toward Pottsville
Main Line Conshohocken
Main Street
toward Elm Street
Norristown Branch Mogees
Future services (2024)
Preceding station SEPTA Following station
Norristown–Main Street Manayunk/​Norristown Line Conshohocken
Preceding station SEPTA Metro Following station
Terminus Bridgeport
Location
Map

Norristown Transportation Center (soon to be known as Norristown Transit Center[3]) is a two-level multimodal public transportation regional hub located in Norristown, Pennsylvania and operated by SEPTA. It opened in 1989, replacing the older Norristown High Speed Line (Route 100) terminus one block away at Main and Swede Streets, and integrated the former Reading Company's DeKalb Street Norristown railroad station (built 1933) into its structure. A plaque embedded in the sidewalk between the bus lane and Lafayette Street commemorates the location of one of the columns of the dismantled segment of the Philadelphia and Western Railroad (P&W) trestle.

Regional rail service

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Norristown High Speed Line station
SEPTA Frontier District buses at night
An outbound Manayunk/Norristown Line train stops at the Norristown Transportation Center
Old Norristown station configuration. The Lehigh Valley Transit Company's Liberty Bell High Speed Line was a continuation of the existing Norristown High Speed Line along Swede Road and then E. Airy Street before turning onto Markley Street where it meets up with the existing Manayunk/Norristown Line. The current Manayunk/Norristown Line continued to Valley Forge instead of going to Main Street along Lafayette Street.

The Norristown Transportation Center is a stop on the Manayunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line, which offers service to Center City Philadelphia via Conshohocken and Manayunk.

In 2017, the regional rail service at Norristown Transportation Center had a weekday average of 856 boardings and 781 alightings.[4]

Norristown High Speed Line

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Norristown Transportation Center is the final stop on the Norristown High Speed Line, which runs from 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby to Norristown.

Bus routes

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In addition to rail service, Norristown Transportation Center serves as the center of the Frontier District of SEPTA's Suburban Division bus routes, particularly the routes operating in Montgomery County. Bus routes serving NTC operate with a "timed transfer"; for the most part, buses leave at the same time, to maximize possible transfers between routes. These routes serve areas of Norristown and other areas in Montgomery County.

SEPTA Frontier District routes that serve Norristown Transportation Center are:

NTC is located at DeKalb and Lafayette Streets near the banks of the Schuylkill River and boasts a parking garage (built in 2008).[5] Along with the opening of the new garage, intercity bus service by Bieber Transportation Group, Greyhound, and Martz Trailways was introduced to Norristown.[6][7] Bieber Transportation Group ended service to Norristown on April 1, 2018 while Martz Trailways service ended May 31, 2018.[8]

Norristown Transportation Center was formerly an important transfer point between electric and Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDCs) service to points north, such as Valley Forge, Phoenixville Pottstown, Reading and Pottsville. Pottsville line service was eliminated in 1981 due to budget cuts. Proposed restoration of service beyond Norristown, dubbed the Schuylkill Valley Metro, was canceled in 2006 after SEPTA failed to acquire necessary funding.

References

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  1. ^ "High-Speed Rail Service Makes Debut at Norristown Center". The Philadelphia Inquirer. June 16, 1989. p. 2B. Retrieved February 4, 2020 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "Fiscal Year 2021 Service Plan Update". SEPTA. June 2020. p. 24. Retrieved March 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "SEPTA Metro Network Map" (PDF). September 19, 2023. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  4. ^ "SEPTA (May 2014). Fiscal Year 2015 Annual Service Plan. p. 61" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 12, 2014. (539 KB)
  5. ^ "SEPTA unveils new Norristown parking garage". Progressive Railroading. April 7, 2008. Retrieved April 9, 2008.
  6. ^ "Thanks to Bieber, buses rolling again in Norristown". The Philadelphia Inquirer. March 22, 2011. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015.
  7. ^ "New Norristown Transportation Center Bus Terminal Open For Business". SEPTA. March 22, 2011.
  8. ^ "Philadelphia Schedule Update". Martz Group. May 29, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
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