Resumption of R3 rail service to West Chester should be a top priority.

West Chester University President, Greg Weisenstein, agreed, saying in a May 14th letter of support for the project, "Rail transportation has significant advantages over commuting by automobile. Sky-rocketing gas prices, the cost of parking and its limited availability, insurance expenses, and traffic congestion are all good reasons to choose rail service over the automobile. In addition, passengers are able to work and/or study while commuting. Just as important, however, the restoration of rail service to West Chester would provide valuable long-term benefits for the environment."

Here are the facts:

• West Chester is the only county seat in suburban Philadelphia without rail service
  
• It is "stimulus time" and this project should be funded now, but nobody is pushing for it hard enough — including the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), which has been tasked with drawing up a list of priority transportation projects for the region which are to receive Federal stimulus dollars (resumption of R3 service to West Chester tied for 8th place in a list of priority projects — the top five were recommended for funding, source: www.dvrpc.org)
  
• We propose a small high-level WC based committee that would exist as long as necessary to lobby for the project. The TMACC and the DVRPC and all the townships that would benefit from the SEPTA commuter line must be organized to achieve the goal, but if WC doesn't take the lead, no one else will
  
• Return of rail service will result in development of our West Chester terminus area and great benefit of our downtown and Borough, including less automobiles and congestion on Borough streets and area roads
  
• Strong and historic support exists for the project from a broad-based group of business and civic leaders, as well as citizens and commuters
  

From every angle, this is the right project at the right time. As Mayor, it would be my responsibility to advance any cause that would be of benefit to the Borough, and I can't see any other project — economically, environmentally or from a quality-of-life standpoint — more compelling.