The Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID) Act Omnibus Amendments (Act 151) was signed into law by Pennsylvania Governor Wolf on November 4, 2016 and takes effect Feb. 2, 2017. It reforms and modernizes the original TRID Act of 2004. [0.1 MB pdf] The Act’s original purpose was to encourage private development at mass transit hubs through establishing value capture areas as a means to reserve and use future, designated incremental tax revenues for public transit capital improvements, related site development improvements and maintenance. However, only one TRID has been created in the past decade—making it clear the law needed to be improved.
The new act clarifies and updates existing language and provides for the establishment of a TRID Fund by the PA Treasury for the purpose of providing grants to two TRIDs of up to $350,000 per annum, as well as possible subsequent grants to other TRIDs. A management entity may apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for the purpose of funding an eligible project or for covering debt service payments related to debt incurred to fund an eligible project. Provisions related to the value capture areas have been clarified to permit taxing bodies to dedicate a portion of the incremental tax revenues to the TRID as opposed to the entire amount. Project costs and financing shall be similar to the provisions found in PA’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Act of 1990, allowing a public transportation agency, municipality, management entity or a designated agent to issue bonds, deposit money into the TRID account, and enter into any contracts or agreements necessary or convenient to implement TRID project plans. The incremental tax revenue generated by a TRID property may be directed for use in TRID projects for up to 20 years.
DCED issued updated TRID guidelines and a funding application in spring 2017. DCED selected two TRID projects to fund in the summer of 2017. The first, to East Liberty TRID Revitalization Authority, in Pittsburgh, will receive $350,000 per year for 19 years for debt service on a loan. Funds will be used on the reconstruction of Penn Circle North and West in the East Liberty neighborhood to convert 4-lane one-way streets to two-way traffic in vicinity of the recently upgraded East Liberty Busway Station. The second, to Middletown Township, Delaware County, will receive $350,000 for 15 years for debt service on a loan. Funds will be used on multiple infrastructure projects in the vicinity of the new Wawa Regional Rail Station on SEPTA’s Media/Elwyn line. These include: extending the Chester Creek Trail to the new rail station; constructing a trail along Baltimore Pike, a main route connecting the TRID area to the new rail station; building a pedestrian bridge connecting new development to the new rail station. Both of these grants are being matched with funds from private mixed use developments.
TRID Planning in the DVRPC Region
46th and Market Street Station, Temple University Regional Rail Station (Philadelphia)
Transit Revitalization Investment District Planning Study: 46th and Market Street Station, Temple Regional Rail Station [23.4 MB pdf] by Interface Studio with JZTI Transport, Econsult Corporation, and Lamar Wilson Associates, Inc.
Ambler Station (Borough of Ambler, Montgomery County)
Transit Revitalization Investment District Study: Borough of Ambler, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania [1.0 MB pdf] by Carter van Dyke Associates, Urban Partners, Taylor Wiseman Taylor, Orth-Rodgers & Associates, Inc.
Bryn Mawr Station (Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County)
Bryn Mawr TRID Plan [17.4 MB pdf] by Economic Research Associates, an AECOM Company, with Madden Planning Group and Sasaki Associates, Inc.
Croydon Station (Bristol Township, Bucks County)
Croydon Transit Revitalization Investment District, Bristol Township, Bucks County, PA: A Plan for 2010 & Beyond [5.6 MB pdf] by Pennoni Associates Inc. and Economic Development Associates
Marcus Hook Station (Borough of Marcus Hook, Delaware County)
Marcus Hook Transit Oriented Development Plan by Kise Straw & Kolodner, Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc., and Michael Baker Jr., Inc.
Marcus Hook Transit Revitalization Investment District Financing Plan Prepared for the Borough of Marcus Hook, PA [15.6 MB pdf] by Urban Partners, Brown & Keener, and IBI Group
Noble Station (Abington Township, Montgomery County)
Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID) Planning Report For Noble Station In Abington Township [4.2 MB pdf] by Econsult Solutions, Inc and CHPlanning
Wawa Station (Middletown Township, Delaware County)
Middletown Township Transit Revitalization Investment District Planning Study [5.5 MB pdf] by Urban Partners
Additional Resources
"Getting to TRID" [1.2 MB pdf] explains in detail how the original TRID process worked.
"Transit Revitalization Investment Districts Opportunities and Challenges for Implementation" [0.5 MB pdf] provides an analysis of the original TRID process.