Additionally, high-density residential towers will be completed with the new station. Not only will this provide accessible housing near the station, it will reduce the need to drive to (and park at) the station. But there is an additional benefit: with the proximity of the available housing and the new parking garage, commuters will not take up all of the town parking. Lauren Wylonis, the CEO of KingsHaven Design – the firm tasked with designing the apartments, succinctly states their goal: “The Main Line has continued to extend westward over the last forty years, and we believe it’s time for Paoli to come into its own as a real destination town” (Pirro, n.d.). A successful business sector is essential to sustainability. Paoli never had any Pennsylvania industry, and it has struggled to make its market attractive. This comprehensive joint venture – the intermodal transportation center and the adjoining complexes – will provide the infrastructure backbone to ease of access necessary for a blossoming shopping district. Once again, residents will be able to stroll in town, and walk - scratch that: sprint - to their train.

This report probably isn’t a traditional case study. But in my research, transportation was a resounding theme – Paoli’s inception, development, rapid changes, and now immense problems revolve around the advancement – and limitations – of transportation technology. But this conscientious and comprehensive renovation of the entire transit lot will solve multiple problems in one fell swoop.

While organizing and developing a thesis, my findings were reminiscent of other cities that have addressed their transportation headaches: Curitiba, Phoenix, Seoul – and others that planned their cities around transportation routes, like Hiroshima and even Brasilia. They all face different issues, primarily congestion due to population explosions. But all of these cities have successfully implemented developments that promote better pedestrian, bike, automobile, and transit accessibility which in turn opens the entire city to just about everyone. This benefits all facets of sustainability, from pedestrian accessibility cutting down on the use of cars and conscientious design for ease of access, to opening up the downtown “Main Street” and promoting in-town involvement. In a town built from transportation, they are now innovating to solve the 21st Century dilemmas.

Although the plan addresses pedestrian accessibility in and around the train station, there is a need for accessibility and walkability within the whole town. It’s fairly tiny – only two square miles – perfectly walkable for anyone in-town. But Paoli is constantly flooded with commuters from the surrounding townships, vying for a space indiscriminately. The pattern of design without foresight has only proven to be burdens on modern commuters.

The capital of my home state was developed following colonial cow trails (and segregationist residential development). Like anywhere, the rush hour congestion in Boston is nightmarish; however, navigating the winding streets and incomprehensible one-ways is an utter sh*tshow to anyone but the seasoned commuter. I grew up thirty minutes outside of the city (almost everywhere in Massachusetts, as well as southern New Hampshire and northern Rhode Island/northeastern Connecticut, is under ninety minutes away), and I loathed driving into Boston. The commuter rail was my haven, despite the towns of Massachusetts being developed on rivers and canals, not railroads. But the problems of unplanned suburbanization – sprawl – are universal. Here in Philadelphia, I refuse to drive. I commute on the Market-Frankford “El” to the Broad Street Line to get to class, and I walk to work (it’s two minutes from my apartment). I’ll Uber if I’m intoxicated, but that’s not too often. But as I have witnessed, and as Paoli has recognized, mass transit and pedestrian accessibility is key to the modern sustainable city and suburban worker.

Paoli from its inception was a sleeper town. Its main attraction has historically been its access to Philadelphia – first on Lancaster Turnpike, and then on the Pennsylvania Railroad – and it continues to be a massive hub for Chester County commuters. But in redesigning their centerpiece, the town can become an attraction in itself. This development will not only revive the attractiveness of Paoli’s downtown, but it will also satisfy all facets of sustainability.

One final thought; ubiquitous redesign to improve walkability throughout its entire two square miles would reduce the need for cars and would be an opportunity to add green space. One author laments about the hindrance of the government red tape: “At the turn of the century prominent citizens would recognize a need and then get their friends together to provide a solution” (Nassau III, 2003).

But by now, the community is so completely developed leaving no room for anything but private or government development. And as we have witnessed, private development has disregarded any semblance of efficient design. But in Paoli and other cities, government projects have helped to clear congestion and improve accessibility. To implement sustainable practices, there needs to be a leading force in ensuring developments and designs are sustainable. This does not mean only LED lighting and energy-saving windows are required. Sustainability extends into our design for cars and pedestrians, our layout for commuter transit, and our in-town economy. With the new Paoli Intermodal Transportation Center, various public and private agencies – led by the Pennsylvania authorities – have recognized and addressed the sensible sustainability needs of the town. In one design, they will completely revolutionize the village. Imagine what we can do for the rest of Pennsylvania.