Station Review #8: Lawndale [PRE RENOVATION] (SEPTA)


Lawndale Station is a SEPTA station on the Fox Chase line, in the Lawncrest neighborhood of Philadelphia. As the portion of the Fox Chase line this station is on is also part of the Philadelphia city line, Lawndale Station is also in Cheltenham, PA. However, Lawndale station cannot be accessed from Cheltenham, PA. Lawndale Station is a Zone 2 station. 

History


Lawndale station on an old map

Lawndale Station has a very vague history. The station itself was established in the 1890s, leading to the neighborhood gaining that name. That much is known. Information gets much murkier when trying to figure out what the station originally looked like. What is known is that the current shelters most likely date ti the 1960s, most likely predating SEPTA's acquisition of the station. 

Station Tour


The shelter

View of the entire station from south to north

As you can tell, there is very little at Lawndale Station.

A closer look at the shelter

The shelter is a shade of beige, and not much is inside of it, and it has two horizontal bars in front of it for some unknown reason. Next to the shelter, there is a key card reader. 

Inside the shelter

On the other side of the station, there is even less, since the other side of the station is not in use anymore

This photo also shows one of the station's old accessibility ramps. 

Accessibility and Safety

The accessibility ramp

Lawndale Station has one of the small and inadequate accessibility ramos seen commonly at SEPTA stations. Unfortunately, the ramp is made of many wooden planks built in the exact way to be as uncomfortable to roll a wheeled thing on as possible. 

 Ouch

There isn't much else for accessibility, a contrast to almost every other station on this line actually being accessible. 

Another interesting thing about Lawndale Station is that there are pedestrian beacons here, aka crossing lights. They're for crossing the SEPTA and CSX line to get to the other side of the station, where the station actually is. 

Besides that, there isn't much else there. 

Transit Connections


Lawndale Station is not well connected to other SEPTA routes. The nearest route is the 18, which goes along Rising Sun avenue towards Olney Transportation center and points northwest, or towards Loney Loop in Fox Chase. 

Route 18 bus

In fact, here is the amount of time it took for me to get from the station to the nearest bus stop for the 18

Seven minutes and 39 seconds

This walk however would be longer depending on if you chose to walk along Robbins street, or Devereaux street, as Devereaux street has a bend in it, but it should not add much more than a minute to your total walk time. 

Lawndale Station would be well served by transit if there was a bus route that went along Levick Street, something that would help transit connectivity in the Lawncrest area in general as there are no strong crosstown routes between the K on Adams avenue and the 70/77 on Cottman avenue. 

Nearby Points of Interest

Shops along Rising Sun Avenue

Lawndale Station is near Rising Sun Avenue, the lifeblood of the Lawncrest neighborhood, and Tookany Creek Park. 

Now, onto the checklist

Rural/Small Station checklist:


Some vestige of accessibility: ~ (The path of pain) 
Clean: ×
Connections to other transit routes: ✓ 
Easy passage to either side: × 
Fare Payment Kiosks: ✓
Lighting: ✓
Maps: ×
Parking: × 
Shelters: ✓ 
Seating: ✓ 
Station in Good Condition: × 
Train Departure/Arrival Info: × 
Updated Signage: ✓ 

Final Verdict: 2/10


However, I am willing to give this station another chance, as SEPTA is planning on renovating Lawndale Station. If and when this happens, I will visit Lawndale Station again and give my thoughts on it.

Station Directory

''''''''Center City Zone''''''''
30th Street
Suburban
Jefferson (Market East)
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Wayne Junction 
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Lawndale
Ryers

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