Station Review #124: Highland (SEPTA)


Highland is a station on SEPTA's Chestnut Hill West line. The station is located at 8412 Seminole Avenue in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia. If one doesn't count the Chestnut Hill West Line platforms at North Philadelphia station as a separate station, Highland station has the lowest ridership of any station on the Chestnut Hill West Line, as well as the 9th least used overall. 

History

The Philadelphia, Germantown, and Chestnut Hill branch of the Connecting Railway (a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad made to connect) was established in 1884, and a line from North Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill to connect with the PRR main line was finished in 1887, and with it Highland station opened. A large depot was built for the station, but it didn't seem to be used a lot. 

In 1916, this section of the PRR Chestnut Hill branch was grade separated, and with that the old depot was demolished. In its place went a small wooden shelter. At some point (maybe multiple times), this shelter was replaced. Not much has changed since then, even as the station changed hands multiple times. 

Tour

I'd be telling you all about how much is at Highland station, if there was much. 

View of both platforms from above

Highland is clearly a microstation, joining the ranks of 19 other SEPTA regional rail stations where this title fits. 

View from outbound platform

The inbound platform has a shelter without a bench on it. 

The shelter

It also has unprotected benches and a trashcan that are around the shelter, but not in it.

Inside the shelter is the schedule and map, and nothing else. This is very similar to the default outbound shelter that Tulpehocken station has

Bench

Meanwhile, the outbound platform only has a bench and a trashbin.

There's a ramp to the outbound platform, but what does it matter? The platforms are low and thus not accessible at all. There's no point. The ramp itself is also not even an accessible ramp. 

The station at least has bike parking, as well as car parking operated by the PPA (63 spaces). though I think the Chestnut Hill West line might be one of the most unfriendly in the entire area for park and rides based on the lack of nearby highways. There does not need to be parking here at all. 

The station also has a pretty garden next to it as well, which is nice I guess. 

Points of Interest near Highland station

Plaque on the Highland Avenue bridge over the tracks

There's this old bridge, and a few apartment complexes a few blocks away, and that's about it. There's nothing else here. The density here is low and it's hard to walk anywhere from here due to the bumpy roads and lack of sidewalks. When there are sidewalks here they are not accessible and instead are poorly paved out of bricks that have not been properly maintained. 

Most of the people here own cars, and their houses are very large. This station doesn't serve much of anything. It has merit in being at a similar mile post to Gravers station on the Chestnut Hill East line, but at least that station has a bus connection. Highland has no bus connections of any form. In fact, one can easily say Highland station has nothing at all. 

Statistics


Name: Highland
Agency: SEPTA
Line(s): Chestnut Hill West
Locality: Chestnut Hill
Municipality: Philadelphia
County: Philadelphia
State: Pennsylvania
Ridership: 125 riders per average weekday (2017)

Amenity Checklist


Accessibility: ×
Bicycle parking: ✓
Clean: ✓
Connections to other transit routes: ×
Easy passage to either side: ×
Existence is justifiable: ×
Fare Payment Kiosks: ✓
Good Wayfinding: ✓
Lighting: ✓
Maps: ✓
Near places people are: ×
Adequate Parking: × (why does it have any parking?)
Safe to use: ✓
Shelters: × (only one, it's extremely small and has no bench inside it so it's practically useless)
Seating: ✓ (all unprotected) 
Station in Good Condition: ×
Train Departure/Arrival Info: ×
Updated/Useful Signage: ×

Final Verdict: 2/10

Station Directory

--------Philadelphia County--------
''''''''Center City Zone''''''''
Jefferson
Suburban
30th Street
''''''''Zone 1''''''''
Queen Lane
''''''''Zone 2''''''''
Upsal
Carpenter
Richard Allen Lane
St. Martins
Highland
Chestnut Hill West

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