The Philadelphia Zoo, squeezed between heavily trafficked arteries in Fairmount Park, isn’t the easiest place to access by rail service, and with a dip in attendance in the last few years, Zoo officials are pushing for a new SEPTA train station at 34th Street and Mantua Avenue. When the zoo first opened in 1854, there was a train station located right at the entrance, but it closed in 1902 when the Pennsylvania railroad expanded, complicating the public transit options.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that architect Robert P. Thomas, along with other city planners, have put together a new rail feasibility study for the zoo. The $60 million project would entail building rail platforms, relocating tracks, and completing some environmental work. SEPTA officials have already indicated that they would not be able to provide any funding for this project, which means that the Zoo would need to look to the federal government for support.

Beyond expanding rail service, the Zoo is opening a new 683-space parking garage this week. This is one of several measures that Zoo officials are taking to mitigate congestion and to make the zoo more accessible to visitors in addition to implementing new traffic signals and pedestrian crossways.