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View Poll Results: Is SEPTA doing a great job in regards to bus, subway, and commuter rail overall??????
YES 56 48.70%
NO 59 51.30%
Voters: 115. You may not vote on this poll

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  #1641  
Old Posted Sep 22, 2021, 4:57 PM
3rd&Brown 3rd&Brown is offline
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Originally Posted by Skintreesnail View Post
A small amount of movement to better integrate septa regional rail with the rest of the system:


https://www.inquirer.com/transportat...-20210921.html

Survey
https://septaregionalrail.typeform.c...www.google.com
Critical, especially for NW Philly. Could really see the train stations boom in NW Philly if riding regional rail was more akin to taking the subway (from a cost and frequency perspective).
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  #1642  
Old Posted Sep 22, 2021, 6:32 PM
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All - the Regional Rail plan seems to be mostly fluff compared to the comprehensive Bus Network Redesign and the so-called "Metro". Bleugh.

While I am certainly all for higher frequency and expanding where Regional Rail serves, I am actually against lowering fares or instituting a flat fare system across the lines. It is zoned for a reason; some Regional Rail lines travel 40 miles from Center City and, in three cases, entirely along Amtrak ROW. This is not cheap.

What I do support is making all Zone 1's fare just $2.50 to match with the subways, trolleys, and busses. I believe this was the original intent of Zone 1 and what SEPTA will end up doing after all is said and done. The city's transit plan included using the SEPTA Maine Line from Fern Rock to Penn Medicine as a "Silver Line" (appropriately named) with subway-like frequency and fares. This is much more in line with Vuchic's original idea for the Center City Commuter Connection and an endeavor that I wholeheartedly support.

Most lines, especially the PAO, the MED, the TRE, the WIL, and the DOY should be run, at the very least, at half hour frequencies on weekends and off peak. Twenty minute headways would be perfect, but for lines like the CYN and FOX, likely unrealistic (though I do think an infill stop on the Cynwyd line at the Mann Music Center might be a good idea). The CHW/E lines can perhaps run every 45 minutes, with one leaving at 1:00, the other line leaving at 1:23, then 1:45 on the other line, etc.

The most important thing SEPTA can do to improve Regional Rail outside of frequency is expanding its reach. It is shocking to me that no move has been made to even evaluate returning to Quakertown. Other communities that should be considered include West Chester, Parkesburg (and maybe even Lancaster), Newtown, New Hope, and perhaps even the Octoraro Branch.
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  #1643  
Old Posted Sep 23, 2021, 3:20 AM
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Originally Posted by mcgrath618 View Post
All - the Regional Rail plan seems to be mostly fluff compared to the comprehensive Bus Network Redesign and the so-called "Metro". Bleugh.

While I am certainly all for higher frequency and expanding where Regional Rail serves, I am actually against lowering fares or instituting a flat fare system across the lines. It is zoned for a reason; some Regional Rail lines travel 40 miles from Center City and, in three cases, entirely along Amtrak ROW. This is not cheap.

What I do support is making all Zone 1's fare just $2.50 to match with the subways, trolleys, and busses. I believe this was the original intent of Zone 1 and what SEPTA will end up doing after all is said and done. The city's transit plan included using the SEPTA Maine Line from Fern Rock to Penn Medicine as a "Silver Line" (appropriately named) with subway-like frequency and fares. This is much more in line with Vuchic's original idea for the Center City Commuter Connection and an endeavor that I wholeheartedly support.

Most lines, especially the PAO, the MED, the TRE, the WIL, and the DOY should be run, at the very least, at half hour frequencies on weekends and off peak. Twenty minute headways would be perfect, but for lines like the CYN and FOX, likely unrealistic (though I do think an infill stop on the Cynwyd line at the Mann Music Center might be a good idea). The CHW/E lines can perhaps run every 45 minutes, with one leaving at 1:00, the other line leaving at 1:23, then 1:45 on the other line, etc.

The most important thing SEPTA can do to improve Regional Rail outside of frequency is expanding its reach. It is shocking to me that no move has been made to even evaluate returning to Quakertown. Other communities that should be considered include West Chester, Parkesburg (and maybe even Lancaster), Newtown, New Hope, and perhaps even the Octoraro Branch.
Phoenixville as well.
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  #1644  
Old Posted Oct 8, 2021, 5:27 PM
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Is anyone aware of when SEPTA takes delivery of the Bi-Level Coaches? I saw multiple articles stating the 2nd half of 2021 but I've heard nothing of delivery or any new info regarding them
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  #1645  
Old Posted Oct 9, 2021, 11:32 AM
Delthayre Delthayre is offline
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How very helpful

Quote:
Originally Posted by arkitect13 View Post
Is anyone aware of when SEPTA takes delivery of the Bi-Level Coaches? I saw multiple articles stating the 2nd half of 2021 but I've heard nothing of delivery or any new info regarding them
Their entry on page 96 of the FY 2022 SEPTA Capital Budget states that delivery will be from 2022 thorugh 2025 and they are allocated funding, per page 94, through FY 2025.
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  #1646  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2021, 12:17 AM
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SEPTA's King of Prussia rail proposal gains entry into federal funding program

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SEPTA's plan to extend rail service to King of Prussia gained entry into a national program on Monday putting the project in line for a potential boost in federal funding.

The Federal Transportation Administration’s Capital Investment Grant program appropriates funds under its New Starts program for light, heavy, and commuter rail projects, streetcar, and bus rapid transit projects. The New Starts program provides $2.3 billion annually in federal funding to transit projects across the U.S., including extensions to existing systems like the Norristown High Speed Line.

The $2 billion rail line would connect Center City and University City to King of Prussia, a suburban hotbed for development. The proposal would add 4.4 miles to the Norristown High Speed Line.

SEPTA has said it will seek up to 50% of the project’s funding from the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts program.

SEPTA officials called the entry into the New Starts program "a critical milestone in seeking federal funding support and provides the opportunity for continued coordination" with the Federal Transportation Administration.
Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=1#cxrecs_s
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  #1647  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2021, 12:29 AM
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What a waste.
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  #1648  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2021, 2:06 PM
3rd&Brown 3rd&Brown is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mcgrath618 View Post
What I do support is making all Zone 1's fare just $2.50 to match with the subways, trolleys, and busses. I believe this was the original intent of Zone 1 and what SEPTA will end up doing after all is said and done. The city's transit plan included using the SEPTA Maine Line from Fern Rock to Penn Medicine as a "Silver Line" (appropriately named) with subway-like frequency and fares. This is much more in line with Vuchic's original idea for the Center City Commuter Connection and an endeavor that I wholeheartedly support.
That's essentially what I'm saying. The 1 thing I'd add is that Zone 1 should be bigger, though, to encompass more stops in Philadelphia. There's no reason why Bridesburg, Tacony, and Lawndale shouldn't be in Zone 1, as well as the stops in Germantown that are zone 2 currently: Upsal, Tuplehocken, and Washington Lane. Wissahickon and Manayunk should also be Zone 1. It makes sense to me that Chestnut Hill would remain Zone 2.
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  #1649  
Old Posted Oct 12, 2021, 4:17 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Busy Bee View Post
What a waste.
I'm biased toward City transit but why is this more pressing to SEPTA than the BSL extension to the Navy Yard for instance?
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  #1650  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2021, 4:01 PM
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Originally Posted by PHL10 View Post
I'm biased toward City transit but why is this more pressing to SEPTA than the BSL extension to the Navy Yard for instance?
KOP I think is more visible, people will see the construction regularly, KOP is also I think a place a lot of city residents travel too, basically there doing what will be the most public and visible to increase awareness and gain recognition.
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  #1651  
Old Posted Oct 19, 2021, 4:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arkitect13 View Post
KOP I think is more visible, people will see the construction regularly, KOP is also I think a place a lot of city residents travel too, basically there doing what will be the most public and visible to increase awareness and gain recognition.
And the KOP area is a huge employment center in the area (2nd to CC/UC) and traffic just keeps getting worse so a solid transit option would be great.
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  #1652  
Old Posted Nov 11, 2021, 7:44 PM
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How the Philadelphia region will benefit from Biden’s infrastructure bill

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Roads, bridges, and public transit are infrastructure, but so are habitat for South Jersey box turtles and a freshwater tidal marsh in the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge.

The $1 trillion federal infrastructure spending bill, finally coughed up by Congress and awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature, will invest billions in the Philadelphia region and across the United States. It will be the nation’s largest burst of infrastructure spending in decades.

Here’s how the region expects to benefit from the infrastructure bill:

Pennsylvania
$11.3 billion for highway work and $1.6 billion to replace and repair deficient bridges over five years, per the White House and state officials. About 13%, or 4,217, of Pennsylvania bridges on state, local, and federal highways are in “poor”condition, PennDot says. An estimated 7,540 miles of highway need repair.

$2.8 billion over five years to improve public transportation statewide, including SEPTA.

SEPTA
An extra $120 million in federal money this year, the transit authority estimates. That is on top of about $300 million SEPTA would get under existing formulas for U.S. aid to transit, reauthorized as part of the infrastructure bill.

By the 2026 fiscal year, SEPTA could have received a cumulative $540 million, in addition to its normal allotment of formula-based aid.

One important thing: SEPTA now has certainty for the next five years about its level of federal support, which will help planning.

In addition, SEPTA expects to compete for grants from the $1.75 billion All Stations Accessibility Program to retrofit older transit stations for people with disabilities. Any awards would accelerate an ongoing program to make accessible all stations on the Broad Street and Market-Frankford Lines.

SEPTA also wants to win money from a Federal Transit Administration discretionary grant program to spend on two top projects — the planned $1.8 billion modernization of its trolley network and planned $2 billion expansion of light-rail service to King of Prussia.

Federal grants require states and localities to put up matching funds.

New Jersey
$6.9 billion for highways and $1.1 billion for bridge repairs and replacement, according to the White House.

$4.2 billion for transit over the next five years, including NJ Transit. About 25% of New Jersey’s transit buses and trains are in need of replacement, the state says.

Among the state’s transportation priorities: $72 million needed to help complete the $900 million project connecting I-295, I-76, and Route 42 in Camden County.

$8 billion more toward the Gateway Project to improve Northeast Corridor rail connections between New Jersey and New York. Plans are to build a new two-track tunnel under the Hudson River and repair the existing tunnel, which is 100 years old and was damaged by Hurricane Sandy. Some bridges in North Jersey would also be repaired.

$30 billion from an Amtrak Northeast Corridor improvement program could also go toward the massive Gateway Project. Faster trips on the corridor would benefit New Jersey’s economy as well as Southeastern Pennsylvania’s.

Reconnecting Communities
The $1 billion would fund a grant program for planning and construction of projects to reconnect communities. It was whittled down from Biden’s initial proposal of $20 billion. “This is a great start,” Evans said.

$4 billion for the same purpose is included in the pending Build Back Better Act, a second proposed installment of infrastructure and social spending that is now the subject of intense congressional negotiations.

Communities and states would compete for a share of the money for highway removal. As currently drafted, the legislation gives Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg wide latitude to make the grant awards.

Delaware River watershed
$26 million in supplemental funding over five years to help with wildlife conservation and environmental programs — a windfall of $5.2 million annually for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program. The restoration program was created in 2016 and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Read/view more here:
https://www.inquirer.com/transportat...-20211109.html
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  #1653  
Old Posted Dec 17, 2021, 5:15 PM
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Federal infrastructure law allocates more than $30M to Philadelphia International Airport

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Philadelphia airports will receive millions in federal aid during fiscal year 2022 stemming from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Democratic President Joe Biden signed into law on Wednesday.

The City of Philadelphia Division of Aviation has been allocated upward of $30.72 million for Philadelphia International Airport and $763,000 for Northeast Philadelphia Airport under the new law.

PHL will use the funding in part to support its extensive cargo expansion program, according to the travel hub. The airport has already invested $90 million into the initiative by way of airport revenue bonds and small grants.

The initiative, announced in June, will grow PHL’s air cargo facility footprint by 136 acres and more than double its cargo building area from 600,000 square feet to 1.4 million square feet. PHL officials say the cargo expansion program has potential to generate an annual economic impact of $870 million for the region and create as many as 6,000 permanent jobs and about 5,000 annual construction jobs over the course of the project.

The six-figure funding headed to Northeast Philadelphia Airport will go toward supporting “capital development projects that improve the airfield infrastructure,” according to the airport.

Funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the two Philadelphia airports “will spur a once-in-a-generation investment into these important regional assets,” said Chellie Cameron, CEO at PHL and the city’s Division of Aviation. The money makes “a much-needed down payment to upgrade aging facilities and invest in our future,” she added.

PHL’s restroom modernization initiative is one that the airport may consider applying for such funding, she added. The airport has been updating its 48 sets of passenger-facing restrooms since 2012, and the third phase of the multi-year, multi-million dollar program was completed in July.

Funds received from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will enable PHL to strategically invest in its facility over the next five years, Cameron said. But the airport still has “a significant amount of need onsite from an infrastructure investment standpoint,” she added, and will need additional support from state, federal, and airline stakeholders to complete large-scale projects.
Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=1#cxrecs_s
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  #1654  
Old Posted Jan 5, 2022, 9:41 PM
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Big news for those of you that prefer to go cashless!

SEPTA Regional Rail Conductors can now accept credit cards as fare payment. You can use your credit card to purchase a Quick Trip or to add money to your Travel Wallet.

Another reason why SEPTA is the WAY TO GO!

https://iseptaphilly.com/blog/creditcards
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  #1655  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2022, 5:36 PM
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New Roundabout Set To Be Built At Busy South Philadelphia Intersection
https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/20...OUNVeWNMTFgxRQ..
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  #1656  
Old Posted Jan 30, 2022, 3:42 PM
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SEPTA to construct parking garage near Conshohocken train station



https://morethanthecurve.com/septa-t...train-station/
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  #1657  
Old Posted Jan 30, 2022, 5:51 PM
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Bad for the soul.

I'm as dismayed by the same lack of architectural inspiration put into parking structures as I am gas stations, amongst many other things.
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  #1658  
Old Posted Feb 8, 2022, 7:25 PM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOoGvFFC78o

Figured some of you would find this interesting.
It brings up the Phoenixville rail extension with amtrak and possibly SEPTA??
Has there been any movement regarding the local transport projects in any way?
This talks about SB915 for P.A that authorizes 15 million for double tracking on multiple points along the proposed route
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  #1659  
Old Posted Feb 24, 2022, 7:26 PM
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Mixed news about SEPTA today

As some transit agencies rebound from the pandemic, SEPTA's ridership continues to decline

Quote:
SEPTA ridership decreased by 10 million in 2021, the biggest year-over-year loss among transportation agencies in the country as commuters remain slow to return to their offices.

SEPTA riders decreased by about 7% with roughly 127 million passenger trips in 2021, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. In a pandemic-ridden 2020, the transportation agency saw close to 137 million boardings.

Among the six largest transportation agencies in the country, only SEPTA and the Chicago Transit Authority posted ridership declines last year. New York, Los Angeles, Boston and New Jersey Transit posted increases. SEPTA is the sixth-largest public transportation system in the country by passengers.

SEPTA officials said in September that the agency was losing about $1 million a day from depleted ridership. Like many other transit agencies, SEPTA is in the midst of adapting to a shift away from the traditional 9-5 commute, the continued rise of other forms of transportation like Uber and an increased wariness of the transmission of Covid-19 on public transportation.

The continued decline comes as many commuters remain tepid about returning the office. In December, Center City District reported that 84,000 office workers were absent from Center City each day. As of Feb. 2, 31.8% of Philadelphians were back in their offices, which fell below the 33% average among the top 10 largest metro areas, according to Kastle Systems, which tracks data from 2,600 office buildings across the country.

Public transportation systems in Washington, D.C., the Bay Area and Seattle also saw decreased ridership in 2021 compared to 2020, but none by the more than 10 million passengers that SEPTA lost.
Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...p-decline.html
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  #1660  
Old Posted Feb 24, 2022, 7:28 PM
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SEPTA will borrow $800 million to pay for projects like station repairs and trolley upgrades

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SEPTA is preparing to sell up to $800 million in revenue bonds later this year to help fund projects such as a $35 million overhaul of a Bridgeport viaduct on the Norristown High Speed Line, rehab of subway and Regional Rail stations, and trolley modernization.

It would be the largest bond financing ever for SEPTA, made possible by a change in the way Pennsylvania pays for state aid to mass transit systems that will allow the authority to borrow against its share of the money.

The agency’s board is expected to authorize the move Thursday afternoon at its monthly meeting.

“It’s a momentous opportunity for SEPTA to work on our state-of-good-repair backlog and invest long-term in vehicle replacement,” Richard Burnfield, the transit agency’s deputy general manager, said in an interview.

SEPTA says it has at least $4.6 billion of deferred repair needs, as well as dozens of priority projects planned, including the replacement of aging train cars on the Market Frankford Line.

“There is no shortage of needs,” Burnfield said.
Read/view more here:
https://www.inquirer.com/transportat...-20220224.html
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