No Deal On Transit Funding. Problems On The Horizon
by Alex Lloyd Gross
You can blame the Democrats or Republicans, or both. The bottomline is that there has been no deal on public transportation funding, which means locally, SEPTA will be making cuts to service . The cuts will come just as students are starting to go back to school.
Some bus routes will be eliminated. Going from Roxborough into center city is now more difficult, as multiple routes will stop two miles short of downtown. With kids in school these cuts will have dire consequences.
Where there is gang turf, SEPTA buses took people through that area with little to no issues. Now those kids will have to walk through the area, taking their chances on getting accosted by drug dealers wanting to recruit them. Some may even want to collect a “tax” on the kids for walking a few blocks through the neighborhood.
For those that do not live in that kind of environment, the above paragraph reads like the most preposterous bad movie screenplay. For thousands of people it is their reality.
For those that use SEPTA for work, they must now get on overcrowded buses or trains. Disabled people are at risk as well. How many 13 year old’s are going to give up their seat for an 87 year old woman?
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo NRG station at the Broad Street Line
Going into or out of the suburbs? Better take a cab. Going to a concert or ball game? no special express service to the stadium district.32 bus routes eliminated Aug 24. Including 1,8, Boulevard Direct, 25, 462 and 484. Some bus routes will be shortened. 2,3,5,7,9,17,27,43,61,84,115,125,433,441,495.
Buses that run every hour or half hour will no longer do that. That means crowded buses. Do you think a 15 year old is going to give up their seat to a senior citizen?
Alex Lloyd Gross File Photo Delaware Valley News.com A SEPTA trolly on Richmond Street.
It’s only going to get worse January 2026. Septa representatives said that if the funding come through it will take time, at least 10 days to bring the system back to anything close to what it is. Money that is earmarked for projects will still go to those projects.
The state legislature did not pass the funding bill. They are far apart but they are still talking. The idea is to get us in a room to talk with each other, many state reps say. Governor Shapiro and Lt. Governor Davis continue to push for funding.