Nikolaus H. Grieshaber, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Learn about the latest News & Events for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and sign up to receive news updates.
Add this issuer to your watchlist to get alerts about important updates.
Learn about the latest News & Events for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and sign up to receive news updates.
PHILADELPHIA (June 27, 2024) – SEPTA’s Board today approved Operating and Capital Budget proposals for Fiscal Year 2025, advancing plans to fund everyday operations and major improvement projects. SEPTA’s total budget is $2.6 billion for Fiscal Year 2025 – a $1.74 billion Operating Budget and $924 million Capital Budget.
The Authority is projecting a $240 million deficit this year due to the exhaustion of federal COVID relief funding, and SEPTA’s budget assumes passage of Governor Shapiro’s statewide transit funding proposal. If fully enacted, the plan – Pennsylvania’s first transit operating increase in more than a decade – would invest an additional $283 million annually to support vital transit service across the Commonwealth, including $161 million for SEPTA.
“The budget we passed today is built for the future and invests heavily in making SEPTA safe, clean, and reliable for our customers, employees, and the communities we serve,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. “The Governor’s transit funding plan is critical to advancing these priorities, and we continue to work with our delegation and legislative leaders to ensure that SEPTA can continue to deliver the service our region and the state need to remain competitive.”
Additional state investment, coupled with a historic increase of $24 million in local match tied to it, would help SEPTA avoid devastating service cuts and fare increases that would severely impact mobility across southeastern Pennsylvania.
The $1.74 billion Operating Budget doubles funding for safe, clean, and secure initiatives since Fiscal Year 2022, providing a total of $72 million that includes funding for 40 more police officers, 30 more safety professionals, and 100 more cleaners. The budget also continues the expansion of SEPTA Key Advantage, which now has more than 50 partners and 91,000 participants, as well as SEPTA’s Efficiency and Accountability Program, which has already realized $50.2 million in annual recurring benefits. The budget also funds increased Regional Rail service beginning this fall – restoring service to 80% of pre-COVID levels, highlighted by additional mid-day and weekend service.
Additionally, the budget reflects the reinstatement of parking fees, following four years of free parking offered to help attract customers back to the system. At Thursday’s meeting, the SEPTA Board awarded a $12.3 million contract to Flowbird America Inc. to develop a new, state-of-the-art parking system that will streamline fee collection and improve customer convenience. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2025, daily parking rates at 135 SEPTA-owned surface lots will increase to $2 from $1 and to $4 from $2 at the three garages. The fees will help offset lot maintenance and remaining funds will help fill gaps in the Operating Budget. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, parking brought in $4.7 million in annual revenue to SEPTA.
Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Budget & 12-Year Program
The $924 million Capital Budget is part of a $14 billion 12-year Capital Program, enabling the largest-ever investments in improved safety, cleanliness, and security. The proposal includes new full-length fare gates to reduce fare evasion and new cleaning equipment to support the expanded cleaning staff.
By the end of the 12-year program, all Broad Street Line, Market-Frankford Line, and Trolley trips will be through an accessible station – compared to 61% today. SEPTA continues to operate one of the oldest rail fleets in the country, and for the first time, this budget funds at least a partial replacement of each aging vehicle fleet. The Broad Street Line, Market-Frankford Line, and Trolley fleet replacements are all fully funded, while the Regional Railcar fleet replacement is partially funded.
“With funding in place, SEPTA is poised to make historic investments in the infrastructure and vehicles that make our service possible,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “These investments will propel SEPTA forward and help continue to grow ridership – transforming SEPTA’s legacy system into a lifestyle network that is safe, clean, modern, and accessible for all riders.”
This Capital Program advances several SEPTA Forward initiatives, including:
Historic Moment as Chairman Lawrence is the First African American SEPTA Board Chair & Commissioner Moskowitz the First Female Vice Chair
PHILADELPHIA (February 22, 2024) – SEPTA Board members today voted unanimously for Vice Chairman Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. to serve as the new Board Chair, and for Chester County Commissioner Marian D. Moskowitz as Vice Chair. This is a historic moment for the SEPTA Board, as Chairman Lawrence is now the first African American Board Chair, and Commissioner Moskowitz the first female to serve as Vice Chair.
Lawrence, the former Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, joined the SEPTA Board in September 2011, and has served as the SEPTA Board Vice Chair since February 2021. He is also a former member of the SEPTA Citizens Advisory Committee.
A well-known leader in the region, Lawrence is Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Southeastern Pennsylvania at Highmark Blue Shield. He has an established track record of serving and improving communities across the Commonwealth through roles at Temple University, the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, Merck & Co., and the consulting firm he founded, Public Affairs Strategies.
Lawrence has previously served on the boards of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association, and Schuylkill River Development Corporation.
“I am truly honored to become Chair of the SEPTA Board, and I am grateful to my fellow Board members for entrusting me to serve as Chair,” Lawrence said. “I also want to congratulate Commissioner Moskowitz on being elected Vice Chair.”
“We have a lot of work ahead of us on safety, efficiency, and cleanliness,” Lawrence added. “I am confident we can not only meet the moment, but also ensure that SEPTA is on solid ground for generations to come. As a SEPTA rider, I know how important the system is for our customers and the region.”
Commissioner Moskowitz joined the SEPTA Board in February 2022, and currently serves as Vice Chair of the Chester County Board of Commissioners. She also serves on the boards of the Schuylkill River Passenger Rail Authority, West Chester University, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, Chester County Economic Development Council, and Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association. Moskowitz recently served on Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s transition team.
“I am committed to working closely with Board Chair Lawrence to face the current challenges, and I am looking forward to what we can accomplish together,” said Vice Chairwoman Moskowitz. “We want to support efforts that are focused on improving safety, security, and cleanliness, and help position SEPTA to ensure it can fulfill its critical role for our region.”
“I want to congratulate Board Chair Lawrence and Vice Chair Moskowitz on their historic elections,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “Diverse leadership helps in equitable and inclusive decision-making – creating transit systems that are fair and accessible to everyone. Their dedication to public service and passion for SEPTA will take us to new heights.”
For more information about SEPTA, visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA, or download the official SEPTA app.
SEPTA is announcing the launch of its Open Data Portal – a catalog of financial, ridership, mapping, and other useful data – now available on the Authority’s website.
The portal features the new Ridership Recovery Dashboard, which shows the ridership and service levels for all of SEPTA’s modes relative to their pre-pandemic baselines.
“We are excited to share this valuable tool with our employees, riders, and community partners,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “This new portal will help foster transparency, accountability, and build trust with the communities we serve.”
The Open Data Portal supports SEPTA Forward, the Authority’s strategic plan by making data publicly available in order to unleash the potential for innovative ideas and solutions from across the region.
SEPTA is committed to growing the catalog of data over time and welcomes feedback from the public.
The Open Data Portal can be found here: planning.septa.org/open-data-portal. The Ridership Recovery Dashboard can be found here: data.septa.org.
For more information about SEPTA, visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA on Twitter, or download the official SEPTA app.
Fiscal Cliff Rapidly Approaching as Federal COVID Funds Run Out; State Assistance Needed to Avoid Significant Service Cuts & Large Fare Increases
SEPTA’s Board today approved Operating and Capital Budget proposals for Fiscal Year 2024, advancing plans to fund everyday operations and major improvement projects. This will be the last budget year before SEPTA hits a fiscal cliff that would result in significant service cuts and large fare increases.
The $1.69 billion FY 2024 Operating Budget uses SEPTA’s final installment of federal COVID relief funding that has helped to avoid service cuts and fare increases associated with pandemic-induced revenue losses. The federal COVID relief funding is forecast to be exhausted in April 2024, and SEPTA will face recurring structural deficits exceeding $240 million starting in Fiscal Year 2025. Without additional state funding for SEPTA’s everyday operating expenses, SEPTA will have to fill the budget gap by cutting service and raising fares for customers.
“To ensure SEPTA can provide services that are essential to our city and region, and to continue to drive the Commonwealth’s economy, we need help from our funding partners in Harrisburg,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “The looming fiscal cliff threatens SEPTA’s ability to provide reliable day-to-day services – let alone run extra trains when there is an emergency like the I-95 collapse or ramp up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
SEPTA has taken action to prepare for a new post-pandemic normal. Plans are moving forward to make bus service more efficient and effective with the Bus Revolution initiative; the authority has prioritized replacing the Market-Frankford Line fleet to ensure this critical artery is reliable for customers in both the short-and long-term; and the Reimagining Regional Rail plan will make the system more useful for more people.
SEPTA also remains committed to being a good steward of the taxpayer funds and customer fares it receives, and this year completed the first year of implementing an employee-driven Efficiency and Accountability program that has already resulted in recurring annual benefits of more than $38 million with a three-year target of more than $100 million. The Authority has fully launched the SEPTA Key Advantage initiative, a transformative institutional pass program that is encouraging more transit ridership and already has more than 30,000 eligible participants. There are also targeted fare enhancements in the FY 2024 Operating Budget to help encourage more ridership.
“We are doing absolutely everything we can to grow revenue through ridership growth and tighten our belts through efficiencies, but those measures alone are not enough,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “The federal COVID relief funds were a lifeline to help us maintain services for essential workers during the pandemic, and be prepared to support local businesses, schools, and the recovering economy as more people came back. SEPTA is doing its part, but without assistance soon, the level of services we provide will be significantly diminished.”
SEPTA’s FY 2024 Capital Budget is $976 million – just shy of last year’s record-breaking billion-dollar plus plan, while the 12-Year Program represents SEPTA’s largest-ever investment in the system at $12.6 billion. However, SEPTA is historically underfunded, especially compared to peer transit agencies in other major metro areas.
“Despite higher-than-ever funding levels, we are still not keeping up with our peers or even our own backlog of needs,” said Richards. “SEPTA still requires additional state and local resources to maximize billions of dollars in federal competitive funds that are available under the IIJA. We are determined not to leave any money on the table.”
This Capital Program advances several SEPTA Forward initiatives, including:
To read the full Operating Budget, click here. To read the full Capital Budget and 12-Year Program, click here.
For more information about SEPTA, please visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA on Twitter, or download the official SEPTA app.
SEPTA’s Board today approved Operating and Capital Budget proposals for Fiscal Year 2024, advancing plans to fund everyday operations and major improvement projects. This will be the last budget year before SEPTA hits a fiscal cliff that would result in significant service cuts and large fare increases.
The $1.69 billion FY 2024 Operating Budget uses SEPTA’s final installment of federal COVID relief funding that has helped to avoid service cuts and fare increases associated with pandemic-induced revenue losses. The federal COVID relief funding is forecast to be exhausted in April 2024, and SEPTA will face recurring structural deficits exceeding $240 million starting in Fiscal Year 2025. Without additional state funding for SEPTA’s everyday operating expenses, SEPTA will have to fill the budget gap by cutting service and raising fares for customers.
“To ensure SEPTA can provide services that are essential to our city and region, and to continue to drive the Commonwealth’s economy, we need help from our funding partners in Harrisburg,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “The looming fiscal cliff threatens SEPTA’s ability to provide reliable day-to-day services – let alone run extra trains when there is an emergency like the I-95 collapse or ramp up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.”
SEPTA has taken action to prepare for a new post-pandemic normal. Plans are moving forward to make bus service more efficient and effective with the Bus Revolution initiative; the Authority has prioritized replacing the Market-Frankford Line fleet to ensure this critical artery is reliable for customers in both the short-and long-term; and the Reimagining Regional Rail plan will make the system more useful for more people.
SEPTA also remains committed to being a good steward of the taxpayer funds and customer fares it receives, and this year completed the first year of implementing an employee-driven Efficiency and Accountability program that has already resulted in recurring annual benefits of more than $38 million with a three-year target of more than $100 million. The Authority has fully launched the SEPTA Key Advantage initiative, a transformative institutional pass program that is encouraging more transit ridership and already has more than 30,000 eligible participants. There are also targeted fare enhancements in the FY 2024 Operating Budget to help encourage more ridership.
“We are doing absolutely everything we can to grow revenue through ridership growth and tighten our belts through efficiencies, but those measures alone are not enough,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “The federal COVID relief funds were a lifeline to help us maintain services for essential workers during the pandemic, and be prepared to support local businesses, schools, and the recovering economy as more people came back. SEPTA is doing its part, but without assistance soon, the level of services we provide will be significantly diminished.”
Fiscal Year 2024 Capital Budget & 12-Year Program
SEPTA’s FY 2024 Capital Budget is $976 million – just shy of last year’s record-breaking billion-dollar plus plan, while the 12-Year Program represents SEPTA’s largest-ever investment in the system at $12.6 billion. However, SEPTA is historically underfunded, especially compared to peer transit agencies in other major metro areas.
“Despite higher-than-ever funding levels, we are still not keeping up with our peers or even our own backlog of needs,” said Richards. “SEPTA still requires additional state and local resources to maximize billions of dollars in federal competitive funds that are available under the IIJA. We are determined not to leave any money on the table.”
This Capital Program advances several SEPTA Forward initiatives, including:
To read the full Operating Budget, click here. To read the full Capital Budget and 12-Year Program, click here.
For more information about SEPTA, please visit septa.org, follow @SEPTA on Twitter, or download the official SEPTA app.
In celebration of service starting this Sunday, August 21, SEPTA and Wawa leaders gathered with local officials and community members today to cut the ribbon at the recently completed Wawa Station – the new terminus of the Media/Wawa Regional Rail Line.
Construction on the Elwyn to Wawa Service Restoration Project began in 2018. It restores more than 3.5 miles of Regional Rail service to a growing area of Delaware County, supporting recent activities and offering excellent opportunities for future transit-oriented development. The opening of Wawa Station marks the first extension of SEPTA’s rail service since the Airport Line was established in 1985. SEPTA trains last served this area in 1986.
“Restoring service to Wawa has long been part of SEPTA’s service plans,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “We are grateful to Wawa for their partnership and for supporting our vision for service to this vibrant part of Delaware County.”
SEPTA will run high-frequency service to and from Wawa Station, including early-morning inbound, late-night outbound, and express trips.
“We are thrilled to be bringing rail service back to this community after 35 years,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “We are thankful to the residents of Middletown Township and Chester Heights Borough for their patience throughout construction and look forward to welcoming them to their new hometown station. SEPTA service from Wawa Station is the convenient way to travel for those returning to offices or visiting the region for recreation and entertainment.”
The new Wawa Station, located at 1490 W. Baltimore Pike, is fully ADA accessible with a 600-space parking deck and connections to SEPTA Bus Routes 111 and 114. The building and tunnel feature artwork installations that show Wawa’s rich history of transporting milk from the dairy farm to the city via Wawa Station.
“We are proud to partner with our friends at SEPTA on the return of the line located just across from the same Wawa Dairy that has continued to bottle and distribute trusted quality products for more than 100 years and counting,” said Wawa President and CEO Chris Gheysens. “The new Wawa Station features elements that connect the rail and the surrounding area to our rich history, as well as some fun, brand elements that will greet commuters entering and exiting the station. We look forward to hosting a Community Day on August 22 to celebrate commuters and commemorate the first trains to once again depart from the Wawa station!”
This project would not have been possible without Pennsylvania Act 89, the state’s comprehensive transportation funding law passed in November 2013. Act 89 has enabled SEPTA to invest millions of dollars in the transit network throughout the region, including along the Media/Wawa Line. Over the years, the Authority has rehabilitated major viaducts, replaced overhead catenary wire, and made Secane Station fully ADA accessible, among other investments.
“This project connects so many Pennsylvanians and restores a seamless route to access the history, beauty, and communities of our region,” said Pennsylvania State Senator John I. Kane. “Finishing this project is a testament to the leadership who guided this plan, to the strength of vision to reconnect our area, and to the hard work and commitment of the workers who got this line done. Well done SEPTA and welcome back Wawa Station!”
“The opening of the Wawa Station and restoration of Regional Rail service to this part of Delaware County is most welcomed,” said Pennsylvania State Representative Christopher B. Quinn. “I am pleased to join SEPTA leadership and other officials to celebrate this expansion of our mass transit infrastructure.”
“The re-opening of the Wawa Station is a huge infrastructure development for our end of Delaware County,” said Pennsylvania State Representative Craig Williams. “This will give others easier access to the commerce and beauty of our end of Delaware County. The revamped line and station will be a great benefit for our community. By supporting recent growth to western Delaware County, it is my hope that local employers will make use of this asset for their employees.”
“This project is an example of great collaboration over many years between many stakeholders, and will create important multimodal connections in the region, and it represents what’s possible when we invest in transportation,” said PennDOT Acting Executive Deputy Secretary Melissa J. Batula. “There is no question that communities in this area will see the benefits of this new station and the restored service on this line, no matter where they’re going – whether it’s to work, to school, to medical appointments, to the store, or to visit friends and family.”
In restoring the track segment to service, SEPTA replaced 3.5 miles of trackbed and track, replaced four rail bridges, replaced the overhead catenary power system, performed slope stabilization, and installed Positive Train Control. The project also builds on SEPTA’s sustainability efforts through the rehabilitation of four stream culverts, a variety of stormwater measures along the right-of-way and at the station, the installation of a new pedestrian culvert to accommodate the future extension of the Chester Creek Trail, along with bike racks and connections to a future township trail at the station.
“The restoration of rail service to the community has been a long-time goal of the County,” said Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor. “Council commends the County’s representatives on the SEPTA Board, Dan Muroff and Mark Dambly, and members of our Delaware County Planning Department, including Tom Shaffer, for their continued support and advocacy for this project.”
“Middletown is thrilled to have SEPTA rail service back up and running in the Wawa section of our community,” said Middletown Township Council Chair Mark Kirchgasser. “We want to thank SEPTA for their cooperation and great work with the Township despite the headwinds and delays that COVID and the subsequent logistical issues created for the project.”
“Wawa the area, Wawa the train station, and Wawa the company have a linked history that goes back over 100 years,” said Chester Heights Borough Mayor Ginamarie Ellis. “Being here today is fitting in so many ways, and I know our SEPTA riding residents are very much looking forward to starting their commute close to home at Wawa Station.”
The Media/Wawa Regional Rail Line timetable, effective Sunday, August 21, is available for download at: septa.org/schedules/future/rail/pdf/elw.pdf.
To celebrate the first weekday of service, the public is invited to Wawa Station for Community Day on Monday, August 22, which includes free Wawa coffee from 5:30 to 10 a.m. and free Wawa iced teas from 4 to 6:30 p.m., along with Wawa Station t-shirts to the first 100 commuters departing in the morning and returning in the afternoon.
SEPTA’s Board today approved Operating and Capital Budget proposals for Fiscal Year 2023, advancing plans to fund everyday operations and major improvement projects. SEPTA’s fiscal year covers the 12-month period from July 1 through June 30.
The $1.61 billion Operating Budget includes fare enhancements designed to boost ridership post-COVID and allows for the expansion of SEPTA Key Advantage, the Authority’s new institutional pass program. SEPTA Key Advantage allows participating institutions to acquire SEPTA Key cards directly from the Authority and distribute them to employees. While Phase I is underway with Drexel University, Penn Medicine, and Wawa, SEPTA’s Board approved a tariff change to make the program permanent and expand the availability of SEPTA Key Advantage to additional organizations. More information on how other institutions can sign up for the program will be made available next month.
The new “Neighborhood FleX DayPass”, intended for riders traveling shorter distances on Regional Rail, will be introduced this fall. The pass will cost $10, and it can be used for up to 10 rides on buses, subways, trolleys, and up to any Zone 2 Regional Rail stations for a single day. The existing One Day Independence Pass will be renamed the “Anywhere FleX DayPass”.
There will be no fare increases, and riders will continue to benefit from fare adjustments enacted during the pandemic, including one free transfer per trip on Transit modes and free rides for children 11 and under. In addition, select fares will decrease beginning July 1, including the One Day Convenience Pass from $9 to $6, and the Three Day Convenience Pass from $18 to $15.
The Capital Budget is a record-breaking plan – the first to break the billion-dollar mark, while the 12-Year Program represents SEPTA’s largest-ever investment in the system at $11.4 billion. Guided by SEPTA Forward, the Authority’s Strategic Plan, this historic investment advances several initiatives, such as Bus Revolution, King of Prussia Rail, Trolley Modernization, and rail fleet replacements – the largest source of SEPTA’s State of Good Repair needs. It also brings full ADA accessibility to the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Lines by 2034.
The Capital Program will transform SEPTA’s legacy system into a lifestyle network that can be easily used for any type of trip – not just traditional 9-to-5 commutes to work. With travel trends changing post-COVID, SEPTA is making transit more useful for more people.
Thanks to new and expanded funding sources, this Capital Program reflects a strong commitment to transit. The recently-passed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), newly-bondable state funding, and federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) funds flexed to SEPTA from regional partners form the core of this budget.
“We are grateful to elected leaders at the local, state, and federal level for their commitment to advancing these funding sources,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “They understand the importance of investing in public transportation.”
“The transition of state funding to a sustainable and bondable source allows us to issue bonds to support critical capital investments, while we also pursue new competitive grant opportunities made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “This will help us to build a region that is equitable, sustainable, and prosperous for everyone.”
To read the full Operating Budget, click here. To read the full Capital Budget and 12-Year Program, click here.
SEPTA released three potential options for a long-term vision for Regional Rail. This marks phase two of Reimagining Regional Rail – SEPTA’s project to make its rail system more useful for more people.
Reimagining Regional Rail is a key initiative of SEPTA Forward, the Authority’s Strategic Plan, to create a “lifestyle transit network” of all-day, all-week frequent service to destinations across the region.
“SEPTA has one of the best rail systems in the country,” said SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards. “The options released today will create a vision for better integration between Regional Rail and other SEPTA modes.”
The three options are based on extensive public feedback, which includes thousands of survey responses, pop-up events at locations across the rail system, a virtual public meeting, and a comprehensive report on the state of the system and similar networks:
“This project was a great opportunity to learn why people use the system – and why they don’t,” said SEPTA Chief Officer of Planning and Strategic Initiatives Jody Holton. “We engaged bus riders and non-riders near Regional Rail stations to understand why they chose the bus or other services over Regional Rail.”
SEPTA will collect feedback on phase two scenarios through a virtual tool that asks riders a series of questions and suggests a scenario that best fits their responses. Phase three will set the vision for the future of the system and develop a plan to implement short, medium, and long-term solutions later this year.
Along with Reimagining Regional Rail, SEPTA is advancing several transformative initiatives to achieve the goals set in SEPTA Forward, including Bus Revolution, which released two network options earlier this spring.
SEPTA’s Board today approved an amended Capital Budget for the current fiscal year to add approximately $95 million in funding that has been made available through the recently enacted federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also referred to as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
The Board’s approval comes after public hearings were held on the proposed amendment earlier this month. The funding increases the Fiscal Year 2022 Capital Budget from $618.85 million to $713.85 million. SEPTA’s Fiscal Year covers the 12-month period from July 1 through June 30.
“I want to thank the southeastern Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation for their unwavering support of SEPTA,” said SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. “These critical infrastructure funds will help ensure that SEPTA can support this region through the pandemic recovery and beyond.”
Over the five-year life-span of the federal infrastructure bill, SEPTA expects to receive approximately $500 million in additional federal formula funding. This will be reflected in the Fiscal Year 2023 Capital Budget and FY 2023-2024 Capital Program, which is currently being developed.
In addition to infrastructure repairs and upgrades, this funding will allow SEPTA to accelerate design work for station accessibility upgrades on the Market-Frankford Line, Broad Street Line and Regional Rail. This additional investment in design will also ensure SEPTA is prepared for the federal competitive All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP), which is a new program funded under the federal infrastructure bill.
“I am proud of SEPTA’s commitment to accessibility, including making all Broad Street and Market-Frankford Line stations fully ADA accessible,” said SEPTA General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “Funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law accelerates these and other initiatives and ensures that our service is equitable and inclusive.”
The amendment allows SEPTA to immediately increase capital funding for design and implementation of Projects of Significance, which include Trolley Modernization, King of Prussia Rail, and rail vehicle replacement.