Sen. Casey promises to push for SEPTA funding in Washington

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey appeared with the head of SEPTA Monday under the arch of 30th Street Station, promising to push for more federal funding for mass transit. 

 After SEPTA outlined a doomsday budget last week that includes cutting nine of 13 regional rail lines to pay for capital projects the agency needs to complete, Casey pledged to start talking with Washington lawmakers about the next transportation funding package.

The current congressional transportation spending bill expires next fall. And additional state funding has been held up in the state House since the summer.

“We need to work now to plan for the kind of capital needs that SEPTA and other public transit departments across the country are going to need in the future,” said Casey.

“If we do the planning now, and we put in place a bipartisan agreement early enough, we’ll provide a measure of certainty so that SEPTA can begin to plan and build toward the future,” said Pennsylvania’s senior senator.

SEPTA general manager Joe Casey said the region faces a transportation funding crisis and requires action at all levels of government.

SEPTA lists its urgent needs as replacing aging rail cars and repairs to tracks and bridges.