New SEPTA service proposals
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New SEPTA service proposals
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New SEPTA service proposals
A new bus route is in the works for Olney next year.
At least, that’s one of the proposals SEPTA is considering for its fiscal year 2011 annual service plan, which SEPTA officials discussed at the January meeting of the Citizens Advisory Committee.
SEPTA is currently looking at four service changes to city bus routes and three changes to its suburban buses:
* Route 12: SEPTA wants to extend the Route 12, which travels from Southwest Philadelphia down to Society Hill, down into South Philadelphia and the Columbus Commons shopping center on Snyder Avenue. The city proposed the route, and you can see a PDF of the proposed changes below.
* Routes 43, 52 or 64: The West Parkside Industrial Park, located near the Parkside Loop, has asked SEPTA to consider rerouting one of these routes to provide better service to the shopping center.
* Improved service between Lower North Philadelphia and University City: A Fairmount neighborhood group has asked SEPTA to consider increasing services between Lower North Philadelphia — neighborhoods like Fairmount and Brewerytown — and University City. A previous attempt to provide more service with Route 43 was unsuccessful.
* Route 72: Councilwoman Marian Tasco has requested SEPTA add a route through Olney and the Northeast that would travel from Cedarbrook Plaza to Rising Sun Avenue, mostly along Cheltenham Avenue. There are currently no routes that go along Cheltenham, a hole in the current bus network. You can see a PDF of the proposed changes below.
* Route 97: The SEPTA operations staff has suggested that the authority add service between Barren Hill and Chestnut Hill. Currently, buses travel down the route during their runs but don’t serve passengers.
* Routes 102, 105 and 106: SEPTA is analyzing ridership data as a first step to rerouting these routes, which run out of 69th Street, so that they attract more passengers.
* Route 139: SEPTA is considering altering, and shortening, the route, which runs between Phoenixville and Royersford, as part of its performance review of routes that were instituted last fiscal year.
All of these proposed changes are subject to available funding, however, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has asked transit agencies throughout the state to avoid adding service because of the uncertainty of state funding through Act 44. The state is still waiting to hear back from the federal government about its plan to toll Interstate 80 as a way of funding transit improvements throughout the state.
SEPTA is also considering changing its route performance guidelines to take into account so-called “lifeline routes” that provide riders with important service even if they garner little money.
The authority is holding a public meeting at SEPTA headquarters to discuss the changes. Members of the public can come to 1234 Market St. Feb. 10 at 12:30 p.m. The presentation will be in the SEPTA Board Room on the mezzanine level.
SEPTA is also taking written comments at:
Service Planning Department
1234 Market St.
9th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Posted by Anthony Campisi. campisi.anthony@gmail.com
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