SEPTA officials delay improvements after I-80 plan rejected

SEPTA has proposed raising fares for the coming fiscal year, though Maloney says that money would only go toward the agency’s operating budget, not special projects.

Transit agencies across Pennsylvania are scrambling to find funding for 150 million dollars worth of capital projects. Federal highway officials yesterday rejected the commonwealth’s application to place tolls on Interstate 80. The state would have used those funds to finance transit projects.

SEPTA’s long-stalled smart card fare system will have to wait even longer. And improvements to the 1920’s era City Hall Broad Street stop will shift to the back burner as well.

SEPTA Spokesman Richard Maloney says until the state finds a way to fund mass transit, delays like these will be routine.

“It’s the elephant in the room. It really has to be addressed. It’s not going to go away. The financial problems are going to get worse, and the effects are going to get worse. It’s going to take some brave and stout-hearted efforts on the part of state legislators to address this.”

SEPTA has proposed raising fares for the coming fiscal year, though Maloney says that money would only go toward the agency’s operating budget, not special projects.