SEPTA plans fare hike; could delay token replacement
Today SEPTA officials unveiled their Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Plan. It was bad news all around for riders – who will face higher fares, and may also have to wait even longer for a modern fare collection system.
Today SEPTA officials unveiled their Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Plan. It was bad news all around for riders – who will face higher fares, and may also have to wait even longer for a modern fare collection system.
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SEPTA plans to raise the price of a token by ten cents, to $1.55, on July 1st. Officials from the mass transit agency say the price increase is not out of line with the rest of the country: New York and Chicago both charge a cash fare of $2.25.
And that’s not the only bad news.
SEPTA Board Chairman Pat Deon says if the Federal government rejects a long-debated plan to place tolls on Interstate 80, the tranist agency will delay needed station renovations and a highly anticipated Smart Card fare system.
“A negative ruling by the Federal Highway Administration would punch a $120 million hole in our budget next year and would create a $450 million funding gap for our state as a whole,” Deon said. “The stakes are enormous for SEPTA and the entire Commonwealth.”
Riders who want to have their say on SEPTA’s plans can weigh in at public hearings starting next month. Septa’s last fare hike was in August of 2007.
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