An entrance to the Market-Frankford Line at the 11th St Station has been closed since Wednesday due to cement work on the sidewalk on 11th Street from Market to Ludlow streets.

Why was this work done during the busy work week and not over a weekend?  And why has the entrance been closed for 2 days already and not just for 24 hours at most?  Shouldn’t transit commuters and pedestrians be top priority when work is done in the public right of way?

Finally, if non-emergency work is scheduled that requires the closure of transit entrances, local government departments and SEPTA should publicize the information in advance so that riders get a heads up before being inconvenienced.  Feel free to send an email to septawatch@gmail.com with advance notice of scheduled work so that our readers are aware of potential inconveniences ahead of time.

A reader writes last Wednesday:

This morning, 2/22/12, I arrived at Market East at 7:45 a.m. and when I went up the stairs I saw a large group of about 10 people standing directly in my path on the way to the escalator. There were several priests in full religious clothes, plus several support types holding things, and they had a large sign that said “Ashes on the Go.” They were in the process of putting ashes on the foreheads of people and were saying prayers (I could hear this myself.) One woman receiving ashes was a Philadelphia policewoman in full uniform.

I don’t believe that any group should be holding religious services in a public SEPTA station – they were in the main area where the waiting benches are. Furthermore, it is very pushy to be having a religious service right where people are trying to walk in public space.  I don’t think this should be allowed at all, and may be it isn’t allowed at all. I called SEPTA and they said they’d look into it and get back to me this afternoon.

What is going on at SEPTA that they allow this type of activity?  I don’t want to be hassled and pushed by any religious group in my train station on my way to work!

I asked SEPTA spokesperson, Jerria Williams, what she thought of this.  Here’s her reply:

The group involved with Ashes on the Go did not contact SEPTA for permission to be at Market East. We learned that they were there from SEPTA Passenger Service personnel assigned to the station.

In that many of our customers were agreeable to receiving Ashes on the Go and the group was not blocking passageways or causing a disturbance, they were allowed to remain. However, they were told  if they wanted to be on SEPTA property in the future they must contact us in advance. At that time, SEPTA management would decide whether or not to grant permission.

Look, I don’t care if religious folks practice their religion in public places like SEPTA stations–even if I have to step around them.  What I do mind is when religious folks try to impose their religion on others.  But more to the point:  when I was a kid, we actually had to go to mass to get ashes.  What happened to that part of the catechism?

(image credit.)

Last Monday, according to 6 ABC, a SEPTA transit officer got clipped by a passing motorist.

No news here, but a cool photo.

(image credit.)

Coming home on the El tonight, I think I heard an advertisement over the loudspeakers for the Circus.

I’m all for exploring new revenue sources, but advertisements on the public address system is a bit harder to ignore than, say, wrap-around advertisements on buses.

We’re a SEPTA blog.  So we can’t not run this video, right?  It’s been floating around the internet for about a week now–including running on Gawker (“Apparently, the SEPTA is notorious for altercations like this one”)–so we can’t just ignore it.

But we can’t really think of any thing else to say about it.

Drexel is buidling a new $97 million dollar project on Chestnut St between 32nd and 33rd Streets that will include over 350,000 ft² of retail spaces and dorms.  Groundbreaking is set for Feb 21. 

Because of the construction, the SEPTA bus stop at 32nd and Chestnut Streets has been moved closer to 31st Street on Chestnut. SEPTA will post signs indicating the stop’s new location.  Is the bus shelter going to be temporarily or permanently removed from this location?

(image credit: www.google.com, www.drexel.edu )