Uh oh. Is federal funding for SEPTA at risk?

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National mass transit organization Transportation for America thinks so.

In a blog posting posted on Thursday, Transportation for America writes:

In a stunning development late last night, House leadership and the Ways and Means committee made a shocking attack on transit that would have huge impacts for the millions of people who depend on public transportation each day.

They proposed putting every public transportation system in immediate peril by eliminating guaranteed funding for the Mass Transit Account and forcing transit to go begging before Congress for general funds each year — all while highway spending continues to be guaranteed with protected funds for half a decade at a time.

For more information about how to register your displeasure, check out their site.

 

Paoli Station upgrade may give you a reason to go out to Paoli

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Almost lost in all the hoopla of last week’s SEPTA board meeting’s approval of a contract to renovate City Hall station was an announcement about Paoli.

Quick digression?  Apparently, Paoli is not really a town.  It’s a “census-designated place.”   What we call Paoli is actually parts of the township of Tredyferrin and the township of Willistown.  Even the 1777 Battle of Paoli during the American Revolution was held in nearby Malvern.  Go figure.  But on to the news.

According to State Representative Kampf, Paoli’s going to be getting $7.5 million to build a new regional rail station.

Maybe it’s time I got off the train in Paoli and had a look around.

Sunday morning truce broken at Snyder Station

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Several media outlets are reporting a ridiculous crime that happened this past Sunday morning, Jan 29th, at 9:15am at the Snyder station on the Broad Street Line.

Apparently, some punk doesn’t know about the Sunday morning truce and held up a rider on the concourse leading to the Snyder station.

And for what? Lottery tickets? Sheesh.

Where is your bus?

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Well, if you really are curious where your bus is, you might want to check out this SEPTA bus locator website.  It is the newest website addressing real time bus information.  Sounds like there might be an app in the making.  And maybe the trolleys can be added as well?  The big question – when will we have one app or website that has accurate real time info for buses, trolleys, trains, and subway?

(image credit: www.dreamstime.com)

Today’s the day for the Dilworth Plaza groundbreaking

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It was a crazy scene on Friday night as I waited on the City Hall platform for a Frankford-bound El.  One El went out of service, piling up hundreds of commuters, who then tried to cram onto the next El pulling into the station.

Just one day earlier, the SEPTA board had approved $7.5 million in contracts to add a couple elevators and two “fare lanes.”  (What’s a fare lane?)

It’s a far cry, alas, from the halcyonic days of 2008 when SEPTA was planning a $100 million make-over of the whole station.  But with state funding being what it is these days, those plans have been mothballed.

On the other hand, today’s the groundbreaking for the the $50 million, two-year Dilworth Plaza project.  What’s on tap?

The new Plaza will have a large lawn, tree groves, seating for 400, a programmable fountain and a café. During winter, a portable ice rink will cover the fountain area. The concourse beneath Dilworth Plaza will be dramatically improved as a new transit gateway, providing entrances to Broad Street and Market Street subways and the trolley lines. New elevators will make the transit platforms accessible for the first time and a unique work of public art will highlight the movement of trains below the Plaza.

Perhaps nervous of Occupy Philly folks, the 9:30am groundbreaking has been moved indoors to the 9th floor of 1515 Market Street (“Speakers and dignitaries will participate in a ceremonial signing of granite.”)

Who killed the trolleys?

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Speaking of trolleys, there’s a really neat video that’s been making the rounds on transit sites lately.  It’s a 1940 video that tells the story of the end of trolleys in Seattle.

The site that the video comes from is well worth the read.  According to public radio station KPLU, buses replaced the trolleys in Seattle for two reasons.

First, a “secret cartel involving General Motors and Standard Oil, among others, was buying up streetcar lines in other American cities, outside the northwest, and converting them to buses.”

Second, Seattle was broke and couldn’t afford the upkeep any more.  Seattle Mayor Alfred Langlie “negotiated a federal bailout loan, which would retire the streetcar system’s debt if the city switched to buses.”

By April of 1941, Seattle had ripped up 230 miles of streetcar lines, melting them into steel for the war effort – and becoming the largest city in the country at that time to have no streetcars. Instead, the city got the electric trolley-bus system we still have today.

And now, seventy years later, we sure do miss those trolleys.

When will we get our trolley back on Girard Ave?

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Wondering why the 15 trolley has been replaced by bus service these past few months?

It’s all part of the Girard Avenue Interchange project which involves ripping up the tracks between 2nd Street and Front Street.  Eventually, they’ll be replaced with a nicer streetscape.

This will be nicer for the folks in Fishtown and–not coincidentally?–improve access to the Sugarhouse casino.

As for the 15?  SEPTA says the trolley will be back by April 1.

(image credit.)

Market West: SEPTA’s newest station?

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The Philadelphia Auto Show is coming up and SEPTA, a sponsor, has extended the hours for many of its ticket offices so that you can buy tickets to come down to the show.

According to its website, ticket office hours have been extended at the following stations: Market West, Melrose Park, Media, Villanova, … Wait. What?  Market West?

Kind of an important error, no?  Or perhaps SEPTA is planning on building a new station?