The Hub 7/10/2020: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
PlanPhilly: SEPTA Key Travel Wallet will soon work on Regional Rail, allowing riders to pay per trip – Regional Rail riders without passes will be able to pay for Regional Rail rides using their SEPTA Key Travel Wallet function starting Monday, July 13th. To use the Travel Wallet function on Regional Rail you will tap your card in when you board and tap out when you disembark. Be sure to tap in, or else your Travel Wallet will be charged the maximum fare.
PlanPhilly: Philadelphia postpones street closures for outdoor dining over safety, health concerns – Northern Liberties and East Passyunk business corridors both had planned outdoor dining events that would close their respective streets to vehicular traffic. City officials have requested all such events be further postponed until we have a better understanding of proper social distancing in a restaurant setting.
NorthJersey.com: NJ Transit and Rutgers studying UV technology on buses to help curb spread of coronavirus – Rutgers is researching UV sanitation technology on behalf of New Jersey Transit. NJ Transit hopes to sanitize busses with UV light regularly to stop the spread of COVID-19. Rutgers is researching many aspects of UV sanitation including what lights work best, where lights should be placed inside vehicles, and how long the lights need to run to effectively sterilize the vehicle.
CityLab: Pandemic Travel Patterns Hint at Our Urban Future – Travel demands in urban centers around the world have plummeted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While wealthier people were more likely to be able to stay home or drive places, many low income essential workers never stopped riding mass transit. Some transit systems are struggling to sustain themselves as economies reopen. Nurses, grocery workers, and other essential workers that we depend on rely on transit, and that hasn’t changed.
New York Times: Why New York Buses Are on the Rise in a Subway City – New Yorkers have historically preferred riding the subway to the bus by a long shot. People starting to travel to work again as the pandemic wanes are more likely to choose a bus ride over the subway. Busses are often less crowded than subways, allowing riders more space to socially distance. Mayor Bill De Blasio has committed to creating busways on major routes to speed up service.
Image Source: Plan Philly
