“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.
Join Clean Air Council and Transit Forward Philadelphia to celebrate Transit Equity Day on 2/21 with food, speakers, and community activities. Register and learn more here!
Help choose a home for the city’s bus station of the future! The Philadelphia City Planning Commission needs input to plan the intercity bus station to keep riders safe and comfortable. Take the survey here.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania: Shapiro Administration Invests over $27 Million to Improve Traffic Safety Across Pennsylvania – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) announced an over $27 million investment through the Automated Red-Light Enforcement (ARLE) program to support 51 safety projects in 44 municipalities across the state. The program provides automated enforcement to improve safety at intersections where red-light running is an issue. Funding is supplied from red-light violation fines in Philadelphia. Philadelphia County had 6 projects awarded with a combined total of $13 million in funding.
Fox29: SEPTA to end sale of Key Tix in March – The Key Tix program will be ending this March, after first launching in December of 2022. SEPTA has cited a significant decrease in demand for the mobile ticket platform. Key Tix allows riders to download a QR code as their ticket to be used at turnstiles on bus and metro service. Since allowing contactless payment on all modes since April 2025, Key Tix is no longer a needed alternative for riders, according to SEPTA. March 2nd is the planned last day of the program. Purchased Key Tix will remain valid for 180 days after purchase.
The Inquirer: NJ Transit riders from Philadelphia should expect service disruptions for the next four weeks – Modified schedules and fewer trains will be running on NJ Transit until March 15th. All lines, except the Atlantic City rail line, will be affected to upgrade the 116-year-old Portal Bridge. Commuters are advised to check weekday and weekend schedules here. The Portal Bridge is also used by Amtrak, so riders should be aware of possible delays to their routes, and the entire Northeast Corridor.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: Some Delco SEPTA riders will have 15 minutes added to their commutes, beginning Monday
BillyPenn: Options for Philly intercity bus terminal narrowed to three sites
The Inquirer: Lincoln Drive and dozens of other Philly roads get $13 million from PennDot
PhillyBurbs: Langhorne train station set for an overhaul. SEPTA wants input
The Inquirer: Cameras will soon enforce speed limits in five Philly school zones
6ABC: Philly’s Valentine’s Day trolley driver to retire after 40-year career
BillyPenn: SEPTA honors Caroline Rebecca LeCount, a civil rights icon who helped desegregate Philly’s transit system in the 1860s
“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.
Register here for Transit Equity Day: Workshop & Celebration! Join Clean Air Council and Transit Transit Forward Philadelphia to celebrate on 2/21 with food, speakers, and community activities. Register and learn more here!
Happy Valentine’s Day! Download Valentines for your favorite public transit rider from the Council here.
NBC Philadelphia: AI-powered cameras on SEPTA buses have led to thousands of tickets – SEPTA buses have been capturing footage of drivers idling or parking in bus lanes throughout the city, and more than 112,000 citations have been issued in the past seven months as a result. Cameras are on more than 100 SEPTA buses with routes in Center City and University City. AI-powered cameras identify cars parked illegally in bus lanes or stops, and footage is sent to PPA officers for review. Bus routes with ticket enforcement have gotten 3-6% faster, with citywide bus route travel times having slowed during the same time period. The bill for the first seven months of this program is nearly $2.8 billion, with fees from drivers reaching $4.3 million. The agency says the focus of this program is to increase compliance, not increase revenue for the PPA.
PhillyVoice: Philly to put up ‘No Stopping’ signs along bike lanes citywide after receiving $1 million from PennDOT – Philadelphia is replacing signs across the city to better protect cyclists. Signs in bike lanes currently instruct drivers not to park, but as part of a $27 million funding package, they will be replaced with ones that also instruct drivers not to illegally stop in bike lanes. The funding package uses revenue from red light cameras to pay for traffic safety upgrades.
6ABC: Controller says speed cushions installed at Philadelphia schools not done to standards – In the summer and fall of 2025, 140 speed cushions were inspected at 44 schools by the Philadelphia City Controller. Only two had height and length measurements within the specified range. 95% of the inspected speed cushions were too steep, and homeowners had been reaching out to 311 to report noise, drivers swerving to avoid them, and vehicle damage. It’s unclear if the city will be forced to pay to repair the cushions or how much the total bill would be. A copy of the published report can be found here.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: $29M in federal and private funds to go toward Delaware River watershed projects
SEPTA: New Bus & Metro Schedules, Feb. 22 & 23 & New Regional Rail Schedules
6ABC: Portion of MLK Drive in Philadelphia closed until further notice due to emergency maintenance
WHYY: Judge orders Trump administration to restore funding for rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey
6ABC: Study finds parts of country have large gaps in charging infrastructure
“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.
Feet First Philly’s Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant Application is CLOSED.
The City Fix: Is Your Commute Harming Your Health? – Consistently commuting via car and experiencing traffic congestion can affect individuals physically, mentally, and socially. Commuters stuck in traffic experience increased stress and anxiety. Traffic congestion increases air pollution and commuters who are exposed to elevated levels of air pollution experience worsened respiratory conditions. On the other hand, sustainable commute options such as walking and biking provide great health benefits including enhanced mood and reduced stress.
CBS News: Philadelphia has a plan for concrete-protected bike lanes in Center City, officials tell residents – Concrete-protected bike lanes will prevent vehicles from blocking bike lanes. This will add more protection for cyclists. Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) is recommending additional protection to bike lanes on Pine and Spruce streets, such as concrete curbs and potentially planters. These recommendations are not final as the city is still soliciting feedback from residents.
CommonWealth Beacon: Bike lanes don’t just benefit cyclists – Bike lanes help to enhance safety, accessibility, and promote environmental sustainability. Studies have shown that bike lanes are a “vital component of a safer urban landscape”. Separated bike lanes also act as a traffic calming measure. Bike lanes, especially protected bike lanes, encourage more people to commute using alternative modes of transportation which helps to lower traffic congestion and reduce carbon emissions.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: PennDot has a $10M plan to improve Church Road intersections, but some Cheltenham residents say it will make life worse
PhillyVoice: Amtrak starts working on $462 million maintenance facility in Penn Coach Yard
BillyPenn: As legislators dither, SEPTA considers giant fare hike
Streetsblog USA: Six Reasons Why a Big Truck, SUV or Van is More Likely to Kill You in a Crash
Next City: The Truth About Whether Speed Cameras Make Us Safer
Streetsblog USA: Bike-Friendly Campuses Can Inspire the Rest of Car-Centric America
