“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.
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The Inquirer: SEPTA wants to buy 247 new buses and install more fare evasion gates as part of proposed budget – SEPTA’s $1.84 billion operating budget for fiscal 2027 will be released next week. The budget represents only a 1.9% increase, despite rising inflation and labor costs. Compared to last fiscal year, riders will be pleased to see no service cuts and no fare increases. This is because of the state executive branch shifting funds around, after SEPTA was ignored in the state budget set by the legislative branch last season. Plans include a robust station cleaning program, new Transit Police officers, 247 new buses, and more evasion-resistant gates. Public hearings on the SEPTA budget will be held both at SEPTA headquarters and on Zoom, on 5/11, 5/12, and 5/13.
BillyPenn: ‘Just too onerous’: Getting bicycle racks in Philly should be simpler, advocates say – The current process of permitting and installing bike racks throughout Philadelphia is complicated, with too many requirements, according to members of the Philly Bike Action (PBA) group. About one-third of submitted bike rack applications were actually built from 2014 to 2024. Applications for bike racks have rigorous requirements, mostly due to right-of-way spacing rules, along with a $125 fee to apply. Right-of-way rules ensure sidewalks have an appropriate amount of space for pedestrians to move freely and for emergency responders to access spaces. The application also requires a site plan, which needs approval or to be provided by a state-licensed design professional. Philly could learn from other cities to streamline this process and encourage cycling throughout the city.
The Philadelphia Citizen: The Other Way Mayor Parker is Stepping Up for Transit – The H.O.M.E. bills introduced by the Mayor try to address a key factor in supporting public transit, land use rules surrounding stations. The bill aims to allow more multifamily buildings to be constructed near transit. Zoning changes include increasing unit density by 50%, adding one story of height, and cutting parking requirements by half. The current bill would also expand the law to increase from 500 feet to a quarter-mile radius from selected SEPTA stops. These changes emulate similar bills in comparable cities, Seattle, Chicago, and Austin, but are still a much smaller change in allowances.
Other Stories
Philadelphia City Council: City Council wants to hear from you! – Survey
6ABC: All security checkpoints reopened at Philadelphia International Airport
6ABC: ICE agents leaving Philadelphia International Airport
WTAE: Pittsburgh Regional Transit holding public meeting this week on Bus Line Refresh
SEPTA: Bus Service to Replace Trains Between Wilmington Station and Claymont Transit Center, Apr. 11-12
Bicycle Coalition: Remembering Teddy Einstein: A United Community Calls for Safer State Roads in the Region
