“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.
As exciting events continue in Philadelphia, learn how you can get around to major summer 2026 events without a car, or being stuck in traffic with GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map!
WHYY: After SEPTA’s summer success, riders fear momentum could stall – This year’s state budget once again failed to provide dedicated transit funding, and advocates worry support and momentum could decline. Over 155,000 riders were moved by SEPTA to and from FIFA World Cup matches, and the agency rose to the occasion. Previous emergency funding diverted by SEPTA will expire in July 2027, which will result in a fiscal cliff without state intervention.
Billy Penn: Philly’s smart loading zones are a boon or a plague, depending on who you ask – Automatic camera systems on 23 blocks of Chestnut, Walnut, and Sansom streets in Center City have issues an average of 8,000 tickets per month, for unregistered drivers parking in smart loading zones. The zones are meant for commercials vehicles, and by registering and enforcing these vehicles, surrounding areas have seen a decrease in illegal parking and idling. Bike and fire lanes are more open, and pedestrians have clearer walkways. This represents an ongoing shift for the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) towards automated enforcement, with officers going through the images, verifying license plate scans, and if necessary, issuing tickets.
PhillyVoice: SEPTA to close 2 trolley lines this weekend to replace rails – Two trolley lines in Delaware County will temporarily close this weekend, and service will be replaced with shuttle buses through Sunday. Starting on Friday, sections of Landsdowne Avenue will be closed through Monday evening to vehicles. The D1 and D2 trolleys will be paused through Sunday, and bus Route 115 will also be detoured around the construction.
Other Stories
Mainline Times: Ardmore Rock N’ Ride celebrates 10 years, will also host state criterium finals
Metro Philadelphia: Pine Road bridge in Fox Chase to close through summer 2027
CBS Pittsburgh: New legislation in Pittsburgh removes loophole to prevent vehicles from parking on sidewalks
Mass Transit Mag: NJ Transit offers discounts, but not to these riders. That needs to change, groups say
Philadelphia Today: Century-Old Philadelphia Bridge Left to Decay as Preservationists Demand Action
PhillyVoice: Camden County bridge closes for 3 months to undergo repairs
Inside Climate News: In Philadelphia’s Chinatown, a Fight to Restore Funding for a Critical Highway Cap
“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 the Transit For All PA campaign for sustainable transit funding to keep our State moving forward.
CBS News: SEPTA begins charging for parking on weekends, holidays at lots and garages – SEPTA is reinstating parking fees at its parking lots and garages in another effort to reel in more money before impending service cuts. Beginning Monday, SEPTA will charge $2 for surfaced lots and $4 for garages, on both weekends and holidays.
Plan Philly: Penn’s Landing park over I-95 in Philly is taking shape. Here’s what to know – After a series of overnight closures, a busy section of I-95 will reopen at the end of this week with a portion of the new overhead cap completed. The entire cap, consisting of three sections, is expected to be completed by 2029. The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), under a separate contract and in partnership with the city, will build a new park that will include green space situated over the then-completed I-95 cap.
Chalkbeat: Planned SEPTA service cuts will mean slower, less reliable commutes for Philly students – Philly middle and high school students, who are eligible for free SEPTA cards via a contract with the school district and SEPTA, are generally expected to use public transportation to get to school. These students are slated to experience unreliable transport, delays and inefficient routes if planned SEPTA cuts go through. Philadelphia’s Northeast neighborhoods, which show high student ridership on public transport, are expected to be hit particularly hard by cuts.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: From alerting riders to changing Google Maps, here’s how SEPTA is preparing for service cuts
StreetsBlog USA: Five of the Ugliest Transportation Policies In the ‘Big, Beautiful’ Bill
Metro Philadelphia: SEPTA to shut down Center City trolley tunnel for maintenance
6abc: Meter price increase takes effect in Center City Philadelphia
PlanPhilly: Passenger count at Wilmington Airport tops half a million amid expansion efforts
