“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 Transit Forward Philadelphia for events and actions to fight for transit funding and other wins in the City Budget. Attend City Council Budget Hearings, and learn how to advocate with Transit Forward Philadelphia.
Are you interested in improving the health and built environment of Philadelphia? The Nutrition and Physical Activity Team in the Health Department of Philadelphia is hiring a Built Environment Coordinator, and a Community Health Infrastructure Coordinator. Click the links in the titles to learn more about these roles and their impact!
BillyPenn: ‘Pop-up concrete’ event shows what bike lane protection on Spruce and Pine could be – Philly Bike Action (PBA) members set up their ideal bike lane protections, eight-in tall concrete barriers. Models made of cardboard were placed out on Spruce and Pine on Saturday, along with four pop-up stands, handing out coffee and pretzels for free, as well as information about safety improvements. The event’s goal was to highlight what proposed safety measures would look like and dispel common misunderstandings of cyclist and pedestrian safety initiatives.
The Inquirer: SEPTA will keep $2.90 fare for World Cup transit rides. Boston is charging $80 – There is no plan to increase the base fare of $2.90 for SEPTA riders on the Broad Street Line to Lincoln Financial Field for World Cup matches. This is different from other World Cup host cities in the United States. NJ Transit will be charging over $100 for the 18-mile train ride from NY Penn Station to NJ Meadowlands. Boston transit will be increasing its prices from $20 to $80. SEPTA will be handling demand by operating extra trains to support sports complex lines, but regular service hours and open stations can be expected. Additional buses are also being dispatched to serve the FIFA Fan Festival in East Fairmount Park from mid-June through mid-July.
The Philadelphia Tribune: SEPTA reports progress on crime, need for capital funding – SEPTA reported on Wednesday that the system has seen 51 consecutive months of rider growth. They also reported crime is down 30% for the first quarter of 2026, and fare evasion dropped 37%. Over the next decade, billions in improvements are planned, including new fleets for the Market-Frankford Line, trolleys, and regional rail lines. The New Bus Network will streamline bus service across the city, and these changes will result in 660 service hours to the system.
Other Stories
NBC: PennDOT crews to repair potholes on more than 35 highways in Philly region
PhillyVoice: NJ Transit unveils first of 40 new train cars expected to enter service this year
The Inquirer via MSN: Waymo robotaxis are helping cities map potholes. Could Philly be next?
PhillyVoice: Speed cameras activated on stretch of Route 13 in Northeast Philly
The Inquirer: Comcast Spectacor reveals new location for Sixers and Flyers arena
Amtrak Media: Amtrak Joins SEPTA to Celebrate Completion of Ardmore Station Improvements
NBC Philadelphia: SEPTA Transit Police welcoming four new K-9 recruits this spring
“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.
Follow Transit Forward Philadelphia for events and actions to fight for transit funding.
City & State Pennsylvania: Philadelphia’s Open Streets report reveals massive benefits carless events have for Center City businesses – Center City District closed streets to vehicular traffic, in favor of family-friendly foot traffic, and saw wild success last year. An overview of the Open Streets program was published last week by Center City District. Affected streets had a 27% increase in pedestrian activity, and participating businesses had a 38% increase in sales. The success of the 2024-2025 season has shifted the discussion from introducing the program to expanding it, and possibly making it a permanent fixture of Philadelphia.
The Inquirer via MSN: Uber says rides in Philly would cost you more under Mayor Parker’s budget plan – Philadelphia’s $7 billion city budget plan was released last week, and a 20-cent fee per ride was introduced for services such as Uber and Lyft. Another fee was proposed for online retailers. Both proposed fees need approval from the city council before implementation. The fees would bring in an estimated $9 million a year, which would be designated for school districts. Uber has stated that this fee will be passed directly to riders. Other fees proposed in the budget include another 2% in sales tax for online purchases, and all must be approved by either City Council or state lawmakers. The budget will have several public hearings with negotiations, and a final version is expected to be approved in June.
NBC Philadelphia: Frankford Avenue Bridge to shutter until 2027 for a $10M rehab project – The Frankford Avenue Bridge is now closed, and PennDOT will begin construction through next year. The $10 million rehab project will repair the 123-year-old bridge over the Frankford Creek. Frankford Avenue will be closed and detoured between Torresdale Avenue and Hunting Park Avenue at all times until Monday, March 22nd, 2027. PennDOT told drivers to expect extra time for their drive as traffic would occur. The bridge was found in poor condition, and over 12,000 vehicles pass over the creek daily, making repairs a priority. The inactive trolley lines currently on the structure are not planned to be brought back.
Other Stories
Transit Forward Philadelphia: 500 Days to Save SEPTA – Here’s How We Start
WHYY: 2 more security checkpoints to be temporarily closed at Philadelphia International Airport
Pittsburgh Patch: New Pittsburgh Airport Transportation System Proposed
Philadelphia Today: Northeast Philadelphia Airport Set for Upgrades After Receiving $1.4M in Federal Funding
6ABC: Market Street ramp to I-95 South reopens after yearlong closure
PhillyVoice: As Americans pay more at the pump, how do gas prices in Pa. and N.J. compare with the rest of the U.S.?
BillyPenn: Women in cycling: How one Philadelphia woman paved the way
SEPTA: Transit Employee Appreciation Day
“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.
Save the SEPTA Zero Fare Program! Check out Transit Forward Philadelphia’s Week of Action to join the fight for this program.
The Inquirer: Chinatown Stitch, which would cap the Vine Street Expressway, is in limbo after Trump yanked funds. Can it be saved? – $159 million in federal grant money has been rescinded in an unprecedented situation. Federal legislation has taken back $3.2 billion that had been awarded but not yet fully spent, leaving 55 projects across the nation confused about how to proceed. In Philadelphia, Chinatown Stitch would reconnect the north and south sides of the neighborhood by physically capping Vine Street Expressway belowground. Now, despite the public popularity of the project, efforts have paused due to concerns about spending money from other revenue sources, without a guarantee of repayment for these community funds.
6ABC: Public weighs in on future location of Philadelphia bus terminal – The Philadelphia City Planning Commission held an open house for public discussion this week, to hear feedback on where the new Greyhound bus terminal should be located. Three options were presented: 29th and Arch Streets near 30th Street Station, the 1500 block of Vine Street, and the 700 block of Arch Street. The Greyhound station on Filbert Street is scheduled to temporarily reopen in May. This would be for a permanent installation. The public can give further feedback in a survey found here.
Fox29: Route 202 detour started Thursday, Feb. 26 in King of Prussia for sinkhole repairs – Route 202 southbound traffic was diverted, starting Thursday of this week. PennDOT addressed sinkholes and to prevent future road problems for the highway in King of Prussia. The section of southbound Route 202 being worked on is also known as Dekalb Pike, between Prince Frederick Boulevard and Henderson Road. PennDOT hasn’t provided a specific end date for the detour, but expects the repairs to fully resolve sinkhole issues in the area.
Other Stories
PhillyVoice: Philly still needs to clear many roads of snow, but SEPTA and NJ Transit have restored most service
State Smart Transportation Initiative: States DOTs can lead in cutting emissions
WHYY: Work resumes on the Hudson River rail tunnel project, but NJ Transit delays continue
MassLive: Boston extends fare-free bus program after ridership jumps on key routes
SafeStreets: 2026 Safe Streets and Roads for All: Project Brainstorming Workshop
The Inquirer: Philly has lots of trails. For the first time, it is hiring a full-time crew to maintain them.
SEPTA: Additional Regional Rail Service for the 2026 Philadelphia Flower Show
