“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.
The Inquirer: Gov. Shapiro allocated $220 million to SEPTA to get Regional Rail back on track – Governor Josh Shapiro announced last week that $220 million is being sent to SEPTA to retain current service and safety that have been measures federally mandated. The funds are sourced from the Department of Transportation, this is not a new source of funding for the agency, which is desperately needed. The $220 million will assist with the repairs of both the Silverliner IV Regional Rail Cars, and the trolley tunnel power system, both experiencing issues that have left commuters with delays, cancellations, and chaos. These funds are critical to mass transit’s continued service due to a lack of support in the state budget, which was passed 6 months late in November. The safety and multitude of other problems have been exacerbated by the complete lack of funding, and years of political stalemates negatively impacting commuters and residents.
BillyPenn: Philly shares its roadmap to reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries – Philadelphia has made great strides in reducing traffic-related injuries, but still has more traffic deaths than other comparable cities across the US. The city’s 2024 Vision Zero Review was released this week, and it reported an 18% decrease in traffic-related injuries, primarily focusing on improving safety in Philadelphia’s High Injury Network (HIN). The HIN is the 12% of Philly streets where 80% of traffic deaths and serious injuries occur. In the past nine years, 154 miles of HIN projects were completed or remain in progress, and the Vision Zero Action Plan includes a 5-year plan to reduce traffic deaths and injuries to none, but advocates say more work lies ahead in order to meet the Action Plan’s goals.
NBC Philadelphia: Logan Square sidewalk project to impact traffic on Ben Franklin Parkway – Construction has begun along the Ben Franklin Parkway at Logan Square between 18th and 20th Streets and will result in weekday lane closures. Construction plans include sidewalk installations, accessibility upgrades, and inlet and stormwater pipe installations. Both directions of the Parkway in that area will have a lane closure every weekday from 7 am to 3:30 pm until May 19, 2026. The Logan Circle sidewalk and access to Swann Fountain will be closed to the public during this time as well.
Other Stories
WHYY: U.S. air travelers without REAL IDs will be charged a $45 fee
The Inquirer: Joint city-Parking Authority proposal to reopen Filbert Street bus station advances in Council
NBC Philadelphia: Construction begins on new PhilaPort Cruise Terminal near PHL airport
WHYY: PATCO makes minor changes to its weekday night schedule
CBS Philadelphia: Drivers speeding on Broad Street in Philadelphia will now be fined as warning period expires
6ABC: Bidirectional charging lets EVs power more than just the roadThe Inquirer: Waymo starts self-driving tests in Philadelphia for its robotaxi service
“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.
WHYY: Zero Fare has been a success, but some vulnerable Philly residents aren’t feeling the benefits of the free transit program – The City of Philadelphia launched a pilot Zero Fare program in August of 2023, lasting two years and providing free public transit access to low-income residents. The program so far has seen 34,000 enrollments of low-income riders and subsidized over 6 million trips. Participants are eligible if their income is below 150% of the federal poverty line, but in 2023 the poverty rate in Philadelphia was 20.3%. At the pilot’s launch, 300,000 residents were eligible, but due to extremely limited funding, only 25,000 free-ride cards were given out. This left residents with an 8% chance of enrollment. The success of this program highlights the need for further funding, and currently Mayor Parker’s initial 2026 fiscal budget does not include funding to continue the program.
NBC Philadelphia: Nature walks are good for you, but can a city stroll be just as good? – Trees and green spaces in urban environments can bring the benefits of nature into more densely developed areas. A study by a university in Wales showed that people can gain mental health benefits, lowering stress and restoring attention by walking in greenspaces even within urban settings. Additional elements like painted walls, interesting architecture and well-developed urban infrastructure can also heighten the positive effects on residents’ well-being.
6ABC: SEPTA granted extension to finish inspecting Silverliner IV railcars after series of fires – Last week SEPTA was granted an extension to finish their inspections of the Silverliner railcars. Their original deadline of October 31 has been pushed to November 14. The agency has said they plan to complete the inspections before the new deadline. The Federal Railroad Administration has also extended another deadline allowing SEPTA until December 5 to install thermal protection circuits. Riders can continue to expect shortened trains and delays while inspections and improvements continue.
Other Stories
PhillyVoice: Here’s a recap of Tuesday’s election results in Pennsylvania and New Jersey
CBS Philadelphia: 2 TSA checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport to temporarily close amid government shutdown
The Inquirer: What the PPA has planned for a revived Greyhound bus station
AxiosPhiladelphia: The Philadelphia region’s traffic is worse than ever
The Inquirer: Hoboken has gone 8 years without a traffic death. Can Philly replicate its success?
