“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: SEPTA opens new $50M Wissahickon Transit Center in Manayunk – SEPTA finished the long-awaited Wissahickon Transportation Center, and it’s expected to serve 5,000 bus riders a day. The center is just down the street from the Wissahickon Regional Rail station, and construction on the $50 million project began in 2023. The transportation center is one of SEPTA’s busiest. The upgraded space was set to be the first of a wave of upgrades, many of which have since been paused due to a lack of funding.
Fox Philadelphia: South Philly street artist helps create signs displaying SEPTA bus arrival times – SEPTA bus signs are getting a makeover from a local Philly street artist known as “Mr. Bird.” Solar-powered signs display arrival times of buses on painted metal signs that connect to SEPTA’s website. The first route to get this unauthorized upgrade was Route 64 at Broad and Washington. Signs are also being installed along Route 47. Riders have reacted positively to the signs, and SEPTA has plans to upgrade bus signs in the next few years, but it’s unclear if a collaboration will occur.
Chester County: Chesco Connect Drives Into the Future with Propane Buses – A new fleet of buses is expected to hit the streets of Chester County by February. The fleet offers a way to cut costs for the County, and seven are already on the road. Chester County plans to add more propane buses in 2027, due to the significant price difference per gallon compared to gasoline or diesel. Montgomery and Lancaster Counties have both adopted propane bus integration to fleets, and it is a marginally ‘cleaner’ fuel source than gasoline. With a federal shift away from supporting electric vehicles, moving fleets to environmentally friendly alternatives is becoming more difficult.
Other Stories
6ABC: SEPTA reaches deal with SMART Local 1594 to avert strike
PhillyVoice: Delaware County trolley riders should plan for longer trips during weekends through May
6ABC: Philadelphia City Council votes to reopen Greyhound Bus Terminal
Bicycle Coalition: Bringing safety and joy at the 13th Annual Bike Light Giveaway
WHYY: Road salt remains in Pa., N.J. and Del. waterways months after winter storms, according to new data
CBS Philadelphia: NJDOT brings back holiday-themed highway signs to raise awareness about reckless driving
“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 Philadelphia: SEPTA strike averted after workers’ union, transit agency reach new contract – SEPTA and Transport Workers Union Local 234 have reached a tentative agreement, as of Monday this week. This agreement avoids a strike with the largest union working in SEPTA currently, and would’ve impacted thousands of riders. TWU Local 234 members have been working without a contract for a month, and the agreement includes a two-year contract with a 3.5% wage increase each year, and other benefits. The union plans to ratify the new agreement later this month, with plans to present the contract to the SEPTA board on December 18.
Philly Voice: SEPTA receives MARC cars to ease Regional Rail disruptions, but a supply shortage is delaying Silverliner repairs – SEPTA is receiving 10 train cars from the Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) Rail this week, to try and alleviate delays in the system. Regional Rail riders have been experiencing delays and crowded trains due to the ongoing inspection and improvements to the Silverliner cars. The MARC cars are being transported by Amtrak from Washington to 30th Street Station at the end of this week. SEPTA then will need to inspect the cars and train crews, which could take up to two weeks. The cars will be leased for one year, and will add capacity for riders across the rail system.
The Inquirer: Penn’s Landing cap over I-95 is 30% complete, with completion hoped in 2029 – Penn’s Landing Park, a 12-acre park over I-95, is about 30% completed. 2029 is the estimated completion year by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, with the park itself being installed the following year by the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. Plans for the park include a net zero carbon building, skating rink, playground, water feature, and green space. The estimated cost of the project has increased from the 2017 estimate of $229 million to now $329 million due to rising costs of inflation. Construction efforts will continue by PennDOT, and motorists should check PennDOT’s website for closure updates.
Other Stories
6ABC: Construction project impacting Schuylkill Expressway set to begin
WMMR: Explore the Lesser-Known Bike Paths of Philadelphia
PhillyVoice: Tolls to drive over eight Delaware River bridges will increase next year
The Inquirer: SEPTA decks out buses in holiday decorating contest
Bicycle Coalition: ICYMI: Spring Garden Street Connector Open House
PhillyVoice: SEPTA to fully restore Regional Rail service by late December with $220 million boost from PennDOT
“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.
6ABC: SEPTA set to resume negotiations with its largest workers’ union – Transport Workers Union voted on Sunday to authorize a strike, but leaders note that a walkout is not expected. Around 5,000 bus, trolley, and subway workers have been working without a contract for two weeks, with negotiations beginning in October. Further discussions took place on Tuesday, with both sides calling the conversation productive.
NBC Philadelphia: SEPTA completes inspections of entire Silverliner IV fleet – As of this past weekend, SEPTA announced they completed the inspection of the Silverliner IV rail cars. All 223 cars have been examined, after a two week deadline extension was granted, and the agency is still working to meet a December 5 deadline to install heat sensors on trains. It will be another month before the entire fleet returns to service, with plans to return five rail cars per day to service.
The Inquirer: SEPTA trolley tunnel will stay closed until next week – The SEPTA trolley tunnel has been closed for the past two weeks, and will remain that way for a little while longer, according to SEPTA. While the tunnel is closed for repairs, trolleys are running out of West Philadelphia. The repairs are a result of two incidents in October, when over 400 passengers had to evacuate.
Other Stories
BillyPenn: Here are all the details for the 2025 Marathon Weekend in Philly
The Inquirer: SEPTA workers authorized a strike for the fourth year in a row. Here’s when they walked off the job in the past.
BillyPenn: Design advocates call for transformation of Filbert Street bus terminal
Fox29 Philadelphia: Lower Merion Township considers first parking meter rate hike in 26 years
NBC Philadelphia: City Councilmember proposes new E-Bike and E-Scooter safety law for Wilmington
