“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!
Pennsylvania Capitol – Star: More than a week after the deadline, state budget negotiations appear to be taking place – After missing the June 30 budget deadline, for the fifth year in a row, lawmakers are set to return to the Capitol area over the weekend. Last year’s budget was delayed by 135 days and neither Republicans nor Democrats have shared their next steps with the public. Without a state budget many schools, libraries and other institutions that rely on state funding are unable to make key decisions to keep public services in operation. With transit agencies in all counties across the state heading towards fiscal cliffs, service cuts, and fare increases, a revenue source is absolutely necessary.
95.7 Ben FM: Philadelphia Extends Zero Fare Transit Program Through July 2027 – The Zero Fare Program has been extended through next July. The program has served more than 24,000 people in its first year and provided over 6.2 million SEPTA trips. This is the largest low-barrier transit initiative for low-income riders in the country. Transit advocates are pushing for this program to be permanently funded by the city, as it reduces financial strain and increased access to work, education, healthcare, and more.
Philadelphia Today: Philadelphia Named Most Walkable City to Visit for Fourth Year in a Row – For the fourth consecutive year, USA Today listed Philadelphia as the most walkable city to visit in the United States. Neighborhoods highlighted for their walkability include Old City, Rittenhouse Square, and Center City. The city as a whole utilizes urban planning elements conducive to increased walkability, such as compact street plans, short blocks, rowhouse corridors, and corner businesses.
Other Stories
Metro Philadelphia: SEPTA stories take center stage at ‘Doors Are Opening’ performance
City of Philadelphia: The City of Philadelphia Unlocks Federal SS4A Funding to Improve Market East Streetscapes
Philadelphia Today: Bucks County Travelers Get New Nonstop Options as Breeze Airways Comes to Trenton-Mercer
“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.
Happy Fourth of July! As we celebrate America’s 250th, 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!
Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania’s budget is late for the fifth year in a row – Pennsylvania legislators missed the budget deadline of June 30, for the fifth year in a row. Republicans that lead the Senate have stated they expect the budget deal in the days after the fourth. Democrats that lead the House were less positive about passing a budget soon. Clashes over state spending, revenue sources, and other hot topics all delay budget deals. Without a set budget, many schools, libraries, non-profits, counties, and other recipients of state funds suffer. With transit agencies in all counties across the state heading towards fiscal cliffs, service cuts, and fare increases, a revenue source is absolutely necessary.
PhillyVoice: Here are the road closures and SEPTA detours for the Fourth of July concert and fireworks – Drivers can expect roads around the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to be closed this week as the city prepares for the Fourth of July concert and celebration on Saturday. The concert begins on the 4th at 5pm, with doors opening at 3pm, and concluding with fireworks at around 11:30pm. Several roads will be closed from Friday to Monday morning, the full list posted here. Several SEPTA routes will also be adjusted to accommodate the event.
PhillyVoice: PPA starts issuing speeding tickets using traffic cameras along Route 13 after warning period ends – Six traffic cameras have been active on Route 13 since April of this year, and will begin authorizing tickets to drivers exceeding the 25 mph speed limit. The 60-day warning period in Northeast Philadelphia is ending, and fines begin at $100. This is the latest in partnerships between the city and the PPA, aimed to improve traffic safety, and revenue brought in to cover further safety measures.
Other Stories
Philadelphia Today: Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts Completes First Phase of $150 Million AveArts 2.0 Transformation
CBS Pittsburgh: PRT unveils “Spirit of ’76”-inspired “T” train ahead of Fourth of July weekend festivities
BillyPenn: Here’s how road closures for America 250 events may affect your commute
CBS Philadelphia: NJ Transit fares increase by 3% starting July 1
The Inquirer: Spanning 100 Years: See how the Benjamin Franklin Bridge was built a century ago
“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.
The FIFA World Cup is here! 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!
NBC Philadelphia: SEPTA announces next steps of mixed-use development at Germantown Station – SEPTA has announced it is seeking information from local developers to enhance mixed-use development at Germantown Station. The primary target for this development is a vacant lot at 120-128 E Chelten Ave in Historic Germantown. This is part of a larger program, SEPTA’s Transit-Oriented Communities, that develops areas near transit stops and supports the public transit network. Other mixed-use concept locations considered or announced by SEPTA include areas around East Armat St Bridges, Ambler Station, Conshohocken, and Langhorne stations.
Metro Philadelphia: How SEPTA plans to move tens of thousands of World Cup fans – SEPTA has been preparing for the World Cup to arrive in Philly this summer, and now that it’s here, tens of thousands of fans will be riding it around the city, with measured improvements as well. The Broad Street Line has trains going to and leaving from NRG every four to five minutes a few hours leading up to kickoff. NRG has had some upgrades recently as well, such as new roofing, a new ventilation system, and enhanced lighting and signage. These upgrades were in part funded by federal operating money to assist with the World Cup; the general SEPTA budget has yet to be announced by the PA state government, but is due at the end of this month.
The Burg: Regional bus system Rabbittransit to introduce mobile pay, fare raises in July – Buses in Harrisburg are part of the regional system known as Rabbittransit. This week, it was announced that a new smartcard and mobile payment system will be installed next month on the Capital Region, Gettysburg, Shippensburg, and York routes of the public transit system. The rabbitPAY system will launch mid-to-end July, and allow riders to load reusable transit passes through an app, and tap to ride. Also being added is fare capping, meaning riders can pay as they go, and once the cost of a daily or monthly pass is reached, the rest of the rides during that period are free.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: There are plans for an 86-unit apartment complex next to SEPTA’s Jenkintown station
Delco Today: Business Class Seating at Philadelphia International Airport Soars Past Pre-Pandemic Levels
92.5 XTU: Pennsylvania Braces for Record Traffic Amid 250th Independence Day Anniversary
WJAC: Cambria County officials press state lawmakers to fix outdated CamTran payment system
NJ.com: Here’s what N.J. e-bike owners and riders have to do now to avoid a fine under a new law
Block Club Chicago: Chicago’s Bike Lanes Don’t Hurt Businesses, City Report Finds
“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.
The FIFA World Cup is here! 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: SEPTA, transit police reach tentative deal on new contract to avoid strike during World Cup – SEPTA police have been working without a contract since the end of March, and now they have reached a tentative agreement to avoid striking. Union members will now vote to ratify the agreement, and if agreed upon, it will move to SEPTA’s board for adoption. The agreement comes months after SEPTA reported significant drops in crime across the network. In 2023, the SEPTA police union authorized a strike, and after three days, it ended with a new contract.
NBC Philadelphia: 2000+ parking tickets issued during first weekend of FIFA Fan Fest in Lemon Hill – According to the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA), over 2,000 tickets were issued this past weekend for illegal parking near Lemon Hill’s FIFA Fan Fest. The event began on June 11 and will end on July 19. PPA monitored 587 residential blocks in the enforcement zone and issued 2,497 tickets for illegal parking. 173 were written in error to residents with valid parking permits, making around 7% of the tickets incorrect.
Erie Today (via AOL): How does the Pa. budget serve public transit outside big-city hubs? – It’s state budget season in Pennsylvania, and the due date is June 30, and PA’s state budget hasn’t been approved on time since 2021. Last year, the budget was delayed for five months, heavily due to Republicans blocking $292 million for public transit. This year, Shapiro will ask for $300 million for the Pennsylvania Public Transportation Trust Fund to pay for public transit across the state. Around 7.7% of sales tax goes into public transit, and the proposed budget would increase that by 1.75%. There are over 30 fixed-route public transit systems across the state outside PRT and SEPTA, and these smaller systems rely on state funding to access healthcare, employment, education, and travel. 65% of the state’s public transit users have no other transportation option, underscoring the need for the service.
Other Stories
Talk PA Transportation: Officials Seek Public Opinion: Statewide Transportation Improvement Program
Philly Voice: SEPTA moves forward with mixed-use development at Germantown Station
Urban Wire: Congress’s Transportation Reauthorization Bill Would Drastically Underfund Transit and Rail Projects
StreetsBlog USA: In New Jersey, Mayors Show How Quickly We Can Slow Down Drivers
Business Insider: Uber now keeps most of the fare from your ride in some cities, according to a new driver study
CBS Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh cyclist pedaling across the country for a good cause
Philadelphia has just started one of the busiest event seasons in its history. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are here for FIFA matches and America250 celebrations, which means gridlocked traffic, parking struggles, longer travel times, and more pollution.
Clean Air Council has a solution. To help you get around without driving this summer and beyond, we’ve created the GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map, an interactive tool that makes it easy to find public transit, biking, walking, and park-and-ride options.
Why travel car-free?
- Avoid traffic and parking hassles: Skip the congestion, expensive event parking, and stress.
- Explore more: Traveling by transit, bike, or foot helps you experience more of the city along the way.
- Help reduce air pollution: Choosing alternatives to driving helps reduce traffic-related air pollution for a cleaner and healthier Philadelphia.
We’ve got you covered for one of the most exciting summers in Philadelphia’s history! Try it out: GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map
“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.
The FIFA World Cup is here! 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!
The Inquirer: Philly has a new law to boost development around transit. Which neighborhoods will benefit? – City Council has approved a bill to incentivize denser and taller development around Philadelphia transit stations. City Council expanded the existing housing agenda to a quarter-mile radius around SEPTA rail, intercity bus stations, PATCO, water taxi, and some bus or trolley stops. However, the unique caveat making it different from other cities is that City Council must opt stations into the transit-oriented development policies. West Philadelphia representatives have opted in most Market Frankford Line stations, but no stops on the Broad Street Line have yet to be included. Factors making this difficult include different representative districts on the same transit lines and other political disagreements.
NBC Philadelphia: Safety, accessibility upgrades debut in along Market Street in Philly’s Old City – Ahead of the 250th celebrations in the city this summer, Market Street between 2nd and 6th has completed safety and accessibility improvements. Upgrades include new traffic and pedestrian signals, wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and accessible curb ramps. Improvements should continue across the city ahead of the 250th celebrations this summer.
BillyPenn: World Cup fans can take a hike — literally. Soccer enthusiasts in Philly can access Lemon Hill fan fest and other sites via trails – Philadelphia will host its first FIFA World Cup game this weekend, with an influx of fans heading to East Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill. To avoid extreme traffic congestion and parking scarcities, the Circuit Trails Coalition is reminding the public of over 400 miles of trails in the greater Philadelphia area. The Schuylkill River Trail is 120 miles long, and fans can access many World Cup festivities without cars. Find other ways to access summer 2026 events with Clean Air Council’s GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes interactive map.
Other Stories
PhillyVoice: With the World Cup set to kick off, SEPTA touts refurbished stations and additional train capacity
The Inquirer: City Council bans horse-drawn carriages in Philadelphia
BillyPenn: First modular shelters arrive for eventual inclusion in Chinatown Stitch cap park
The Inquirer: SEPTA is expanding daily bus service to the Navy Yard by extending Route 45
CBS Pittsburgh: Parkway East will close in 1 month for Commercial Street Bridge replacement project
Anthropocene: A landmark MIT study debunks persistent myths about electric vehicles
PhillyVoice: Walmart plans to bring delivery drones to Philly in 2027
“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.
Are you in the Lehigh Valley area or the Lancaster area? Please take a transit survey from Transit For All PA, to help us better understand transit needs for users in the area. Lehigh Valley survey link and Lancaster area survey link.
Keep Paratransit and Shared-Ride moving by signing onto this organizational letter!
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Advocates push for transit funding for rural, disabled communities as Pa. budget talks build – Transit for All PA! gathered transit advocates, riders, workers, and supporters from across Pennsylvania for a day of action in Harrisburg this week. Speakers called for a new funding model, one that’s more sustainable, secure, and supportive for transit options that cover rural and disabled communities. Shared-ride and paratransit services must be provided due to the Americans with Disabilities Act, but without dedicated funding, these services are slated to disappear in Pennsylvania. Sign on to support Transit For All PA!’s movement here
WHYY: SEPTA board approves budget and bus route changes – The New Bus Network won final approval late last week, with the agency launching new routes and more frequent service throughout Philadelphia. There will be a phased rollout of the new plan in August, with a massive education campaign underway during the summer as well. The agency plans to have staff at 3,000 locations to educate riders about upcoming changes and how it affects them.
WPXI Pittsburgh: Riders urge Pittsburgh Regional Transit to rethink bus line cuts – Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) is being urged by transit advocates to adjust their upcoming bus line cuts. PRT has announced plans to cut 14 routes and add 9 new ones. The plan has received more than 25,000 comments on the draft so far. Advocates say that certain areas are being cut off with this new plan, disproportionately affecting families, low-income residents, and people with disabilities.
Other Stories
Philly Voice: Philly Pride March: Here are the road closures and parking restrictions in place for Sunday
Metro Philadelphia: Philadelphia unveils major highway beautification project ahead of America’s 250th
Philly Voice: Plan to ‘fix’ gridlock at Sports Complex includes AI-powered traffic signals
Grid: Cyclist maps bike path from 30th Street to Atlantic City
CBS Philadelphia: SEPTA reopens long-shuttered South Broad Concourse in Center City Philadelphia
The Inquirer: Philly plans to install 800 electric vehicle chargers in the next 10 years
CBS Philadelphia: Attendees say Open Streets: Midtown Village in Philadelphia should become permanent after first night
“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.
Are you in the Lehigh Valley area or the Lancaster area? Please take a transit survey from Transit For All PA, to help us better understand transit needs for users in the area. Lehigh Valley survey link and Lancaster area survey link.
Keep Paratransit and Shared-Ride moving by signing onto this organizational letter!
Philadelphia Tribune: Opposition builds against school district’s fare evasion program – The proposed fare evasion enforcement program tied to the School District of Philadelphia is being flagged as a system that unfairly punishes students, and could push them into the criminal justice system for just trying to get to school. Transit advocates warn that despite the intention to curb SEPTA revenue losses, this plan is not the best path forward. SEPTA student fare cards are extremely limited in their use, with restrictions based on geography, times of day, and not allowed at all on weekends or summer breaks. Advocates warn that the program will disproportionately target students of color and low-income families, and the solution is to expand transit access and education, rather than punishment.
NBC Philadelphia: SEPTA installs first real-time arrival display at South Philadelphia bus stop – Riders that take the bus at Broad and Oregon are the first to receive a real-time information display, as part of a pilot program by SEPTA. SEPTA said that 9 more devices are to be installed at bus stops and to T, G, D, and M Metro stations. The screens use solar power and e-paper technology, making them visible even in bright sun. They are small enough to be mounted on stop sign poles, and have a text-to-speech bubble, to help low-vision riders. SEPTA is asking for feedback from riders through https://wwww.septa.org/initiatives/better-bus/epaper/.
NBC Philadelphia: Philly’s annual Ride of Silence honors cyclists, calls for safer streets – On Wednesday night, cyclists met at City Hall for the 22nd annual Philly Ride of Silence to honor cyclists killed or injured. 15 cyclists have been killed by motorists in the Delaware Valley region this year alone. Cyclist advocate group Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has worked with lawmakers and the PPA to expand protected bike lanes, and ticket vehicles that idle in them. The PPA has issued close to 30,000 violations since the enforcement unit was created in 2023. Advocates hope to see further protections for cyclists and pedestrians throughout the city in the near future.
Other Stories
PhillyVoice: Uber escalates ad campaign against Mayor Parker’s $1-per-ride tax as vote looms
BillyPenn: Philly’s 100 Steps restored after a hasty gray paint job sparked outrage
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Those potholes in your street reveal a money problem for cities and states
PhillyVoice: New Hope Railroad now has scenic pedal-bike tours that wind along heritage tracks in Bucks County
The Inquirer: Philly’s airport just lost Spirit Airlines. Another low-cost airline is moving in.
Centre Daily Times: PennDOT highlights $212M in central PA projects. What’s happening in Centre County?
The Inquirer: All-electric Volvos now pull some of the famed tram cars on the Wildwoods boardwalk
Streetsblog USA: America Keeps Building Stadiums Like Transit Doesn’t Matter
“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.
BE SURE TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL PRIMARY ON MAY 19TH. Register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, and find your polling location here.
Are you in the Lehigh Valley area or the Lancaster area? Please take a transit survey from Transit For All PA!, to help us better understand transit needs for users in the area. Lehigh Valley survey link and Lancaster area survey link.
WHYY: SEPTA gives families and groups easier fare payment options by expanding multitap – The multitap feature on SEPTA is getting expanded on regional mass transit this season. Key card holders can opt-in to this feature, and users will be able to tap in up to five times. Now contactless payments will also work in a similar way, making it easier for one person to pay for up to 5 SEPTA tickets at once. This should streamline payment processes for tourists, during high-traffic days coming this summer. SEPTA also expects it to help with fare-evasion measures as well. These changes will be implemented and tested before the FIFA World Cup and America’s semiquincentennial this summer.
Philly Voice: Starting in June, Pa. drivers caught using cellphones will be fined $50 – The warning period of this law has been in effect since last year, and now fines of $50 will begin, but with typical court fees, the total could be closer to $200. State police issued over 1,200 warnings from June 2025 through March 2026. Distracted driving was a contributing factor to nearly 10,000 crashes in Pennsylvania, just in 2024. These crashes resulted in 49 deaths and over 6,000 injuries. This law coming into effect makes Pennsylvania one of 30 states that has banned drivers from using handheld electronic devices.
NBC Philadelphia: Inside PATCO’s new $19.4M control center in Lindenwold – Camden County is now home to the newly opened operations control center for PATCO. The new facility replaced the original control tower, which had been in service for more than 50 years. The control center is not seen by most commuters, but according to PATCO officials, the new facility will increase efficiency, safety, and problem solving response time. Dispatchers are able to track trains and respond to issues as they arrive, and oversee operations across the service area.
Other Stories
NBC Philadelphia: PATCO tests new tap-to-pay technology by installing 1 new fare gate per station
PhillyVoice: Cyclists may be banned from Route 55 in South Jersey under proposed regulation
SEPTA: SEPTA Launches Multi-Rider Feature for Contactless Payments
PhillyVoice: PPA to ban non-residents from parking near Lemon Hill to go to FIFA Fan Festival during World Cup
The Philadelphia Tribune: Asthma health disparities, pollution impact Black Philadelphians, leaders warn
Pittsburgh City Paper: Could private partnerships save Pennsylvania transit? Some state lawmakers think so
Fox 29: SEPTA adds extra Regional Rail trains for 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink
Franklin County Free Press: PennDOT Offers Free Motorcycle Safety Training for Pennsylvania Riders
“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.
BE SURE TO VOTE IN THE GENERAL PRIMARY ON MAY 19TH. Register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, and find your polling location here.
Are you in the Lehigh Valley area or the Lancaster area? Please take a transit survey from Transit For All PA, to help us better understand transit needs for users in the area. Lehigh Valley survey link and Lancaster area survey link.
The Inquirer: Fatal crashes are down overall in Pa., but higher for pedestrians and cyclists in Philadelphia – Pennsylvania has been making great strides in safety, last year saw the least number of deaths from traffic crashes, since record keeping began in 1928. However, advocate groups such as Philly Bike Action (PBA) point out that pedestrians and cyclists are not seeing the safety benefits. From 2020 to 2025, crashes overall involving non-motorists have increased in Philadelphia, and serious crashes have declined in that same time frame. In 2025, 55% of people killed in city crashes were non-motorists, and fatalities can be further reduced with traffic calming measures, to further protect pedestrians and cyclists, according to PBA.
NBC Philadelphia: Center City District introducing weekday edition of Open Streets this June – This summer, Open Streets returns, but now on Tuesday evenings. On Tuesdays from June 2nd through June 30th, effective from 2 PM until 10 PM, pedestrians will be prioritized, rather than cars. The affected streets are 13th St from Chestnut to Walnut, Sansom St from 12th to Juniper, and Drury St. The evenings will feature musical and artistic performances, and outdoor activities. Some local businesses will also be extending hours to match Open Streets as well.
BillyPenn: Philly travelers cheer reopening of intercity bus station, mostly – Philadelphia’s main intercity bus station has been open and operating for a few weeks now, with minimal issues. The Philadelphia Parking Authority has completed the $5 million project, with 11 renovated bus bays, seating for over 180 passengers, and other helpful features. Passengers noted the improvements of shelter from the elements, and drivers said it was easier without illegally parked cars on Spring Garden Street.
Other Stories
NBC Philadelphia: NTSB releases report following May 2025 SEPTA train crash that injured 10
CBS Philadelphia: Pennsylvania lawmakers consider suspending gas tax as prices keep climbing
The Inquirer: Going to the PGA Championship at Aronimink? Here’s what to know, including transit, parking, food options, and more
The Philadelphia Citizen: Ideas We Should Steal: Fix the Sidewalks!
MSN News (The Inquirer): These Manayunk public stairs have been closed for 13 years. A civic group wants them fixed and reopened.
6ABC: Leaders mark world asthma day with call for clean air protections in Philadelphia
The Inquirer: SEPTA’s decision to focus on housing, not parking, is a win for Southeastern Pennsylvania | Editorial
