The Hub 12/22/2023: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“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 Holidays, we will return with “The Hub” on January 5, 2024.
PhillyVoice: SEPTA funding shortfall continues as Pa. legislature neglects public transit in state budget – State legislatures failed to include much-needed transit funding when they approved the state budget last week. SEPTA’s officials lobbied for extra funds in the form of a sales tax transfer, which could provide the agency with an additional $190 million annually. SEPTA is anticipating a shortfall of $240 million in its operation budget after April 2024 when federal COVID relief funds expire. If SEPTA cannot make up this shortfall, they have said they will need to slash transit service and increase fares within the next year.
The Inquirer: A look at the design chosen to reconnect Chinatown over the Vine Street Expressway – Decades after the construction of the Vine Street Expressway bisected Chinatown, a new project aims to reconnect the neighborhood. The chosen design of the Chinatown Stitch Project will partially cap the highway from 10th to 13th Street and connect the commercial corridor to the northern residential part of the neighborhood. This project still needs funding, and construction is estimated to cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
PhillyVoice: SEPTA plans to add rideshare-style bus service in some suburbs next year. How will it work? – Under SEPTA’s Bus Revolution, the agency plans to add a rideshare-like bus service to Philadelphia’s suburbs. This on-demand bus service would replace low-ridership routes in six suburban zones. Riders will be able to request rides using a mobile app, similar to Uber and Lyft, as well as through a call center. The first rideshare bus service could begin operation next summer if SEPTA’s board approves the new bus system.
Other Stories
Streetsblog NYC: New Year, New Opportunity to Pass ‘Sammy’s Law’
Streetsblog USA: Feds’ Proposed Impaired Driving Rule is a Bigger Deal Than You Think
The Inquirer: Holiday travel tips: The best day to fly or drive, according to experts
BillyPenn: Krasner attacks new law that allows AG to take over SEPTA cases
The Inquirer: SEPTA’s transit police union vote to ratify a new contract
