SEPTA Service Cuts Will Place Extra Vehicles on Philly Roads
Transit officials have issued a warning that proposed service cuts to SEPTA could result in putting approximately 275,000 more vehicles on Philadelphia’s local roadways. That figure is slightly less than…
Transit officials have issued a warning that proposed service cuts to SEPTA could result in putting approximately 275,000 more vehicles on Philadelphia's local roadways. That figure is slightly less than Pittsburgh's population.
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has discussed the impacts of cuts to SEPTA. Their analysis found that already congested roads across the Philly region would encounter significant increases in travel times and decreases in average traffic speeds.
Action News 6 traffic anchor Matt Pellman noted that the commission's study anticipates that commute times on major traffic corridors in and around Philadelphia could increase significantly.
Impacts on Philly Traffic
- Southbound traffic on I-95 from Northeast Philadelphia to Center City could increase by 18%. In other words, a 40-minute drive from Academy Road to the Vine Street Expressway would take drivers approximately 47 minutes.
- On the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76), the commute between King of Prussia and Girard Avenue could take 20% longer, an increase from 35 minutes to 42 minutes.
Impacts on Suburban Philadelphia Traffic
- Motorists heading northbound on I-95 through Delaware County to Center City could experience a 10% increase in travel time. That's partially due to the proposed elimination of SEPTA's Wilmington-Newark line.
- Speeds on the Blue Route (I-476) are expected to decrease by more than 5 mph, from 37.1 mph to 32.5 mph.
- In Bucks County, interstate delays on I-95 and I-295 could jump by up to 30%. The dissolution of the Trenton line would contribute to this congestion.
- Chester County may face the most impacts. The potential elimination of the Paoli-Thorndale regional rail line could contribute to a 40% increase in delays on Route 202. As a result, drivers would experience nearly double the commute times.
NBC 10 Philadelphia reported on Friday, Aug. 15 that Pennsylvania lawmakers failed to secure funding for SEPTA, forcing the transit agency to move forward with its plan to activate dramatic service cuts and rate increases beginning Aug. 24.
On Monday, Aug. 11, the Pennsylvania House passed a Democratic-supported transit funding bill that would have included funding for highways and increased aid for transit agency operations by $292 million, or approximately 25% more, with much of the money going toward SEPTA. The Pennsylvania Senate did not approve the bill.
