SEPTA getting $4M to rehab Wissahickon Transit Center, Lawndale rail station

Thousands of commuters who use SEPTA to travel throughout the northwest neighborhoods of Philadelphia and the nearby western suburbs will soon see an upgraded Wissahickon Transit Center thanks to a $4 million grant.

The Transit Authority received more than half of a $7 million grant provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration to improve bus service for transit riders in the state.

"Wissahickon Transportation Center is one of our busiest transit hubs, serving approximately 7,000 riders each weekday," said SEPTA General Manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel. "At its current size, however, it is very congested. This project will deliver a facility that meets ridership demands, while also improving amenities for our customers. It will also deliver safety enhancements designed to allow pedestrians and vehicles to more safety navigate the area."

Also referred to as the Wissahickon Transportation Center, it serves passengers on nearly a dozen bus routes, including the 1, 9, 27, 35, 38, 61, 62, 65, 124, 125 and R. It is located near the end of Kelly Drive as Manayunk's Main Street turns into Ridge Avenue and it's also a short distance from the Wissahickon Station on the Manyunk/Norristown Regional Rail Line.

A second capital improvement project will also use some of the funds, he added, for the construction of a new pedestrian underpass at the Lawndale Station, which serves passengers along the Fox Chase Regional Rail Line.

"Our customers will no longer have to cross busy tracks, or wait for mile-long CSX freight trains to access the station," Kneuppel said.

"Mobility is key to life quality and we’re glad to have been chosen to receive funding for these important infrastructure improvements," said Gov. Tom Wolf in a statement.

“It’s important to me as secretary that those who need Pennsylvania’s transit system for employment, education and healthcare have the best experience possible,” added PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards. “These grants will help to ensure that our customers’ expectations are met."

The remaining $3 million in federal grant funding went towards River Valley Transit, which will use $2.04 million to fund the purchase of new CNG replacement buses in Willamsport, and AMTRAN, which received $864,000 to buy replacement buses in Altoona.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal