Grants to modernize SEPTA trolleys, make North Philly school zones safer
Funding comes from RAISE grants, thanks to the infrastructure law
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) are announcing two $25 million grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for SEPTA’s trolley modernization project and for the City of Philadelphia’s school zone traffic safety project in North Philadelphia. SEPTA will use the funding to improve trolley capacity and on-street station accessibility and make service faster and more reliable for commuters. The funding for the North Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety Project will make safety improvements around six schools and high-injury corridors by raising crosswalks, redesigning road signage and traffic signals for better visibility, and installing highly-visible crosswalks. The funding for each project comes from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability & Equity (RAISE) Grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“Because of the infrastructure law, the City of Philadelphia will be safer and more accessible for children, pedestrians, public transit users, and drivers,” Senator Casey said. “These significant investments will help safely connect students to their schools, workers to their jobs, and communities to each other.”
“I’m proud to join with Senator Casey to announce this grant funding for two separate projects in Philadelphia,” Senator Fetterman said. “With this investment, the city will be able to modernize trolley and public transit infrastructure and implement traffic safety changes to make a school zone safer for our children. This is exactly the type of investment the city needs and deserves.”
“SEPTA’s trolley system is a vital part of our region’s transportation network, serving tens of thousands of customers every day,” SEPTA General Manager and CEO Leslie S. Richards said. “This project represents an important next step for SEPTA’s Trolley Modernization initiative, particularly for transit riders living in Southwest Philadelphia. We are grateful to the City of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation for partnering with SEPTA on this application and thank our Congressional delegation for delivering these critical funds.”
