SEPTA has announced proposed fare changes, including the elimination of the 50-cent fare discount for Key card and contactless media users, which means that they will have to pay the full amount of $2.50 per ride.

SEPTA officials say that the transit authority is facing a $240 million budget deficit after runnning out of COVID funding and getting less state funding than expected.

The $2.50 fare is the same as a single fare cost of a Quick Trip ticket, which can be purchased at SEPTA kiosks with cash. Transfers would remain free and SEPTA is not expected to raise the cost of daily, weekly and monthly passes. The last fare increase was adopted in 2017.

SEPTA will hold two public hearings on October 16, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., where the proposed fare adjustments will be presented.

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Penn has announced its annual Spruce Street closures to accommodate students moving to campus to start the school year. Portions of the street will be closed to vehicular traffic, including bicycles, every day from Monday, Aug. 19 through Friday, Aug. 23 with the exception of Thursday, Aug. 22. Here are more details:

Monday, Aug. 19 and Tuesday, Aug. 20

Spruce Street closed between 34th and 38th Streets from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 21

Spruce Street closed between 34th and 38th Streets from 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 23

Spruce Street closed between 38th and 40th Streets from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

SEPTA buses will be rerouted during the closures. Please visit the SEPTA website for more information on detours.

UPDATE (7/1/2024): The repaving work, which includes construction of a parking-separated bike lane, began on 48th Street last week. The Streets Department crews have been moving from north to south and got as far as Osage Avenue as of Sunday, June 30 (see photo).

(6/21/2024): Here’s an update on the 48th Street repaving and safety project, which will include many new layout features presented at a community meeting earlier this year.

48th Street between Haverford and Kingsessing Avenues will be re-striped soon, with the work starting as early as in the second half of June, according to Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s Office spokesman Harrison Fineman (Councilmember Gauthier has been working on this project with local community members and organizations). A precise start date is not available at this time.

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Click to enlarge. The PDF version of the map is available here.

SEPTA has recently announced that its annual Trolley Tunnel Maintenance “Blitz,” during which trolleys do not operate in the tunnel, is scheduled to begin on Friday, July 12, at 10 p.m. This project is an opportunity for SEPTA crews to replace worn tracks and overhead contact wires in the tunnel and perform some necessary cleaning.

Here’s how the trolleys will operate during the Blitz, which will take place from July 12 through July 29 (see the map):

Route 10 [T1], Route 34 [T2], Route 13 [T3], Route 11 [T4] and Route 36 [T5] are suspended between 13th Street and 40th Street Portal until 6 a.m., July 29. Subway-Surface Trolleys [T] pick up and drop off riders at any bus stop along the diversion routes.

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SEPTA recently opened a newly renovated 30th Street Station, which has been renamed “Drexel Station at 30th Street.” The transformed station has a doubled capacity and features more seamless transportation connections. The station is served by the Market-Frankford Line (now identified by the letter “L” in signage), five Trolley lines (“T”), the LUCY Loop, and Bus Routes 9, 30, 31, 44, 78, 124, 125, and is across the street from Amtrak’s 30th Street Station.

Drexel Station at 30th Street is part of the Schuylkill Yards development, a multi-phase project by Brandywine Realty Trust. Extensive renovations were completed as part of the station reconstruction project to better integrate the station into Drexel Square and the broader Schuylkill Yards district.

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A two-block portion of Spruce Street will be closed or restricted to vehicular traffic beginning Monday, March 18 to accommodate trolley track renewal work, according to an announcement by SEPTA. The project includes the excavation and renewal of the existing corroded and broken rail on Spruce Street between 40th Street and 42nd Street. The intersections at 40th and Spruce and 42nd and Spruce will not be impacted by this work.

Posted traffic detours will be erected and maintained around the work area in progress.

Normal construction hours will be Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. or sometimes later. Occasional weekend work may also be needed to maintain the project’s timeline.

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