Southeast Pennsylvania residents who rely on public transportation can breathe a sigh of relief after the state approved a nearly $400 million measure to keep services running.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is the regional public transportation authority that serves the Philadelphia area. As one of the largest transit systems in the country, it provides a variety of services, including buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail lines. However, because of intense negotiations regarding the state’s budget, SEPTA was in danger of experiencing massive cuts to those vital services.
On Sept. 8, the state announced that Gov. Josh Shapiro directed the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to accept SEPTA’s request to use up to $394 million in capital assistance funds for daily operations. The move will allow the agency to preserve existing services and avoid planned service cuts over the next two years.
As a whole, public transportation can significantly reduce harmful carbon pollution and improve air quality by limiting the number of cars on the road. By accommodating large numbers of passengers at once, public transportation can be a much more energy-efficient form of travel than personal transportation. Keeping services up and running can be crucial to ensuring carbon reduction goals are met.
The Shapiro administration also stated that it would continue advocating for a “long-term, recurring funding solution” to ensure that the region’s transportation services remain open well into the future. As noted by Spotlight PA, this hasn’t convinced some of SEPTA’s most outspoken critics.
Pennsylvania Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Scott Martin disagreed with the move to fund SEPTA. “I’m not a fan of a long-term solution,” Martin told WCAU. The state senator pushed for a stronger commitment to reforms from SEPTA officials. “Show us that you’re serious about what you said you were going to do, and then we’ll have the conversation about the long-term funding,” he said.
SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch acknowledged the mixed reactions to the new measure. “This is not the ideal outcome we wanted; however, it prevents SEPTA from having to raid current capital dollars and does not halt any already underway projects,” Busch said in a statement, per Spotlight PA.
Days before the measure’s approval, Pennsylvania State Sen. Jay Costa offered up a pointed critique of the contentious negotiations within the state. “It has unfortunately become clear that the Senate Republicans do not wish to negotiate in good faith toward a resolution,” Costa wrote in an email to Pennsylvania Democrats, per Spotlight PA. “We believe, based on several factors, we must pivot.”
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