PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Ridership on SEPTA’s Regional Rail has jumped at least 14% since the collapse of I-95, according to the transit agency.
About $3 million in federal emergency relief funds were made immediately available to begin rebuilding the bridge, but federal funding has not yet been approved to expand SEPTA’s capacity as the reconstruction continues.
Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman and other Pennsylvania lawmakers sent a letter to the Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration asking for emergency relief funds for SEPTA.
“By helping SEPTA increase capacity and provide a viable alternative to the surface roads, we can reduce congestion on the detour routes while also protecting pedestrians and cyclists who use these roads,” they wrote.