PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA is unveiling two options for redesigning its bus network, and they are seeking feedback on what riders think of the options.
The regional transportation authority outlined what it said were the benefits and tradeoffs of each option at a virtual “Transit Talk” Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
“This is a situation where we want to get really detailed feedback from people about what they like and dislike about the two options, so that we can take their input and use it to craft a final preferred network which we will bring back out to the public in the fall of this year,” said Dan Nemiroff, SEPTA’s manager of planning programs.
Both sets of options will cut down on the number of bus lines, as SEPTA currently runs 125 routes.
The first option is simpler with buses that will run more frequently, Nemiroff said. 93 total routes would service SEPTA’s area, with 48 routes operating every 15 minutes or better.
“There’s fewer routes overall, so people are going to have to walk a little bit further to get to their bus route. And then there are fewer one-seat rides. So it’s a more transfer-heavy option.”
Option 2 has more routes than the first route, with less frequent service. It has a 109-route plan with 36 routes offering service every 15 minutes or better.
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“That will reduce the overall amount people will have to walk to get to a route, so that means there are more one-seat rides,” Nemiroff told KYW Newsradio.
“There’s also more low-frequency, like 60-minute service that we’ve retained in some of our suburban communities.”
Each option includes on-demand vehicles to serve beyond the fixed routes.
Nemiroff said SEPTA’s final recommendation will include aspects of both options.
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“We are not looking for people to say, vote on choice 1 or vote on choice 2. This is not a binary choice,” he said.
SEPTA is collecting feedback online and in-person until June, Nemiroff said. The final draft is expected after Labor Day, with the implementation of the new routes planned for fall 2023.
See a full comparison of both options from SEPTA.
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