PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — SEPTA Monday unveiled an accessibility upgrade to its Susquehanna-Dauphin stop on the Broad Street subway.
The new street-level elevators are a game-changer for Cole Holmes, who lives in the Yorktown section of North Philadelphia.
“For myself and others who are wheelchair bound, we do not have to go four blocks south or three blocks north to get into the SEPTA subway entrance,” said Holmes. “It’s been a long time coming.”
The improvements at Susquehanna-Dauphin include updated lighting and security cameras, as well as new stairwells, signage and floor tile.
SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards joined dignitaries Monday in a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the end of the three-year, $24 million project.
“Retrofitting a 95-year-old station in a vibrant commercial and residential area along a major highway is extremely complex,” she said. “It brings SEPTA another station closer to our goal of making SEPTA accessible for all at every single station.”
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Richards said 13 of the 22 stops on the Broad Street Line are now ADA-compliant. Accessibility upgrades are underway at the Tasker-Morris Station, and Richards says in February, ADA construction will begin at the Erie stop.
“It benefits all members of our community, from multi-generational travelers to people bringing art projects and school projects to their place of business and learning,” said Amy Nieves, executive director of the Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities.
The Susquehanna-Dauphin rehab included the restoration of a tile mural entitled “City Diary” made by Philadelphia children in 1997. State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta appreciated the upgrades.
“Not only are we increasing accessibility, but we’re also improving rideability, making it clear that, in North Philly, we deserve nice things,” Kenyatta said.
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