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SEPTA's Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Service Plan Public Hearings The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) proposes to conduct public hearings regarding the proposed Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Service Plan. Proposal The proposed Annual Service Plan includes changes to the following SEPTA routes: City Transit Division Routes G, 38, 44, 52, 57, 77, 88 and 121; and Suburban Division Routes 93, 95, 99, 111, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119 and the proposed creation of Route 139. Listed below are the projects and descriptions included in SEPTA’s FY 2009 Annual Service Plan. A Community Benefit Analysis has been performed for all of these projects. Implementation of the recommended projects will proceed pending the outcome of the public hearing process, SEPTA Board approval, and available funding. CITY TRANSIT DIVISION On the eastern end of the route, service to the Food Distribution Center (present terminus) would alternate with service to a new terminus at Columbus Commons (Ikea & Lowe’s). On the western end of the route, some peak hour trips are being diverted from Overbrook Station to 63rd & Malvern loop. This service is now operating under an Experimental Order and it is proposed to make the changes permanent.
Route 38 The proposed change to Route 38 involves routing via North Concourse Drive to add a stop at the Please Touch Museum, which is scheduled to open in a renovated Memorial Hall in October 2008. The proposed routing would preserve bus stops on, and access to, Parkside Avenue to the greatest extent possible. Implementing these changes would also make Route 38, the preferred tourist route, connecting Independence Mall, the Ben Franklin Parkway, the Art Museum, and the Please Touch Museum en route to City Avenue and the Wissahickon Transportation Center.
Route 121 is operating well below SEPTA’s acceptable economic service standard. Rather than eliminating the service, our proposal will continue to provide service to 95% of the present riders, many who are reverse commuters, by a combination of Route 44 and Route 52 service that would each be extended to Gladwyne. Route 44 Gladwyne trips would follow the current Route 44 routing, and then operate via Woodbine Road to connect to the current Route 121 alignment to Gladwyne. Selected Route 52 trips would be extended via the current Route 121 alignment between City Avenue and Gladwyne. Many of the current 121 users now transfer from Routes 52 or 65 at City Avenue. The extended trips to Gladwyne would approximate the current Route 121 trip times generally used by the "reverse commute" riders. FARE ZONE: Route 52 would become a two-zone route with a zone boundary at City Avenue.
This is a minor routing change near Girard Avenue to address operational difficulties. In order to alleviate a difficult turn, northbound Route 57 trips are proposed to use Thompson Street to 2nd Street. This change is now operating under an Experimental Order and it is proposed to make it permanent.
It is proposed to re-route via Cheltenham Square Mall and the SEPTA bus loop at Cheltenham and Ogontz in order to capture more shoppers and potential riders connecting from other routes. At the same time, it is proposed to straighten the route in Jenkintown to operate via Township Line Road. Most of the riders boarding or leaving along the current route alignment are transferring to or from Route 55 at Greenwood Avenue and Old York Road. This transfer activity would be moved to Township Line Road and Old York Road.
A combination of schedule adjustments and minor route revisions are proposed to bring Route 88 within service standards. On the northern, most cross-town section of the route, it is proposed to discontinue some little used evening, mid-day and weekend trips and to discontinue the minor route diversions to Bethayres Station and Scotchbrook Drive. Service as far as Pennypack Woods would not be altered as a part of this proposal.
Route 93 On the western end of the route in Limerick Township, service was experimentally deviated from Ridge Pike to provide direct service to the Philadelphia Premium Outlet Stores via Evergreen and Lightcap Roads. It is proposed to make this service permanent.
Route 95 Route 95 is proposed to be altered between Metroplex Shopping Center and Plymouth Meeting Mall. This change would provide service to neighborhoods and transit generators not presently served by public transportation
It is proposed to split Route 99 into two separate routes. First, bus service between Norristown and Phoenixville (covering nearly 80% of the route’s total ridership) will be operated by Route 99. Also proposed is a rerouting to provide service to the Providence Corporate Center and Providence Town Center in Upper Providence Township. Proposed Route 139 would be created picking up the remaining portions of Route 99 and modified to serve more residential and commercial developments. The new route would begin at King of Prussia Plaza and follow PA Route 23 to Phoenixville. Within Phoenixville the route would act as a quasi-circular service serving Phoenixville Hospital, Main Street, as well as first time SEPTA service to be operated on the north side of the Borough along High Street and portions of East Pikeland Township that presently lacks public transportation. Between the Phoenixville Plaza Shopping Center and Royersford the former Route 99 routing would remain unchanged, but an extension to Philadelphia Premium Outlets via US Route 422 is proposed. This extension would connect with Route 93 and Pottstown Area Rapid Transit buses. FARE ZONE: Route 99 would remain a two-zone route. Proposed Route 139 would be a two-zone route.
Service was experimentally diverted from the Concord Industrial Park due to low ridership to offer service to the newly constructed Concordville Town Centre and the Maris Grove Retirement Community located in Concord Township. SEPTA proposes to discontinue service to the Concord Industrial Park and continue serving Concordville Town Center and Maris Grove.
Two changes are proposed. First, reroute eastbound buses to Chester Transportation Center via 3rd Street, Penn Street, PA Route 291 East and Welsh Street. This change would make a more consistent routing in both directions between Chester Transportation Center and 3rd & Penn Streets. Second, in an effort to generate more ridership beyond the Rivertown development, it is proposed to modify the route from 3rd Street and Highland Avenue to Marcus Hook by using Highland Avenue, 9th Street and Ridge Avenue, and then extend the route to Tri-State Mall in New Castle County to connect with DART First State bus Routes 1 and 61. Service along the present route between 3rd Street and Highland Avenue and Marcus Hook would be operated by altering Route 119. FARE ZONE: Route 113 would remain a two-zone route. Minor adjustments would be proposed regarding the fare zone boundaries.
In an effort to improve operational efficiency and ridership it is proposed to restore direct service to Ardmore over a different routing that was operated prior to 2002. The routing would be extended from Brookline via Darby Road, the Ardmore busway, County Line Road, Ardmore Avenue then terminate in Suburban Square using the route presently used by bus Routes 103, 105 and 106. FARE ZONE- Route 115 would remain a one zone route. Minor adjustments would be proposed regarding the fare zone boundaries.
SEPTA received a request by Brookhaven Borough to discontinue service along Trimble Boulevard and reroute via Bridgewater and Brookhaven Roads. The Borough believed that few residents were patronizing the bus stops along Trimble Boulevard. Staff evaluated ridership along Trimble Boulevard and determined that the Borough’s request had merit, and it is proposed to implement this change.
SEPTA received a request by Media Borough to examine a constituent complaint regarding bus service operating along South Jackson Street. Based on traffic checks, ridership is very low along South Jackson Street and it is proposed to reroute southbound service to match the northbound routing which uses Monroe and 5th Streets.
Presently, the route was experimentally altered during the Fall of 2007 in two locations to help generate additional ridership as the route barely meets the minimum economic performance standard. First, service was rerouted from Huddle Avenue and portions of Chichester Avenue to utilize Market Street and Meetinghouse Road. Second, the route was deviated to provide direct service to the Concordville Town Centre and the Maris Grove Retirement Community located in Concord Township. Both experimental routings have proven successful and are proposed to become permanent through the Annual Service Plan process. Also, two additional route proposals would be introduced. First, Route 119 would be altered between 3rd Street & Highland Avenue and Ridge Avenue & Market Street to provide direct service to Marcus Hook, replacing service presently operated by Route 113. Second, service would be discontinued between Chester Transportation Center and Crozer-Chester Medical Center due to low ridership and being duplicative with Route 117, and rerouted to provide direct service to Harrah’s Casino and Racetrack. FARE ZONE- Route 119 would remain a two-zone route. Minor adjustments would be proposed regarding the fare zone boundaries.
If you require a sign language interpreter at any of the public hearings, please make your request known, in writing, no later June 4, 2008, to: SEPTA, Service Planning
If you cannot attend the public hearing, but wish to enter your comments, your written comments will be entered into the record and be afforded the same consideration as if you attended and testified at the public hearing. You may submit your comments by completing the form below or send your comments to: SEPTA, Service Planning All written comments should be received no later than June 12, 2008.
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