WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.), U.S. Representatives Brendan Boyle (D-2nd Dist.), Dwight Evans (D-3rd Dist,), and Mary Gay Scanlon (D-5th Dist.), and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker have announced that SEPTA is receiving $317,160,000 in infrastructure funding to purchase approximately 200 new rail cars on the Market-Frankford Line, SEPTA’s most heavily-used commuter rail line.
“This investment of $317 million in SEPTA thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act is outstanding news for public transit, for Philadelphia, and for every Philadelphian who uses SEPTA each day to get to work, school or to move across our City,” Parker said. “A modern, well-run public transit system is vital to our City and region. We’re grateful to our entire Congressional delegation – and to the Biden-Harris administration – for this latest Federal investment in Philadelphia.”
“I fought to pass the infrastructure law because of its promise to bring game-changing investments to Pennsylvania. Time and time again, we have invested in the Commonwealth’s most urgent needs and this time is no exception,” Casey said. “Thousands of Pennsylvanians depend on the Market-Frankford Line every day to get where they need to go — to work, to school, to spend time with family. With this vital funding, SEPTA can modernize its inventory with American-made rail cars while increasing safety and reliability for all of Southeastern Pennsylvania.”
“A few weeks ago, I led a letter to the Department of Transportation on the urgent need to support SEPTA. Today, I am thrilled to join with my colleagues and announce DOT’s $317 million investment to support new cars on the Market-Frankford Line,” Fetterman said. “I am proud to have advocated for this critical funding and secured a record amount for southeastern Pennsylvania’s public transit infrastructure.”
“I’m proud to take part in the ongoing collaborative effort and support from Senators Casey and Fetterman and our House delegation to secure major investments like this,” Evans said. “We’re working together to make sure that the Infrastructure and Jobs Act continues to deliver for Philadelphia and the region.”
“SEPTA is vital to our region, providing transportation for thousands of community members every day,” Scanlon said. “This funding for new rail cars will improve the passenger experience and make SEPTA’s infrastructure more sustainable. I’m proud to have voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and welcome the positive impact it is having on our communities.”
“I voted for the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to bring improvements and funding to the critical infrastructure that forms the backbone of the City of Philadelphia,” said Boyle said. “SEPTA is a transportation agency that has seen profound challenges in very recent years. This funding will bring visible improvements that are long overdue at SEPTA and will allow SEPTA to enhance the quality of service for thousands of commuters along the Market-Frankford line — many of whom reside in my congressional district.”
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The Pennsylvania delegation in Congress has consistently fought for federal funding for SEPTA to improve accessibility, promote sustainability and reduce emissions, upgrade bus infrastructure, expand trolley capacity, and make service faster and more reliable. To date, PA Members of Congress have secured over a billion dollars in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for SEPTA.
In January, a majority of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging the Biden Administration to continue investment in SEPTA amid a looming transit fiscal cliff.
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