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Fetterman Secures $80 Million Investment for Accessibility Improvements at SEPTA Trolley Stations

BRADDOCK, PA — Today, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) announced an $80 million grant award for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA)’s All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP). This funding will support accessibility improvements at SEPTA’s 22nd Street, 33rd Street, and 36th Street trolley stations in Philadelphia.

“This money will make all the difference for our seniors, for Pennsylvanians with disabilities, and for anyone who relies on SEPTA,” said Senator Fetterman. “I’m proud of the steps SEPTA has already taken to make its system more accessible for all riders, and I’m grateful for the FTA’s support of this important work.”

SEPTA’s 22nd Street, 33rd Street, and 36th Street Stations are among the busiest in the Authority’s trolley network. These stations provide critical access to the Center City Trolley Tunnel in Philadelphia, which connects more than 60,000 daily riders to Southeastern Pennsylvania’s largest employment centers in Center City and University City. 

This $80 million award will fund critical accessibility improvements at these stations, including the installation of new elevators and raised platforms, making them fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project represents a key component of SEPTA’s broader Trolley Modernization initiative, which aims to improve safety, accessibility, and reliability along one of the nation’s largest trolley networks. In April, Senator Fetterman penned a letter in support of SEPTA’s grant application to FTA Acting Executive Director Jamie Pfister. 

“Accessibility is core to SEPTA’s mission, and this grant will help us deliver three new projects that will have lasting benefits for our customers,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer.  “With this announcement, ASAP funding is now supporting a total of eight SEPTA Metro station accessibility projects.  We are grateful to our Congressional delegation for their leadership in establishing this vital program and to the FTA for its confidence in our station accessibility efforts.”

This award follows a $13.3 million grant announced last week through the FTA’s Rail Vehicle Replacement Program to support the replacement of SEPTA’s 50-year-old Silverliner IV Regional Rail cars. The announcement also comes after SEPTA broke ground on a separate accessibility project at 11th Street Station, which is serviced by SEPTA’s Market-Frankford (“L”) Line. The 11th Street Station project was funded in part by an ASAP grant.