PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has proposed a groundbreaking $2.6 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2025, marking a pivotal moment for public transportation in the region. This ambitious financial plan, comprising a $1.74 billion Operating Budget and a $922.8 million Capital Budget, is poised to leverage historic funding opportunities to enhance service quality, safety, and accessibility across its network.
For the first time, SEPTA’s budget proposals are accessible through a modern, ADA-compliant web platform, reflecting the Authority’s commitment to transparency and inclusivity. This move ensures that all community members, including those with visual or hearing impairments, can easily navigate and understand SEPTA’s fiscal plans.
Central to the budget proposal is Governor Shapiro’s unprecedented $283 million statewide operating investment in public transportation, which includes $161 million earmarked for SEPTA. This funding increase, the largest in over a decade, hinges on the approval of the state funding plan by the General Assembly. If realized, it will enable SEPTA to sidestep severe service cuts and fare hikes, thus preserving essential mobility for residents of southeastern Pennsylvania.
The Operating Budget highlights include a significant boost in funding for safety, cleanliness, and security measures, with a total allocation of $72 million. This represents a doubling of resources since Fiscal Year 2022, allowing for the addition of 40 police officers, 30 safety professionals, and 100 cleaners. Moreover, the budget supports the expansion of SEPTA Key Advantage, a program that has rapidly grown to include 50 partners and 91,000 participants, enhancing fare accessibility and efficiency.
The Capital Budget outlines an ambitious $14 billion, 12-year Capital Program, fueled by the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act (IIJA). This program focuses on unprecedented investments in safety, cleanliness, and security, including the installation of full-length fare gates and advanced cleaning equipment. A notable goal of the capital plan is to ensure that all trips on the Broad Street Line, Market-Frankford Line, and Trolley will be accessible, a significant increase from the current 61% accessibility rate.
Additionally, the budget earmarks funds for the partial or complete replacement of SEPTA’s aging rail fleets, with the Broad Street Line, Market-Frankford Line, and Trolley fleet replacements fully funded, and the Regional Railcar fleet replacement partially funded. These efforts are bolstered by SEPTA’s successful acquisition of competitive grants, including a historic $317 million from the Federal Transit Administration for the Market-Frankford Line fleet.
Despite these advances, SEPTA General Manager Leslie Richards emphasized that the region still trails its peers in annual transit capital investment. Richards highlighted the necessity of additional local funding to maximize federal grant opportunities under the IIJA, underscoring the potential to further transform and sustain public transportation in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Public hearings on the Operating and Capital Budgets are scheduled for late May, offering residents the opportunity to engage with SEPTA’s plans before the Board’s final consideration in June. If approved, these proposals will mark a significant step forward in improving public transportation for the millions who rely on SEPTA’s services, signaling a brighter, more connected future for the region.
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