96
THE COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
PLANNING ISSUE
Major system components of
public transportation—such
as stations, parking, bridges,
track, power systems, and
machine shops are aging and
need major investment to
bring them into a State of
Good Repair.
What’s New?
•
SEPTA began the transition from its current fare
collection system to a new, state-of-the-art "smart"
system. This New Payment Technology or NPT will
work seamlessly across the entire SEPTA network,
enabling fare payment on all buses, trolleys, subways,
Regional Rail and CCT vehicles, as well as at SEPTA
parking facilities. NPT will also offer riders the
option to use a variety of payment options.
Implementation is expected to be complete by 2015.
•
SEPTA began the rollout of 120 new Silverliner V
model rail cars for the Regional Rail fleet in October
2010 and are scheduled to be fully in service by 2013.
The new cars replace SEPTA’s aging Silverliner IIs
and IIIs, which were in service since the 1960s.
•
In the last several years, several stations on
Montgomery County regional rail lines including
Ambler, North Wales, Fort Washington, and Melrose
Park were upgraded and received high-level platforms
(meaning the platform is level with the train car door,
making it easier for riders with disabilities to board).
•
A four-story, 520-space parking garage opened at the
Norristown Transportation Center in 2008. Bieber
Tours leases the street-level waiting area and bus
berth, and, along with Greyhound and other intercity
bus carriers, provide passengers with intercity bus
service to cities throughout the Northeast.
•
Parking garages and other station improvements are
planned for Jenkintown-Wyncote and Ardmore
•
SEPTA began to study the potential expansion of the
Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) into the King of
Prussia area in the fall of 2012.
•
In 2011, Montgomery County hired a consultant to
study the feasibility of transit service to municipalities
in the northwestern corner of Montgomery County.
Vehicles
Transit
Pedestrian Mobility
Bicycle Mobility
Aviation
Freight
Transit
Public transportation is provided to large portions of the
county by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation
Authority (SEPTA) and Pottstown Area Rapid Transit
(PART). Additional shuttle bus service is provided by
employers, apartment buildings, universities, and
transportation management associations (TMAs).
SEPTA, the nation’s sixth largest transit provider,
operates a regional rail network of 13 rail lines, six of
which serve the county; 119 bus routes, 43 of which
serve the county; and the Norristown High Speed Line, a
stand-alone interurban rail line between the 69th Street
Transportation Center and the Norristown Transportation
Center with 22 stations, six of which are in the county.
Montgomery County riders made almost 18 million trips
on SEPTA buses in 2011, almost a million more than the
previous year. They made more than 12 million trips on
regional rail in 2011, a slight increase above 2009 but
about 1.5 million more trips than in 2001. Overall,
SEPTA has seen a big uptick in transit usage as gas costs
have gone up. Additionally, more than 266,000 trips
were taken on PART buses in 2011, a slight increase over
the previous year.
Public transportation reduces the number of cars on the
road, alleviating traffic congestion and improving air
quality. The American Public Transportation Association
(APTA), a national transit advocacy organization, reports
that public transit generates 95% less carbon monoxide,
92% less volatile organic compounds, and 50% less
carbon dioxide per passenger mile than private vehicles.
Funding for this, however, is at a critical low. While a
portion of the operating and capital costs for transit
comes from the fare sales, the difference is made up for
with money from federal, state, and local sources.
The cost of the system is more than just fuel and
personnel. Equipment like buses, trains, and the machine
shops that keep them running are aging, and
infrastructure like tracks, bridges, and stations, has been
around for decades. As of January 2013, SEPTA has a
