The annual Center City Trolley Tunnel maintenance and construction project (SEPTA Trolley Tunnel Blitz) is scheduled for July 31 – Aug. 17, 2015, which means there will be no trolley service in the tunnel during this period. Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will not operate in the tunnel from 10 p.m. on Friday, July 31 through 4 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17 while SEPTA crews complete a variety of power, track and station improvement projects.

During the 16-day tunnel closure, passengers can use the Market-Frankford Line from 40th Street station to travel to and from Center City. All trolleys will be diverted to 40th and Market Streets where passengers can switch to subway service at no additional cost.

During the Blitz, SEPTA crews will replace almost 7,500 feet (more than one mile) of track on the westbound side of the tunnel between 22nd Street Station and the 40th Street Portal.

On Saturday, July 4, SEPTA Transit Service including bus, trolley and subway service will operate on a Sunday schedule. Regional Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4. On Saturday, additional service will be added on many lines to accommodate travelers heading to and from events in Center City. Planned service changes by mode include:

Market Frankford and Broad Street Lines

Additional trains will be added on each line beginning at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, providing service every 5 to 7 minutes through 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Regular weekend “Night Owl” rail service will be in effect throughout the holiday weekend, providing trains every 20 minutes until 5:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. 15th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line and City Hall and Race-Vine Stations on the Broad Street Line provide easy walking access to and from the Parkway.

Trolley

Additional trips on Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will be added on Saturday evening headed to Center City before the concert and fireworks show on the Parkway, with additional trolleys departing Center City on each line after Parkway events end.  Continue Reading

This Wednesday (June 10), SEPTA representatives will visit the 40th Street Trolley Portal to conduct a Safety Blitz for riders. From 7 to 9 a.m., SEPTA safety officers will talk to the public about “the dangers of distracted commuting especially when near trolley and train tracks and bus stops, and the importance of standing behind the yellow platform warning strips.”

SEPTA’s 40th Street Trolley Portal is located at 40th Street at Woodland and Baltimore Avenues.

Approximately 3,800 riders access trolley routes 11, 13, 34 and 36 at the 40th Street Trolley Portal every weekday, according to SEPTA. Hundreds of West Philadelphia residents interact with trolleys at the portal and in the surrounding area while traveling through the neighborhood.

SEPTA System Safety officers regularly hold Safety Blitz outreach events at railroad, rail transit and bus stations, reviewing regulations and precautions with passengers.

Due to a track renewal project, shuttle buses will replace Route 15 Trolley for several weeks, starting on Sunday, June 14, SEPTA has announced. A portion of the tracks, which was installed in 1950’s, will be repaired in North Philadelphia during this project. Buses will replace trolleys along the entire Route 15, including in West Philadelphia. The trolley service is expected to resume on Sept. 6.

For more information about this project, please visit the SEPTA website.

You probably know the feeling. Sitting on a bus or in your car during rush hour, you gaze out the window and say to yourself, “I could probably walk home quicker.”

Well, an intrepid group of runners are going to test that theory tomorrow. Only they will be running, not walking. Yep, at 5 p.m. tomorrow runners will meet at the Philadelphia Runner store near 37th and Walnut to race a car and a SEPTA bus, which will traverse rush-hour traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway, to the Wissahickon Transportation Center between Manayunk and East Falls – some 6.6 miles. First person there – whether driver or runner – wins. UPDATE: Indego, Philadelphia’s bike share program, has also announced its participation in the event.

West Philly Runners (Facebook page), the group that meets at 45th and Locust for weekly runs every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., came up with the idea and got SEPTA onboard. You may remember a similar event last November when a group of runners “Beat the Bus.” West Philly Runners was behind that one too.

This is super short notice, but if you are a runner, there are still some spots open. Go here to register. SEPTA is supplying tokens to get runners back to West Philly and Philadelphia Runner will haul your stuff to the Wissahickon station. We also hear that there will be a special deal on Yards beer afterward at City Tap House.

If you are not up for the run, you can cheer the runners on as they head out by stopping by the 3700 block of Walnut St.at 5 p.m.. Runners can pick their own route, though the two suggested routes go near the zoo and along Martin Luther King Drive (shorter, but harder) or the Schuylkill River Trail (longer but a little easier).

Our money is on the runners, unless of course the car is a taxi.

As snow continues falling in Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia has announced that all public schools and prekindergarten programs will be closed today due to inclement weather. All Archdiocesan schools are also closed. Please go here for more information on other school closings.

SEPTA announced the following service changes in the area due to cold weather and icy road conditions.

Regional Rail: All SEPTA Regional Rail lines may experience delays of up to 20 minutes due to weather conditions.

Customized Community Transportation (CCT): Service is operating with delays of up to 60 minutes due to weather conditions. Customers should call the CCT Control Center at 215-580-7720 to cancel trips if they don’t plan to ride or to inquire about pending “Same Day” trips.

Market-Frankford Line: All trains are making all station stops due to extremely cold weather. There is no A/B express service for passenger convenience.