SEPTA today gathered with federal, state and local officials and other stakeholders at Erie Station to break ground on a new project that will make the Broad Street Line [B] station fully accessible and deliver modern amenities for customers.
During the event, United States Department of Transportation officials announced that the Erie Station ADA Project is the first station accessibility project in the nation to advance to construction with funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) All Stations Accessibility Program (ASAP).
“This is an exciting day for SEPTA, as we move into construction on a critical station accessibility project,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence, Jr. “It is an honor to be the first transit agency to put a shovel in the ground with funding from the ASAP Grant. We are grateful to Senator Casey for having the vision to create this program and to the regional Congressional delegation for fighting to fund it.”
Co-authored by U.S. Senator Bob Casey and enacted as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) – also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – ASAP provides funding for the nation’s oldest rail transit systems to make stations accessible to people with disabilities.
“More than 30 years after passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the infrastructure law is
helping to fulfill its promise to build a more accessible world for the people of Southeastern Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I fought for funding to make our public transit systems accessible to people with disabilities and I am not at all surprised that SEPTA is the very first in the Nation to break ground on renovations funded by my All Stations Accessibility Program.”
When completed, the $38 million project will make Erie Station fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Act. Work includes the installation of a new elevator from street level to the station mezzanine and new elevators from the mezzanine to the northbound and southbound platforms.
“SEPTA is fully committed to making our vehicles and stations accessible to all, and ASAP funding is allowing us to accelerate our efforts to achieve that goal,” said SEPTA CEO and General Manager Leslie S. Richards. “We are grateful to our partners at the federal, state and local levels for supporting our accessibility initiatives and helping to ensure that people of all abilities can fully utilize their transit system.”
The Erie Station ADA Project is one of six SEPTA station accessibility projects that will be supported by ASAP funding. Following the passage of the IIJA, SEPTA quickly amended its capital budget to initiate the design of accessibility projects at nine stations to be positioned to compete for future ASAP opportunities. In December 2022, SEPTA was awarded $56 million through the first round of ASAP grant funding to support ADA projects at five Broad Street Line [B] stations, including Erie, and one Market-Frankford Line [L] station.
“Today, SEPTA is marking a new chapter in its subway history,” FTA Regional Administrator Terry Garcia Crews said. “We are thrilled that SEPTA’s planned improvements for Erie Station will enhance ease-of-travel for everyone –– particularly for people with disabilities.”
In addition to the new elevators, other planned improvements to the station include:
- Reconstructed cashier booth and fare lines
- Stairway and entrance improvements and platform modifications
- New lighting and other electrical improvements
- Enhanced security features including ADA-compliant communications system upgrades
w/emergency call boxes and HD security cameras - Structural improvements (mezzanine beams)
- New station architectural finishes
- Drainage and waterproofing improvements
- Streetscape improvements to the Broad-Germantown-Erie (BGE) triangle, in partnership with
the City of Philadelphia
SEPTA recently completed an ADA project at Susquehanna-Dauphin Station and is on track to complete its 13th fully accessible Broad Street Line [B] station, when work at Tasker-Morris Station wraps up later this year. At its upcoming June meeting, the SEPTA Board is scheduled to vote on the Authority’s FY 2025 Capital Budget and 12-Year Capital Program, which is projected to invest $1.4 billion in station accessibility projects. By the end of the 12-year program, all Broad Street Line [B], Market-Frankford Line [L] and Trolley trips will be through an accessible station – compared to 61% today.
Located two blocks from Temple University Hospital, Erie Station provides vital access to employment, healthcare and other services with easy connections to six SEPTA Bus Routes. SEPTA’s project at Erie Station will create a transit gateway for those living near and traveling to this vibrant North Philadelphia community. The project also complements the City of Philadelphia’s Broad, Girard & Erie Project that is making important traffic safety and public space investments in the heart of North Philadelphia.
The Erie Station ADA Project is scheduled to be completed in summer 2026. Project details and updates are available on SEPTA’s website, as is additional information on SEPTA’s Station Accessibility Program.
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