In 2023, the City of Philadelphia kicked off the Island Avenue Improvement Project to reduce congestion and improve safety for all modes of transportation along Island Avenue from Elmwood Ave to Suffolk Ave. To successfully complete this project, the T5 had to be partially bused in both directions from 80th St/Eastwick to 73rd St & Elmwood Ave.
Service Impacts for Riders
After extended busing on the T5, trolley service will resume on Sunday, May 24. Riders will see improvements to current stops along Island Avenue, including new shelters, enhanced lighting and added seating. The stops at Island & Buist and Island & 76th have been permanently eliminated; please proceed to the nearest stop for trolley service.
Riders should refer to this new PDF schedule dated May 24, 2026 for arrival and departure times. Changes will display online approximately 1 week prior to the effective date.
Features
Riders will also see significant improvements to the corridor, including:
- Reconstructed platforms at Island & Tanager and Island & Lindbergh with new customer amenities including a shelter, lighting and seating
- Platforms constructed for near-level boarding in preparation for the new vehicle fleet
Trolley Modernization
The Island Avenue Improvement Project is a significant step towards Trolley Modernization, SEPTA’s once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform one of the nation’s largest trolley networks, into an accessible, fast, and easy to use system. Trolley Modernization includes new, accessible vehicles that hold more passengers, new on-street stations that are well-marked, safe, and fully accessible, infrastructure and operational improvements to make service faster and more reliable. The stations built through the Island Avenue Improvement Project will be compatible with new trolley vehicles when they begin serving the T5 in 2030.