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SEPTA's Cost-Effectiveness Pitched as Advocates Push for Funding Boost

SEPTA could deliver more with increased funding, argues op-ed. Week Without Driving campaign highlights non-drivers' challenges and pushes for better transit infrastructure.

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1 min read
This image is clicked from a top view. There are roads in the image. At the bottom there are cars...
This image is clicked from a top view. There are roads in the image. At the bottom there are cars moving on the road. Beside the road there is a walkway. There are cone barriers, traffic signal poles and a few people walking on the walkway. Behind them there are hedges. In the background there are trees and buildings. At the top there is the sky. To the left there are a few people walking on the road.

SEPTA's Cost-Effectiveness Pitched as Advocates Push for Funding Boost

A recent op-ed in The Philadelphia Inquirer by Alan Fisher argued that SEPTA, the region's public transit system, is cost-effective compared to its peers and could deliver better results with increased funding. Meanwhile, advocates and organizers launched the Week Without Driving campaign to highlight the challenges faced by non-drivers and push for improved public transit infrastructure.

The Week Without Driving campaign, which went national in 2023, saw at least one city or town in every U.S. state participate. Locally, Titania Markland, sustainable transportation program manager at Clean Air Council, coordinated the event in Philadelphia. The initiative was hosted by Transit Forward Philly, a coalition of local advocacy groups.

Chris Gale, executive director of Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and JJ Tiziou, founder of Walk Around Philadelphia, both stressed the importance of investing in public transit. They argued that such investments would have exponential benefits for the region. However, Pennsylvania's budget impasse led to SEPTA fare hikes and service cuts, with the system temporarily using capital funds to stay afloat. Advocates now aim to secure dedicated funding for transit systems across the state and replace the capital assistance SEPTA has been using to avert cuts.

The Week Without Driving campaign underscored the need for improved public transit and infrastructure. With about one-third of the U.S. population not relying on driving as their main form of transportation, advocates argue that investing in public transit is not just a local issue, but a national one. They aim to fund transit systems across Pennsylvania and ensure SEPTA can deliver better results with increased spending.

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