SEPTA leaders and local elected officials gathered Monday in Northwest Philadelphia to herald a positive development.
While the authority’s funding crisis remains unsolved and equipment issues continue to frustrate Regional Rail and trolley riders, a sparkling $50 million bus station – the Wissahickon Transit Center – on Ridge Avenue came online this week.
“This transit gateway to Wissahickon, Manayunk and beyond is an example of the kinds of improvements SEPTA can make when we are adequately funded at all levels,” SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth Lawrence said before a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday.
“Projects like this are just the start of a transformation of SEPTA, allowing us to meet the needs of our riders today and for generations to come,” he continued. “And despite extremely difficult financial conditions, I'm confident that the authority is poised for success in the future.”
Buses began stopping at the new WTC on Sunday, following two years of construction. The facility, which includes a waiting area along Ridge Avenue and plentiful bus bays, is situated near the beginning of Main Street, where the Wissahickon Creek empties into the Schuylkill River.
Scott Sauer, SEPTA’s general manager, said the project is the authority’s largest-ever bus-only endeavor. The transfer point serves 11 routes and more than 5,000 riders on an average weekday, more than nearly every Regional Rail stop outside Center City.
The new structure is more than six times larger than its predecessor, the Wissahickon Transportation Center, a glorified bus shelter located on an adjacent parcel of land.
“No offense, but we went from pretty much like a shack – from the last transit center – to this gorgeous facility,” state Rep. Tarik Khan commented.
Signs near the numbered boarding areas alert passengers that there are “new connections coming soon.” A planned route, known as Direct Bus B, would provide express service to Frankford Transit Center, and WTC is also expected to figure into SEPTA’s bus network redesign, officials said.
“This location provides the capacity and flexibility to advance major service enhancements moving forward,” Sauer said.
For now, the station is served by the 1, 9, 27, 35, 38, 61, 62, 65, 82, 124 and 125 bus routes, and the Manayunk/Norristown Line’s Wissahickon stop is a short walk away.
To accommodate the bus traffic, a left turn lane was added to Ridge Avenue. Other improvements include making the transit center accessible for riders with disabilities; adding restrooms and a break area for bus drivers; and installing enhanced lighting, security cameras and signage, according to SEPTA.
“Let's use this as a snapshot of what can be done if we make the appropriate, permanent funding investment in our SEPTA system,” state Sen. Vincent Hughes said.
