Federal Government Awards SEPTA $86 Million For Storm Hardening
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- SEPTA's ability to keep running in the midst of blizzards or hurricanes is getting a boost, thanks to an $86-million grant from Washington.
In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Federal Transit Administration (a part of the US Department of Transportation) is doling out money to cities and transit agencies for better storm resiliency. The feds have decided to give SEPTA $86.8 million for seven separate projects.
"The hope is that with this money, it hardens the core of the transit system and enables us to get service back up quicker," notes SEPTA spokesman Andrew Busch. "It's to make the system more resilient and put us in a better position to bounce back after a severe weather event."
The largest of the seven projects, costing $32 million, is to shore up the cabling that powers the entire Regional Rail system.
"Downed branches and trees and other debris that can come down, can interfere with the signal power, and cause significant delays throughout the Regional Rail network," Busch explains, "so this will work to correct that, so that we don't have those types of disruptions, essentially making them more hardy to withstand the elements."
Other projects covered by the grant include railroad embankment and slope stabilization in Montgomery and Delaware counties, flood mitigation along the Sharon Hill line and in the Jenkintown area, a backup control center, and emergency power for pump rooms throughout the subway system.
The grant covers 75 percent of the cost of the seven projects. SEPTA will pay the remaining 25 percent from its capital budget.