Project to expand Wissahickon Transportation Center moves forward
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A project to expand the Wissahickon Transportation Center will be moving forward, SEPTA said Wednesday.
SEPTA said the construction will "enhance the customer experience" at the Ridge Avenue bus station.
The transit authority claims the project will improve operations, safety and accessibility.
"This new, state-of-the-art transit hub will make bus service more convenient and reliable for the thousands of people in Northwest Philadelphia neighborhoods who depend on buses to get to work, school, and other activities," SEPTA Board Chairman Pasquale T. Deon Sr. said in a news release.
Included in the project are ADA-compliant boarding areas, new signs and weather protection, according to SEPTA.
The SEPTA board awarded three contracts to construction contractors in February.
"With approximately 7,200 pre-COVID daily passenger trips, this facility has more daily activity than all but one non-Center City Regional Rail station," Leslie S. Richards, SEPTA's general manager and CEO, said in a news release. "SEPTA's bus network has experienced the largest rebound across all modes -- with bus ridership reaching 70% of pre-COVID levels. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, the new Wissahickon Transportation Center will play an important role in SEPTA's ongoing Bus Revolution."
Construction is expected to begin in the spring, but no specific date has been released yet.