Editorial: Can SEPTA save Philly?

It’s been over a month since the attacks and relatively speaking, things are back to normal in Philadelphia. The C4 military plastic explosives never went off and emergency crews practiced rescuing victims from a subway accident, so Philly has a grip on things.

And why would anyone attack Philadelphia? This year’s census reports revealed that Philadelphia is a dying city. The city lost 4.3 percent of its population during the past decade, in spite of dramatic changes under former Mayor Ed Rendell. The failing public school system leaves serious businesses few good prospects for hiring.

Universities in the area have been experiencing record attendance and cramped housing forces students to live off campus. All of this and Philly still shuts down promptly at 7 p.m. during the week.

If Philadelphia wants to remain a viable city there has to be something to do, other than bar hopping. If and when things do happen, many Philadelphians are left with one option for transportation: SEPTA.

Yes, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is helping to kill Philadelphia. The troubled transportation authority raised fares over the summer sending community organizations to the courts and City Hall in an effort to block the increase.

That failed.

SEPTA’s previous slogan “We’re getting there” left people wondering “When?” The new slogan, “Serious about change,” has yielded little positive change.

Many buses skip stops because they are already full. Then there are the delays and the constantly disrupted service throughout the entire network.

The transportation authority has seen improvements, but not enough to resurrect the troubled organization. The rate hike to $2 this summer is being used to fill the $43 million deficit in its budget.

Some of the problems are being alleviated, including the re-installation of a trolley system along Girard Avenue, due next spring.

What the city needs to do is work more closely with SEPTA so that people and events can run smoother. The city used to push “Make it a Night” Wednesdays, when stores remained open until 8 p.m.!

That faltered and catching transportation after normal hours is frustrating enough to turn any determined person away. Routes cut back to every half hour and even hourly before the sun goes down. Some service even stops at night, such as the Spring Garden street bus.

South Street now has “Jump Start Thursdays,” which only runs April to October and access to that is the decrepit Broad Street Line that reeks of piss before even descending the stairs.

Philly is dying but it can still be resurrected. SEPTA can help. If it cannot provide affordability then it should at least deliver dependability.