SEPTA Wissahickon Transit Center Bolsters Safety, Access, and Bus Network Transformation

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) marked a major milestone in its ongoing effort to modernize bus service with the opening of the new Wissahickon Transit Center, celebrating the achievement with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 14 alongside elected officials, community leaders, and project partners.

The new facility replaces a long-constrained hub with a significantly expanded, customer-focused transit center designed to improve safety, reliability, and connectivity at one of SEPTA’s busiest locations.

“We are making bus service safer and more reliable at one of our busiest transportation facilities,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. “This new hub provides better access to work, school, and other opportunities, including reverse-commute connections for Philadelphia residents to Montgomery and Delaware counties.”

Strategically located within walking distance of the Wissahickon Regional Rail Station, the transit center sits at the crossroads of some of the region’s most heavily traveled roadways and serves as a key gateway to Manayunk’s Main Street business corridor. With more than 5,000 average weekday riders, Wissahickon handles higher ridership than nearly all of SEPTA’s outlying Regional Rail stations, with close to three-quarters of passengers transferring between bus, rail, and other SEPTA services.

“This is our largest customer-centric bus project to date,” said SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer. “The new Wissahickon Transit Center is more than six times the size of the former facility, fully ADA accessible, and boasts significant safety upgrades with improved lighting, signage, and security cameras.”

Designed with riders in mind, the new transit center features weather-protected waiting areas, benches, bicycle racks, improved pedestrian crosswalks, and ADA-compliant boarding areas for every bus route. Roadway improvements included widening the street to add a new left-turn bus lane—reducing congestion and improving safety for buses, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists alike.

Construction on the approximately $50 million project began in spring 2023 and reflects SEPTA’s broader commitment to reinvesting in core transit infrastructure where demand is highest.

Beyond the immediate benefits, the Wissahickon Transit Center also plays a critical role in the future of bus service across the region. The facility is designed to support SEPTA’s forthcoming bus network redesign, which aims to deliver a system that is easier to understand, more convenient to use, and more reliable for riders.