SEPTA Ramps Up Station Accessibility Improvement 

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) leaders, elected officials, and other stakeholders gathered to break ground on an accessibility project at the 11^th St Station. When construction is complete, 27 of 28 L stations will be fully accessible. 

The renovations will take place over the course of 12 continuous months, requiring the station to be closed until August 30, 2027. Typically, such projects take approximately 35 months to complete; conducting the work over 12 straight months not only saves time but is expected to save up to $3 million. 

Ariella Maron, executive director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission said, “We applaud SEPTA for finding a way to speed up this project, which in turn means delivering benefits to the community faster and making efficient use of our limited resources.” 

The project, supported by FTA’s All Stations Accessibility Program, will result in elevator access from the street level to the platform level. Maron said the “ADA improvements are a lifeline for those with wheelchairs or mobility aids, and they also make the system more usable and dignified for riders with children in strollers, folks with shopping carts, bicyclists, and everyone else.” 

In addition to the new elevators, other planned station improvements include communications system upgrades; new lighting, employee bathroom, cashier booth, floor and wall tiles, and signage; and structural repairs and waterproofing. 

SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said, “11^th St Station is an important gateway to East Market. This project is an investment not only in our transit system but in the infrastructure that supports this critical corridor.”