SEPTA has been under the microscope somewhat in recent weeks.
Beyond recent delays and cancellations on Regional Rail and other shutdowns due to financial woes, the mass transit provider has been facing a “death spiral” for over a year as it looks to bridge a multi-million dollar budget gap and, had been under the gun in an effort to get federally mandated safety inspections of it’s aging fleet of Silverliner IV trains completed, after missing an initial deadline.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is expected to join lawmakers and officials with SEPTA to announce new state actions to support safety upgrades for the mass transit provider. The event will be held at 11:30 a.m. and it will be livestreamed at the top of this article.
And, while state officials did not approve of new funding for SEPTA — and new mass transit funding is not part of next year’s state budget — there may be some light at the end of the tunnel for the mass transit provider as Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro is expected to announce a new state effort on — as described in a statement on the event — “Commonwealth actions to support the agency’s work to make important safety upgrades.”
Just what these safety upgrades might entail was not detailed ahead of Monday’s event.
Officials will make the announcement at about 11:30 a.m. on Monday at SEPTA’s Frazer Shop & Yard in Malvern.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.