Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro recently directed Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll to allocate $219.9 million in additional capital funding to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) for safety upgrades and infrastructure improvements.
Funding will allow SEPTA to accelerate needed repairs, maintain reliable service and comply with federal orders. State Senate Republicans did not support long-term, recurring funding for mass transit in the 2025–26 budget, meaning SEPTA lacks the capital resources necessary to make urgent safety improvements following federal directives.
“Nearly 800,000 Pennsylvanians rely on SEPTA every single day — to get to school, to work, to medical appointments, and wherever else they need to go safely and reliably,” Shapiro said. “Mass transit is absolutely critical to our commonwealth’s economy, our communities, and the everyday lives of Pennsylvanians. My administration is stepping up once again to provide SEPTA with the funding it needs to complete critical repairs, meet federal safety requirements, and restore full service — but we need a long-term solution.”
The Federal Railroad Administration issued an emergency order requiring inspections, repairs, and electrical system upgrades for SEPTA’s 223 Silverliner IV railcars, following thermal incidents, and the Federal Transit Administration issued an emergency action letter directing inspections of SEPTA’s entire trolley catenary network.