SEPTA Receives Funding To Help Passengers Move More Efficiently In Bucks County
By Brad Segall
LANGHORNE, Pa. (CBS) - A $10-million dollar federal grant will help SEPTA move forward with a two-year project designed to alleviate congestion on the tracks on the northern end of the West Trenton Line in Bucks County.
The money will be used to help finance a $38-million project that will separate passenger and freight rail operations along a six mile stretch between the Woodbourne and West Trenton stations.
Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick says a new track will be built providing more efficient operations:
"It's really important that we have authorities that are able to do that...do that efficiently because it goes to our ability to compete in a very competitive economy...in a global economy."
SEPTA now shares that track with CSX limiting the ability to run more trains on the heavily travelled route.
"This is critical as more people are opting for transit and also due to the ongoing reconstruction of I-95 and CSX is looking for additional capacity in moving freight through the port of Philadelphia," SEPTA GM Joe Casey said.
Ridership on the West Trenton Line has increased by more than 60-percent over the last decade.
Fitzpatrick was instrumental in securing the grant.
The shared track carries 57 SEPTA trains and 20 freight trains daily.
