Reminder: Market-Frankford Blue Line Shutdown - PhillyBlog

niksiz · #1 (**permalink**) 07-12-2005, 03:13 PM

Second Nine-Day El Shutdown Set for August 12-22

Shuttle Buses to Operate Between 69th Street Terminal and 40th Street Station

August 9, 2005

PHILADELPHIA, PA - SEPTA is set for the next phase of the Market Street Elevated Reconstruction Project with the scheduled shut down of El service between Upper Darby and West Philadelphia from August 12 to August 22. SEPTA will operate shuttle buses between 69th Street Terminal and 40th Street Station during construction.

The construction will mark the second nine-day shut down of El service in the area this summer as SEPTA works to reconstruct the 98-year- old El structure in West Philadelphia. SEPTA said that ridership remained stable on the Market-Frankford Line during the first nine-day El service shut down which occurred between July 15 and July 24 with riders continuing to take about 132,000 weekday trips on the line.

During the summer SEPTA will demolish and replace approximately 1,500 feet of the El structure between 56th and 61st Streets including track and the third rail electrical power system, install 26 of the new single and multiple column bents and continue the rebuilding of 56th Street Station and begin to rebuild 60th Street Station.

EL TRAIN SERVICE
During the nine-day construction period El train service will continue to operate between the Frankford Transportation Center (FTC) and 52nd Street Station. The El will operate on regular weekday schedules, however, it will run with all local service and there will be no A and B skip-stop trains.

SHUTTLE BUS SERVICE
Shuttle bus service will operate between 69th Street Terminal and 40th Street Station instead of 52nd Street in order to provide easier access for riders boarding and leaving trains.

For riders traveling from Upper Darby, the shuttle buses will leave from 69th Street Terminal and operate on Market Street to 63rd Street, 63rd Street to Chestnut Street, Chestnut Street to 46th Street, 46th Street to Market Street and continue on Market Street to 40th Street.Riders will transfer to the El at 40th Street Station to travel into Center City and through to FTC.

For riders traveling to Upper Darby, shuttle buses will operate from 40th Street Station on Market Street to 40th & Walnut Streets, Walnut Street to 63rd Street, 63rd Street back to Market Street and then remain on Market Street to 69th Street Terminal.

The shuttle buses will stop on Market, Chestnut and Walnut Streets at stops adjacent to El stations including 40th Street, 46th Street (Farragut Street), 52nd Street, 56th Street, 60th Street, 63rd Street and Millbourne (Sellers Avenue).

THE MSE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
The $567 million MSE project will dramatically improve the look of West Philadelphia.It includes the reconstruction of the five existing stations -- 46th Street, 52nd Street, 56th Street, 60th Street and 63rd Street -- in West Philadelphia and Millbourne Station in eastern Delaware County. The construction project will also replace 11,000 feet of the guideway between Millbourne Station and 46th Street with a new single column bent structure which will open up Market Street and significantly improve the flow of traffic.The project is one of the largest construction projects that SEPTA has ever undertaken.

Over the course of the nine-day construction period SEPTA Ambassadors and staff will be on hand at 69th Street Terminal, 40th and 30th Street Stations to answer questions and direct riders.

In addition, the SEPTA Customer Service Department (215-580-7800) will be open for extended hours to provide riders with information about alternate SEPTA services while the MSE Community Information Center (215-748-5700) will add weekend hours to provide area residents with information about the construction project. Riders can also visit the rest of this site for additional information.