SEPTA El Construction to Bring Final 16-Day El Shutdown

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- During the 16-day El
construction period, SEPTA Market-Frankford Line El service between 40th
Street Station (40th & Market Streets) and 69th Street Terminal (69th & Market
Streets) will be replaced by shuttle buses as the Market Street Elevated (MSE)
reconstruction project undergoes its final extended service shutdown.

There will be no El service to 52nd Street, 56th Street, 60th Street, 63rd
Street, Millbourne or 69th Street Terminal beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, August
8 until 5 a.m. on Monday, August 25 as all-stop and non-stop shuttle buses
replace train service.

Regular Market-Frankford Line service will only operate between the Frankford
Transportation Center (FTC) and 46th Street Station during weekdays of the
16-day shutdown, while weekend service from FTC will terminate at 40th Street
Station.

The all-stop shuttle buses will stop at all designated locations between 40th
& Market Streets and 69th Street Terminal. Passengers should look for shuttle
bus stop signs. Non-stop shuttle bus service will only operate on weekdays to
and from 69th Street Terminal and 40th & Market Streets during morning (6 a.m.
until 9:30 a.m.) and evening (3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.) peak hours without
making any other stops.

During the 16-day shutdown, SEPTA will divert the Route 52 bus to 46th &
Markets to connect with the El when service operates to 46th Street Station on
weekdays. Route 52 service will remain on 52nd Street on weekends. Riders can
connect to the El shuttle bus at 52nd & Chestnut (to Center City) or 52nd &
Walnut (to 69th Street Terminal).

Route 21 service will also be relocated to operate from 61st & Pine Streets
between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays during the shutdown. Route 21 passengers
traveling into Center City Philadelphia should board all-stop shuttle buses at
the terminal and transfer for free to the Route 21 at 60th & Chestnut Streets.

Westbound Route 21 passengers traveling to 69th Street Terminal should
transfer to an all-stop shuttle bus at 60th & Walnut Streets. After 7 p.m. on
weekdays, Route 21 service will operate directly to and from the terminal
until the end of service and at all times on weekends, however, the Route will
follow a detour routing (69th St. to Marshall Rd. to 63rd St.). Also, bus
Routes 108, 113 and 116 at 69th Street Terminal will be relocated to the North
Terminal for the duration of the shutdown.

Route 31 bus stops along Chestnut and Walnut Streets at 61st, 62nd and 63rd
Streets have also been temporarily discontinued. Route 31 passengers should
board at 60th & Chestnut/Walnut Streets for service.

Crews will work around the clock during this 16-day period to replace the
elevated structure over Market Street to the Millbourne abutment. MSE is a
critical overhaul of the western portion of the line, which opened for service
more than 100 years ago in 1907. The project includes a streamlined,
single-column support structure, six new customer-friendly stations, and
art-inspired architectural features that will improve the overall riding
experience for passengers.

In addition, SEPTA's construction of the Market-Frankford Line will require
the closure of the 63rd & Market Street intersection to vehicular traffic for
16 consecutive days beginning Friday, August 8 at 7 p.m. The intersection is
scheduled to reopen to all vehicular traffic at 4 a.m. on Monday, August 25.

The 16-day construction period will also cause street closures and detours
increasing congestion on surrounding roads such as Haverford Avenue, Lansdowne
Avenue, Baltimore Pike, Garrett Road and Marshall Road. Motorists should plan
accordingly as electronic signs will be positioned at various locations to
alert commuters about the closures and detours.

SEPTA Ambassadors will again be at 40th Street and 69th Street Terminal to
assist passengers. SEPTA's Community Information Center located at the
Enterprise Center (4548 Market Street) will be open during this extended
shutdown and is also available by telephone at 215-243-4141. Visit SEPTA.org
or call at 215-580-7800 for information on all SEPTA service.

SOURCE SEPTA

SEPTA Media Relations, +1-215-580-7842