Second Nine-Day EL Shutdown Coming Up

The second nine-day EL shutdown is slated to begin at 20:00 hours (8:00 PM) this coming Friday, August 12th, 2005.  The shutdown will run through the beginning of Market – Frankford Blue Night OWL service in the early morning hours of Monday, August 22nd, 2005 (approx. 12:30 AM).  Regular train service will resume at 4:45 AM Monday, August 22nd, 2005.  During the shutdown, EL train service will operate all local (No A and B Skip-Stop Service) between 52nd Street in West Philadelphia and Frankford Transportation Center in the Frankford section of Philadelphia making all stops between these two stations.  Shuttle bus service will operate from 69th Street Terminal in Upper Darby to 40th and Market Streets in University City (just like the last shutdown July 15th-25th, 2005).  Shuttle buses will make all regular EL stops between the two stations.  The stops are 69th Street Terminal (South Terminal, normal boarding area for buses), Market Street and Sellers Avenue (Millbourne), 63rd and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 63rd Street; no stops outbound at 63rd and Market Streets), 60th and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 60th Street), 56th and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 56th Street), 52nd and Chestnut / Walnut Streets (for 52nd Street), 46th / Farragut and Market / Walnut Streets (for 46th Street Station, directly at station eastbound), and 40th and Market Streets (40th Street).  At 40th Street riders will transfer down the steps to the EL train.  Due to the fact that 40th Street is not ADA-Compliant, buses will be extended as needed to ADA-compliant 30th Street Station where riders who are wheelchair bound or simply cannot descend/ascend the stairs at 40th Street will be able to transfer to the EL train.  Those who cannot use 40th Street to make the transfer must tell the cashier at the boarding station of their intentions to travel beyond 30th Street.   The cashier will contact Control Center and a bus will be sent to 30th Street Station to pick them up. 

        All EL shuttle buses are ADA – compliant (hopefully).  Riders will have to pay regular fare on both the EL train and EL shuttle bus.  Passengers wishing to get on the EL at 40th Street from the bus must pay $0.60 cents for a pink transfer to get onto the train at 40th Street.  The same is true in the reverse however you will get the pink transfers for free at 40th Street Station from SEPTA On Site.  Like the last EL Shuttle these buses will NOT use Market Street eastbound between 63rd and 46th/Farragut Streets and westbound between 40th and 63rd Streets.  Buses will instead use Chestnut and Walnut Streets.  Stops are/will be clearly marked for the shuttle buses.  Route 21 buses will also make their regular stops here and riders should take consideration to get the first bus on Walnut Street to 69th Street that shows up (weather it be a 21 or EL Shuttle), as fares will be the same on both.  Just like the last EL Shutdown there will be some changes in boarding locations for Routes 21, 108, and 113 at 69th Street Terminal.  During the shutdown, Route 21 will board across the street from where it normally boards at the CCT / Para transit loading/unloading area at the median strip (this is where the 104 boards when it is using South Terminal).  Routes 108 and 113 will board at the North Terminal where Routes 30, 65, 103, 105, and 106 arrive and depart.  Route 108 will use the 103 berths thus Route 103 will share a berth with the 106 (furthest berth from terminal entrance/exit).  Route 113 will use the overflow berth behind where the 30 normally boards (this berth is to your left when you come out the doors from the terminal building).  There is, however, one slight difference.  Between 12:00 Midnight and 4:59 AM, all Route 108 and 113 buses will use the South Terminal with Routes Market Frankford Line, 21, 65, 104, and 109. Also, finished buses on Routes 108 and 113 may not use North Terminal and will most likely drop off on Market Street at the terminal doors (non-finished runs may also do this but they are required to allow passengers to ride to North Terminal). 

      Some drivers may be ignorant enough to force all passengers to get off the bus at 69th and Ludlow Streets (Tower Theatre) and walk to the terminal instead despite the fact that they may have a passenger on board who has trouble walking. SEPTA staff will be on hand to assist passengers during the shutdown.  Yellow-shirted ambassadors (made up of volunteers from SEPTA staff including General Manager Faye Moore and director of scheduling Tom Collins) will be stationed at 69th Street Terminal, 52nd Street Station, 40th Street Station, and 30th Street Station during the shutdown.  The hours for the ambassadors will be 6 AM to 10 PM weekdays and 8 AM to 10 PM weekends, just like the last shutdown.  The EL Shuttle will be handled by Allegheny (558x), Callowhill (980x), Midvale, and Southern.  On weekdays Frankford will also have a portion of the shuttle.  The shuttle will operate from 4:45 AM to approx. 12:30-1:00 AM.  Regular Market – Frankford Blue Nite OWL Service will operate as normal from 12:00 Midnight to 5:36 AM each day of the shuttle operation.  Riders should expect an additional 20-30 minutes travel time due to the shuttle and thus should start their commute 30 minutes earlier than normal during the shutdown.  While most buses will run all stops, during peak hours in the peak direction there will be some EL shuttle buses which will be designated NON-STOP El Shuttle.  These buses will run non-stop from the 69th Street Terminal to 40th Street making no stops (except for traffic lights, but no picking up / discharging of passengers between the two points).  Non-stop buses operate inbound from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM and outbound from 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM.  All other buses will be all stops local shuttles making the stops previously listed.  Mr. Tom Collins of SEPTA’s scheduling and planning department planned the last shuttle operation almost flawlessly and let’s all hope he can do it again!