Shapiro keeps SEPTA afloat after flexing $153 million from federal highway funding

Gov. Josh Shapiro directed PennDOT to transfer $153 million in highway funding to help SEPTA after Senate Republicans failed to pass public transit funding. The funding will keep the transit agency afloat until July. 

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced on Friday that he is directing the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to immediately flex $153 million in federal highway funds to the beleaguered Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA). 

Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Shapiro made the announcement at the Frankford Transportation Center standing beneath an American flag that was draped between two buses that read “SEPTA thanks Gov. Shapiro.” 

“We’ve got to make sure SEPTA can serve our neighbors who rely on it every day, as well as the millions of visitors who come to Pennsylvania for their great American getaway over the course of the next several years,” Shapiro said. “I made clear I will not let SEPTA fail.”

“That money will prevent service cuts and that money will prevent the dramatic increases in fares that SEPTA has been contemplating at least until next July,” Shapiro told leaders from the Philadelphia region. 

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the agency faces an annual $240 million deficit and the funding will partially stave off a 29% across-the-board fare increase and service cuts next summer. 

The influx of cash will stop a 21.5% fare hike from happening on Jan 1, but riders will still see a 7.5% increase starting Dec. 1. 

Shapiro proposed a $282 million increase in mass transit spending for his previous budget, and House Democrats passed three separate funding packages over the past year to help fund the agency while Senate Republicans refused to take up any legislation. 

Senate Republicans proposed tying transit funding to money raised from skilled games as a funding stream. Skilled games are similar to slot machines and have expanded into bars, restaurants, clubs, gas stations and other locations. 

Shapiro blasted Republicans for their inaction. 

“Three times it passed in the House and it never was passed in the state Senate,” Shapiro said.

“The State Senate asked me to consider marrying new funding for mass transit with new funding for roads and bridges. I agreed to that. Then the state Senate asked if we could find a new revenue source to fund increases for mass transit. I agreed to that as well, but the Senate was never able to get it done.”

Both Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Delaware) and House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D-Montgomery) promised to make public transit funding for agencies throughout the commonwealth a priority once the upcoming legislative session begins in Jan.

“We are going to spend the next six months in the most serious way possible to get this over the line, and we are not going to let party politics or regions stand in the way,” Bradford said.