The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) has the best regional rail infrastructure in North America, but the service has been tailored for suburban, white-collar commutes to Center City.
SEPTA set out to reimagine a 280-mile network whose routes date back to the 1830s. The team developed three scenarios to illustrate key tradeoffs, and the project uses individual riders’ stories to show how each scenario works well for some kinds of trips and not as well for others. To ensure the voices of people not currently served by the network are heard, they used focus groups and other in-person events, in addition to online engagement. An interactive web tool helps the public decide which approach is best for the region.
Discussions are centered on service; unlike many rail projects this one isn’t presented in terms of track and stations but rather on the opportunities it offers riders. Analysis indicates that adding service could double network ridership and speed up trips for many low-income residents and people of color. If key bottlenecks are addressed, the infrastructure has capacity for more frequent, reliable, and fast service. The plan includes a long-term vision for service and implementation steps.
NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Intermediate. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.
Learning Objectives:
Identify how the design of transit networks – including schedules, fares, and branding – focuses on some riders and trips while excluding others.
Collaborate with agency staff and the public to build support for change.
Present transit in terms of the service it offers riders, not the infrastructure.
