16-Day El Shutdown to Begin Friday Evening

August 8, 2007

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Riders of SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line in West Philadelphia will use shuttle buses for 16 consecutive days beginning Friday (August 10) evening as the Market Street Elevated (MSE) reconstruction project undergoes its final extended service shutdown this summer.

The 16-day shutdown will be from 8 p.m. on Friday, August 10 until 5 a.m. on Monday, August 27. Shuttle buses will operate primarily on Walnut and Chestnut Streets during this time and replace train service between 69th Street Terminal (69th & Market Streets) and 40th Street Station (40th & Market Streets). Passengers should look for the shuttle bus transit stop signs as two new locations have been added at 48th and 44th Streets.

SEPTA also replaced regular El service with shuttle buses during a nine-day period in July. SEPTA has now conducted these types of extended shutdowns for three years in a row. The extended shutdowns are planned during the summer months when ridership is lighter in order to disrupt the fewest number of passengers.

Crews will work around the clock during this 16-day period to replace approximately 900 feet of elevated structure located between 52nd and 55th & Market Streets. They’ll also cut away an additional 480 feet of structure located between 46th and 48th & Market Streets and fill in those gaps with pre-fabricated concrete and steel sections. In addition, crews will complete the remaining platform demolition work scheduled at 46th Street Station.

SEPTA Ambassadors will again be available throughout the shutdown to provide assistance, directions, and information to passengers. The Ambassadors will be located at 40th Street Station and 69th Street Terminal beginning Friday at 7:30 p.m. and for the next 16 days.

In addition to the Ambassadors, SEPTA has placed posters and directional signs around stations to assist passengers.Market-Frankford Line operators are also currently making announcements about the planned shutdown aboard trains and the SEPTA Customer Service Department (215-580-7800) will extend its hours of operation during the project.

Also extending its hours of operation will be SEPTA’s Community Information Center which is located at 5344 Chestnut Street and can be reached by telephone at (215) 748-5700. Information is available online at www.theelseptaatwork.com or on this site.

MSE is rebuilding the western portion of the subway-elevated line with six modern station facilities and replacing 11,000 feet of the line’s deck and support structure.