PHILADELPHIA — In response to concerns from public transit supporters, Governor Josh Shapiro has directed the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation PennDOT to immediately transfer $153 million in federal highway funds to SEPTA Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. This move aims to prevent service cuts and significant fare increases at least until next July.
Governor Shapiro announced this decision on Friday at the Frankford Transportation Center in Philadelphia. He emphasized that the funding would help ensure commuters can continue to use SEPTA without facing higher costs. SEPTA had previously warned of the need to raise fares by over 20% starting January 1 due to funding shortages. While that large increase has been halted, a smaller 7.5% increase will still take effect in December.
SEPTA Board Chair Ken Lawrence welcomed the funds as a lifeline, noting that while this temporary relief will help, the agency still needs a long-term solution for sustainable funding. Governor Shapiro stressed that SEPTA’s challenges are urgent, as the agency would struggle to survive until next summer without immediate action.
Funding Details
The $153 million will be reallocated from seven unstarted highway projects across the state. These include projects on I-79 in Mercer County, I-80 in several counties, I-95 in Philadelphia, and others. Shapiro explained that since these projects were not yet underway, it made sense to use the funds for SEPTA now.
In addition, Shapiro secured commitments from local counties to increase their funding contributions to SEPTA.
Legislative Reactions
Shapiro’s announcement comes as state lawmakers continue to debate how to address Pennsylvania’s public transit funding crisis. The Pennsylvania House has passed a bill to increase transportation funding, but it has not advanced in the Republican-majority Senate. Senate leaders have criticized Shapiro’s decision to redirect federal funds, calling it a temporary fix that ignores the need for a permanent funding plan.
Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, however, are committed to continuing efforts to secure long-term transit funding. They emphasized that SEPTA’s issues affect not just southeastern Pennsylvania but the entire state.
Republican Criticism
Senate Republicans have expressed concerns about the use of federal highway funds, arguing that the state’s highway system is already underfunded. Some Republicans, including State Rep. Martina White, believe the decision to redirect highway funds to SEPTA is unsustainable and fails to provide a long-term solution.
While the debate continues, the focus remains on finding a way to stabilize SEPTA’s funding to avoid further service disruptions and fare hikes in the future.