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To create a successful short- and long-term intercity bus terminal, the City of Philadelphia must engage with the public, provide clear plans and timelines, and prioritize accessibility.
Since Transit Forward Philadelphia issued our last statement, there has been lots of talk about the intercity bus terminal, but local government officials have pulled away from conversation. We were among those cancelled on with little to no notice, even as we tentatively supported the proposal for a temporary bus terminal in Old City due to its bus-friendly design, restrooms, shelter, and transit access.
We are disappointed in this turn toward opacity from OTIS and the Mayor's office, just as fruitful information-sharing could be unfolding. If an Old City location is to be chosen, residents, bus riders, business owners, and SEPTA do deserve to see traffic studies and plans to understand how pedestrian safety and traffic flow will be affected. If other locations are viable, then we should consider them on these merits, as well.
While these machinations continue within the city and with intercity bus operators, riders themselves remain stranded and scattered to the elements in parking lots and on roadsides - largely along Spring Garden, but also in exposed locations near the convention center and along a highway entrance ramp near 30th Street Station. When can riders expect improvement?
