SEPTA’s current line of trollies came in when Ronald Reagan was president. Now the transportation authority is spending $714 million to replace the fleet, writes Thomas Fitzgerald for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Alstom Transportation Inc. will build 130 new streetcars, with an option to build 30 more for $148.5 million, if SEPTA desires.

The first SEPTA trolleys should arrive in the winter of 2027, with all vehicles in place by 2032. 

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity right now with the federal funding levels available,” Jody Holton, chief planning and strategy officer, said. “We’re moving ahead and we expect that the state and region will continue to support these projects with additional funds.”

The new 80-foot, 44-seat trolleys will have low floors and ramp extensions and be accessible to people with disabilities.

For those struggling to step up onto the current trolleys, the new system will include street-level stations with shelter and stations that have raised platforms.

The trolleys can hold up to 120 people and have wide aisles to accommodate wheelchairs, bicycles, and strollers.

Philadelphia’s trolley network remains the largest in the United States and includes parts of Delaware County.

Read more about the new SEPTA trolleys and station platforms in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

See a public transit talk held by SEPTA to talk about the new trolleys.