SEPTA will use a $317 million federal grant to partially pay for replacing its Market-Frankford El fleet, writes Harrison Cann for City & State. 

U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, representing the 5^th Congressional District in Delaware County, joined Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, U.S. Sen. John Fetterman, and other local elected officials and federal transit officials Wednesday, noon, at the SEPTA 69^th Street Transportation Center Car Shop, to announce the new grant.

The grant comes from the Federal Transit Administration Rail Vehicle Replacement program. The grant is three times as much as SEPTA has ever received from a competitive federal grant.

Scanlon described the investment as a “game changer” for passengers and the sustainability of the Market-Frankford line.

“We know that this grant means not just smoother commutes and lower costs to businesses, but also more good-paying jobs, stronger supply chains, greater climate resiliency, reduced congestion (and) expanded transit routes,” Scanlon said.

SEPTA will purchase about 200 cars for a total cost of $800 million. 

The aging fleet, introduced in the 1990s, has required extensive repairs from cracked steel beams in recent years. 

The new fleet should arrive within five years.

Read more about the problems with the current Market-Frankford El fleet and SEPTA’s funding shortfall in City & State.