PHILADELPHIA – The City today announced construction will begin this Monday, August 16 of bus-only lanes on Market Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard as part of an 18-month pilot project in conjunction with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT).

The bus-only lanes will start on Market Street between 20th Streets and 15th Streets and on JFK Blvd. between 15th and 19th Streets. By prioritizing transit, traffic congestion will be reduced along these streets.

“Transit is an affordable and energy efficient method of transportation. In Philadelphia, 42 percent of African American residents do not own a car and 50 percent of households in poverty do not have a car,” said Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives at the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS) Christopher Puchalsky. “High quality public transit is critical to addressing the climate crisis and ensuring all residents have access to opportunity.”

Roughly half of all users of Market and JFK Boulevard get around on buses. In fact, over 23,000 trips per day are made by bus. With 13 different bus routes, there are 43 buses per hour during rush hour.

“This pilot program comes at an exciting time for bus service in our City and region, as SEPTA is embarking on an effort to reimagine the network through the Bus Revolution initiative,” said SEPTA General Manager/CEO Leslie S. Richards. “We look forward to working with the City and PennDOT to gain valuable insights that will help inform our efforts to enhance bus service with a focus on equity, environment and economy.”

The right-most travel lane on each street will be converted to bus-only. Cars will be able to cross the bus lane to access parking at the curb and to take right turns.

“We believe this pilot project has the potential to improve transportation equity, and provide better access, mobility and safety for transit riders and other modes of travel,” said PennDOT Acting District 6 Executive Lou Belmonte. “We’re excited to work with the City and SEPTA to learn from these installations, and hopefully consider similar approaches at additional locations in the future.”

Market Street and JFK will remain open for traffic during construction, and protected bike lanes along the route should not be affected. Residents may see periodic closures of the right-most travel lane and parking lane. The project is expected to take one month to complete, pending weather changes.

After the 18-month pilot, the project will be evaluated for its effects on roadway safety, transit speed and reliability, congestion, and public support. Residents may send comments or questions by email to otis@phila.gov.

Additional Resources

The Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS) coordinates the implementation of Complete Streets policies in Philadelphia. Complete Streets are designed to ensure safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders. The City’s Complete Streets policy was introduced in 2009 and requires a review of every construction project’s impact on roads, sidewalks, and the bicycle and transit network to ensure that all affected streets adhere to the City policy. This policy improves safety, promotes economic development, reduces congestion, and encourages active transportation. Under the Complete Streets program, OTIS manages the City’s parklet, bike corral, Vision Zero, and pedestrian plaza programs.
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