While some of the SEPTA lines that were suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak slowly started to return over the summer, the Chestnut Hill West and Cynwyd Lines remained suspended, with no definite date given on their reinstatement, writes Patricia Madej for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The two lines have some of the lowest ridership of all SEPTA lines. Before the pandemic, Chestnut averaged around 4,400 weekday riders and Cynwyd averaged around 500.

Now with ridership across Regional Rail around 85 percent below its pre-pandemic level, SEPTA is left without the fare dollars it depends on.

As a result, some riders are starting to fear the lines may never return.

“It went from, ‘We hope to have the line open by January.’ January became ‘we don’t know when it’s going to open.’ So, that has led me to start thinking that maybe they don’t want to open it,” said Ronnie Hart of Germantown. “Maybe they’re reconsidering it, and they don’t want to say.”

However, Scott Sauer, assistant general manager of operations at SEPTA, said that is not the case and that the lines will be back following some construction work.

Read more about the suspended lines at The Philadelphia Inquirer by clicking here.