Gov. Josh Shapiro has approved $153 million in one-time federal funding for SEPTA, preventing a planned fare increase and service cuts set to take effect in 2025, writes Emma Dooling for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Shapiro has instructed Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Mike Carroll to start transferring the funds from seven highway projects throughout the state to the transportation authority immediately.

This funding allows SEPTA to approve wage increases in its one-year contract with Transport Workers Union of America Local 234.

He stated last week that the project’s funding is drawn from are still awaiting construction and have not yet been put out to bid, but are still expected to be completed on time.

“There is no reason to keep that money on our balance sheet in the state when we can invest it in SEPTA right now and help this community,” said Shapiro.

To shore up money for SEPTA, Philadelphia and its four collar counties all plan to make “significant investments” in the transit agency from their own budgets, added Shapiro. Montgomery County, for example, will increase SEPTA funding from $8.3 million in the current fiscal year to $9.4 million in fiscal 2025.

Read more about the funding for SEPTA in the Philadelphia Business Journal.

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