In northwest Philadelphia, SEPTA is nearing completion of a $45 million Wissahickon Transportation Center, set to enhance bus services on 11 routes by 20%. The 3-acre site includes green features, expanded bus facilities, and shelters for commuters, designed to improve transportation efficiency and safety in the area.
Photo courtesy of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Canopies were constructed to provide shelter for commuters waiting for the buses.
In many American cities, mass transportation continues to be an essential link for employment, shopping, entertainment and more. Showing its commitment to bus travel, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is putting the finishing touches on the Wissahickon Transportation Center in northwest Philadelphia.
The project will allow bus travel to be safer and more efficient in this important sector of the city. The new center also will allow bus service to be expanded. The project is 75 percent completed and is expected to be finished in 2025. The construction costs will be approximately $28 million with total costs at $45 million.
Photo courtesy of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The general contractor on the project is Daniel J. Keating, with electrical work handled by Car and Duff. The mechanical contractor is Edward J. Melony.
The new center will enable SEPTA to increase its service on 11 routes by approximately 20 percent. The extra capacity will allow SEPTA to expand the express bus service on Roosevelt Blvd to connect with more routes. Together, these efforts increase access across the region.
An important factor in the success of construction so far is that the 3-acre site is away from traffic, allowing work to continue unencumbered by traffic. Once the transportation center is complete, it will provide SEPTA with a dedicated turning lane into the center, and two dedicated on-street bus pull-off lanes in each direction. This will allow normal traffic to continue uninterrupted and allow the buses to smoothly access the transportation center. When this second phase of construction is completed two lanes will travel toward City Avenue/Kelly Drive and two lanes will travel north toward Ridge Avenue/Main Street.
The transit hub will make bus service more convenient for 11 bus routes and the 7,000 people using the routes daily. People transferring to different bus lines will simply walk from one bus to another, rather than having to dodge traffic on the busy thoroughfare nearby. The new facility will shield travelers from the elements and improve resources for the bus drivers.
The new transportation center is within walking distance to the Wissahickon Regional Rail Station and is an anchor for the Manayunk neighborhood Main Street business corridor. The new center will enable buses, pedestrians, bicyclists and vehicles to travel more safely through the area.
Removing Existing Structures
The construction project is being managed by SEPTA's Will Kunkle, senior program manager, capital projects, and Nolan Green, project engineer.
"One of our first issues was to remove an existing commercial building on the property to make room for the transportation center," said Green. "We had to dig up and remove the concrete foundations on site and discovered other material that had to be removed. After demolition, work began on utility relocation and installation of the piping for the stormwater management though the fall of 2023."
Photo courtesy of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
At the same time, construction crews were drilling 27 caissons 28 ft. deep for foundations for the new buildings. The steel framing of the new buildings and for the canopies began on the northwest corner of the site. The fire retardant was sprayed on the inside of the structure and fire alarms were installed.
SEPTA had numerous community outreach meetings to sample the opinions of those who would be using the center for their transportation needs.
"We wanted to deliver a final product that would work for everyone," said Kunkle.
The construction team made a special effort to incorporate "green" functions into the facility. The center is set up to have electric bus charging in the future. Workers also constructed five large bioretention basins to manage and treat rainwater and snow. The canopy also has a green roof. The water retained by the basins will drain slowly through the piping into Schuylkill River.
Construction will return nearly two acres of land that was originally impervious. This will free up land to be planted with grass and shrubs to better manage water runoff.
Philadelphia weather can be unpleasant for commuters. Workers will be building canopies on the north and south sides of Ridge Avenue to provide nearly 4,000 sq. ft. of shelter for riders. The main island canopy in the rear of the site will provide an additional 35,300 sq. ft. of coverage.
The transportation center will include an additional 2,000 sq. ft. of support structures.
The construction team used many pieces of specialized equipment for the job, including:
- Mait HR 260 – 75-ton drilling rig for caissons
- Earth rollers: subgrade compaction throughout the site
- Tadano ATF 65G4 75-ton crane: steel erection for front island
- Grove TMS9000E 110-ton crane: steel erection for main canopy
- Large and mid-sized excavators: foundation demo and earthmoving
- Concrete pump: various uses during foundation pours
- Telehandlers and high reaches: general use around the site. CEG
Chuck MacDonald
Chuck MacDonald is an editor, blogger and freelance feature writer whose writing adventures have taken him to 48 states and 10 countries. He has been the editor for magazines on pavement construction, chemicals, insurance and missions. Chuck enjoys bicycling, kayaking and reading. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. Chuck lives in Annapolis, Md. with his wife Kristen. They have seven grandchildren.
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