PHILADELPHIA – New red “bus-only” lanes are being rolled out in Center City and South Philadelphia, aiming to improve SEPTA service and daily commutes. 

Bus-only lanes to improve commutes 

City officials, SEPTA, and PennDOT are implementing red-painted bus-only lanes on three key transit corridors. 

They have observed a 12 percent reduction in travel times on similar streets. 

The new lanes are expected to deter double-parking and encourage public transit use, said PennDOT Secretary Mike Caroll. 

Crews have already started work on Oregon Avenue, with red bus-only markings visible between Fifth and Front Street. 

The project will continue through Friday. 

On Walnut Street, the bus-only lane will extend from Broad Street to 19th Street, while on Chestnut Street, it will run between Broad Street and 21st Street.

Mixed reactions from the community 

Steve Pepper expressed concerns about the limited space on Walnut Street, saying, “Traffic is horrendous. At certain times.” 

Karson Taylor, a student who uses SEPTA, is optimistic about the lanes helping buses stay on schedule. 

“Sometimes in the morning I’ll be trying to get on a bus and the bus will be taking too long,” she said. “But I think it would be nice to have the bus to come more frequently.” 

Akeem Olaiya, a Lyft driver, is worried about the impact on commissioned drivers, noting, “It will be difficult, especially rush hour when traffic is backed up people want to maneuver and take that bus lane.” 

What we don’t know:

It remains to be seen how the new bus-only lanes will affect overall traffic flow and whether they will lead to increased public transit usage. 

The Source: The information in this story is from Philadelphia officials, SEPTA, and PennDOT.

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