'20 Percent' Slower Commute Times In Montco As SEPTA Cuts Begin

NORRISTOWN, PA — The long-feared and widespread slashes to SEPTA officially went into effect on Sunday, and Montgomery County should expect to see up to "20 percent" slower commute times on some of its most common routes, according to estimates by authorities.

That includes the already congested and sometimes nightmarish stretch from King of Prussia to Center City, as well as portions of I-476. They estimate a 5 mile per hour average drop in speed. Local roads will also be significantly impacted.

"If people don’t have reliable transit service, they’ll be getting on the road, or they’ll be stuck in their homes and neighborhoods, with no options or opportunities," Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder said in a statement.

SEPTA's loss in state funding comes despite the enormous contribution of the greater Philadelphia to the rest of the state. The five-county area generates roughly 42 percent of all of the Keystone State's economy, while containing 32 percent of its population on 5 percent of its land area, Montgomery County officials noted.

Beyond making it economically unviable, if not downright impossible, for employees to get to work and for thousands of college students to get to class, the cuts will worsen traffic, road hazards, and pollution for all residents.

"Public transit supports many other goals of the county, including affordable housing, safe streets, and healthy living," Winder added.

The county projects that the SEPTA cuts will cause a loss of around 76,000 jobs over the next three decades. Property values will also plummet by some $20 billion.

The cuts are now in place, as of Aug. 24. These routes have been eliminated:

• 80 – Horsham to Olney Transportation Center
• 88 – Bethayres to Frankford Transportation Center
• 91 – Norristown to Graterford
• 106 – Paoli to 69th Street via Ardmore
• 150 – Parx Casino to Plymouth Meeting Mall
• 201 – Fort Washington Office Center to Fort Washington Station
• 311 – Horsham Breeze Blue

Meanwhile, these routes have been slashed:

• 27 –Plymouth Meeting to South Philadelphia – 20 percent service cut, shortened to City Hall
• 44 – Ardmore to Old City (Front/Market) – Up to 20 percent service cut, Narberth and Gladwyne service eliminated
• 51 (L) – Plymouth Meeting to Olney Transportation Center – Up to 20 percent service cut
• 52 – Gladwyne to Southwest Philadelphia – Up to 20 percent service cut, Gladwyne service eliminated
• 93 – Pottstown to Norristown (via Ridge Pike/Main Street/High Street) - Up to 20 percent service cut
• 96 – Lansdale to Norristown (via Community College Main Campus) - Up to 20 percent service cut
• 98 – Plymouth Meeting to Norristown - Up to 20 percent service cut, Blue Bell service eliminated
• 99 – Phoenixville to Norristown - Up to 20 percent service cut
• 103 – Ardmore to 69th Street Transit Center – Up to 20 percent service cut
• 105 – Rosemont to 69th Street Transit Center – combined into one route with 106
• 123 – 69th Street Transit Center to King of Prussia – Up to 20 percent service cut
• 124 – Chesterbrook to Philadelphia - route shortened to Chesterbrook to Gulph Mills, no direct service to Philadelphia
• 125 – Valley Forge to Philadelphia - route shortened in Center City to 30th Street Station
• 131 – Audubon to Norristown - Up to 20 percent service cut

On the Lansdale/Doylestown, Manyaunk/Norristown, and Paoli/Thorndale regional rail lines, trains will only run every 30 minutes during rush hour, every hour during the week, and every two hours on the weekends.