SEPTA debuts designs for 15th Street Station accessibility improvements

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) yesterday unveiled initial renderings of its $20 million accessibility project at its 15th Street Station.

The designs feature new elevators and ramps to all levels, as well as wider ramped corridors to the Broad Street Line, according to a SEPTA press release.

"Once completed, the station will be more user-friendly, accessible to all users, safer, easier to maintain, and in compliance with all applicable codes," said Jeffrey Knueppel, deputy general manager of SEPTA.

To improve overall passenger flow, the project also calls for reconfigured fare lines outfitted for SEPTA's new contactless Key card system, officials said. The new station will also undergo several aesthetic changes, including new architectural finishes, new signage, an art installation and new lighting. Improvements to closed-circuit television will also be added as part of the project.

Construction is set to begin in late 2016, with funding provided by Pennsylvania's new transportation funding law, ACT 89.

The total budget for improvements to both the 15th Street Station and the City Hall Station is estimated at $122.0 million, and all projects are slated for completion in the winter of 2020, according to SEPTA's "Rebuilding for the Future" site.