SEPTA Route 79
Encyclopedia
SEPTA Route 79 is a former trolley bus
(trackless trolley in local terminology) and current bus
route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
(SEPTA) in South Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The line runs between the Point Breeze
neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the Delaware River
. Trackless trolleys replaced buses in 1961 but were suspended in 2003, and the authority later decided against restoring trackless trolley service. Trolley cars (streetcars)
had served route 79 from 1912 until 1956.
), and then heads east along Snyder Avenue, the very street the line was named after. At 25th Street, a viaduct above the street and the line is for a former Pennsylvania Railroad
rail spur designed to serve neighborhood industries. Major intersections along this line include 22nd Street, Passyunk Avenue, and Broad Street
, where commuters can connect to Snyder Station on the Broad Street Subway Line, along with the "Fairfax Bus and Bagel," a bagel shop that serves as an auxiliary bus stop for Greyhound
and other buses. The next major crossings are at 12th and 11th Streets which carry the southbound and northbound segments of SEPTA Route 23
. Route 23 was a streetcar line that was downgraded to a bus route in 1992. This line spanned from South Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill
in Northwest Philadelphia
.
Just east of Front Street
and under I-95
, Route 79 runs though Snyder Plaza. Besides the former Route 29 trolley bus
, other connections to Route 79 in this area include SEPTA bus routes 7, 25, and 64. Eastbound buses turn north on Dilworth Street until they reach Columbus Boulevard, near Pier 70. The route then turns down Columbus Boulevard until it reaches Snyder Street and head west again before passing by another shopping center known as Columbus Commons. All buses are ADA
-compliant, and contain bicycle racks. "Night Owl" service is also available.
, 66
, 75
and 29, the Route 79 trolley bus was downgraded to a diesel bus route in 2003. Trolley buses were used in service on Route 79 for the last time on June 30, 2003. At that time, Route 79 been the only Philadelphia route using trolley buses since February 2003, because Route 29 had been converted to diesel buses in February, and Routes 59, 66 and 75 had already been temporarily operated by diesels since June 8, 2002.
Trolley bus on Routes 59, 66 and 75 was restored in 2008. A proposal to restore trolleybus service along Route 79 (along with 29) was considered by SEPTA in 2006, after the authority had placed an order for 38 new trolley buses for (only) Routes 59, 66 and 75. However, in October 2006 the authority's board voted against any further consideration of purchasing new trolley buses to allow Routes 29 or 79 to be restored, a decision that effectively eliminated the possibility that trolley bus service might return to route 79 (or 29).
Trolleybus
A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...
(trackless trolley in local terminology) and current bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...
(SEPTA) in South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The line runs between the Point Breeze
Point Breeze, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Point Breeze is a neighborhood in the South Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is generally bound by 25th Street to the west, Washington Avenue to the north, Broad Street to the east, and Mifflin Street to the south, although the sections between 18th Street and...
neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. Trackless trolleys replaced buses in 1961 but were suspended in 2003, and the authority later decided against restoring trackless trolley service. Trolley cars (streetcars)
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
had served route 79 from 1912 until 1956.
Description
The line begins at Snyder Loop west of 29th Street, which includes 29th Street, Vare Avenue (a frontage road along Interstate 76Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
), and then heads east along Snyder Avenue, the very street the line was named after. At 25th Street, a viaduct above the street and the line is for a former Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
rail spur designed to serve neighborhood industries. Major intersections along this line include 22nd Street, Passyunk Avenue, and Broad Street
Broad Street (Philadelphia)
Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is nearly 13 miles long.It is Pennsylvania Route 611 along its entire length with the exception of its northernmost part between Old York Road and Pennsylvania Route 309 and the southernmost part south of Interstate 95...
, where commuters can connect to Snyder Station on the Broad Street Subway Line, along with the "Fairfax Bus and Bagel," a bagel shop that serves as an auxiliary bus stop for Greyhound
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
and other buses. The next major crossings are at 12th and 11th Streets which carry the southbound and northbound segments of SEPTA Route 23
SEPTA Route 23
SEPTA's Trolley Route 23, the Germantown Avenue-11th & 12th Streets Line is a former streetcar line and currently operated by bus. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States...
. Route 23 was a streetcar line that was downgraded to a bus route in 1992. This line spanned from South Philadelphia to Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Chestnut Hill is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Boundaries:Chestnut Hill is bounded as follows:...
in Northwest Philadelphia
Northwest Philadelphia
Northwest Philadelphia is a section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The official boundary is Stenton Avenue to the north, the Schuylkill river to the south, Spring Ln to the west, and Wister Street to the east. The area is divided by Wissahickon Creek into two subsections...
.
Just east of Front Street
Front Street (Philadelphia)
Front Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is a north-south street running parallel to and near the Delaware River. It was constructed when Philadelphia was laid out by William Penn in 1682....
and under I-95
Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...
, Route 79 runs though Snyder Plaza. Besides the former Route 29 trolley bus
SEPTA Route 29
SEPTA Route 29 is a former streetcar and trolley bus line and current bus route, operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Gray's Ferry neighborhood and the vicinity of Pier 70 along the...
, other connections to Route 79 in this area include SEPTA bus routes 7, 25, and 64. Eastbound buses turn north on Dilworth Street until they reach Columbus Boulevard, near Pier 70. The route then turns down Columbus Boulevard until it reaches Snyder Street and head west again before passing by another shopping center known as Columbus Commons. All buses are ADA
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is a law that was enacted by the U.S. Congress in 1990. It was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush, and later amended with changes effective January 1, 2009....
-compliant, and contain bicycle racks. "Night Owl" service is also available.
End of trolley bus service
Along with SEPTA Routes 59SEPTA Route 59
SEPTA Route 59 is a trackless trolley line that runs from the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station's Arrott Terminal to Bells Corner in Rhawnhurst, primarily along Oxford and Castor Avenues...
, 66
SEPTA Route 66
SEPTA Route 66 is a trolleybus route in Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects the Market–Frankford Line at the Frankford Transportation Center to either Morrell Park, Torresdale, or Holmesburg, primarily along Frankford Avenue, which includes and the historic,...
, 75
SEPTA Route 75
SEPTA Route 75 is a trolleybus route in North and Northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It connects to the Market–Frankford Line at Margaret-Orthodox Station, and runs primarily along Wyoming Avenue...
and 29, the Route 79 trolley bus was downgraded to a diesel bus route in 2003. Trolley buses were used in service on Route 79 for the last time on June 30, 2003. At that time, Route 79 been the only Philadelphia route using trolley buses since February 2003, because Route 29 had been converted to diesel buses in February, and Routes 59, 66 and 75 had already been temporarily operated by diesels since June 8, 2002.
Trolley bus on Routes 59, 66 and 75 was restored in 2008. A proposal to restore trolleybus service along Route 79 (along with 29) was considered by SEPTA in 2006, after the authority had placed an order for 38 new trolley buses for (only) Routes 59, 66 and 75. However, in October 2006 the authority's board voted against any further consideration of purchasing new trolley buses to allow Routes 29 or 79 to be restored, a decision that effectively eliminated the possibility that trolley bus service might return to route 79 (or 29).