by Navy Yard
August 5, 2016
PIDC, Philadelphia’s public-private economic development corporation, today announced it will expand its popular shuttle service at the Navy Yard, as a result of receiving funding from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). The $416,280 award is part of the Competitive Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program that funds projects to improve air quality and/or reduce traffic congestion. CMAQ projects reduce emissions and help Greater Philadelphia meet federal health-based air quality standards.
The CMAQ Program grant will allow a sixth shuttle to be added to the current fleet, which will cut wait times on one route by 50 percent while continuing to provide employees and visitors with more choices to commute to the Navy Yard. Currently, the free shuttles operate two routes on weekdays to assist employees in their daily commute and visitors navigating their way to and from the Navy Yard. Center City Express shuttles run from Jefferson Station and Old City. The Navy Yard Loop picks up from AT&T Station on the Broad Street Subway Line and circulates the Navy Yard. The new shuttle will run in the opposing direction to the current Navy Yard Loop, allowing for quicker pick up and more riders.
“Our employees and visitors depend on the shuttle system,” said Prema Gupta, PIDC’s Senior Vice President for Navy Yard Planning, Development, and Operations. “It gives members of our community another choice about how to get to work, which reduces traffic and impact on the environment. This grant will allow us to better serve them and continue our focus on convenience and sustainability. We’ve heard the call for more accessibility to and from the Navy Yard, and we believe this is another big step in the growth and development of that process.”
Since launching in December 2012, the Navy Yard’s shuttle service has grown steadily, and now provides up to 1,800 passenger trips per day. The sixth shuttle is set to be added to the schedule by the end of the year. To learn more about this and other CMAQ Program initiatives, please visit www.dvrpc.org/CMAQ.