Service at the bustling Darby Transportation Center is moving along at a safer clip these days, thanks to a bus loop overhaul project. SEPTA celebrated this achievement today, along with local officials, dignitaries and community members that helped make the project a success.

SEPTA renovated and expanded the Darby Transportation Center Bus Loop under a $2.1 million project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The loop is a major resource for both SEPTA and the community, with nearly 5,000 customers each day using it forservice on bus routes 113, 114 and 115.

The project has transformed the loop into a state-of-the-art facility. The top priority was safety, and the design focused on improving travel in and around the facility. There is now a dedicated, one-way bus travel lane connecting Main Street and MacDade Boulevard. There are also new pedestrian walkways, an enclosed heated bus shelter, and new concrete and asphalt paving.

SEPTA incorporated the safety aspects into an overall design that is aesthetically pleasing, and adds amenities to improve customer service. Among the upgrades are new lighting and signage, decorative fencing, landscaping and historical markers.

“This project has resulted in significant safety improvements for SEPTA customers – and anyone else who walks, drives, lives or does business in this area,” said SEPTA General Manager Joseph M. Casey.

Casey also thanked local residents and businesses for their patience during the project. “Thanks to this cooperative effort, SEPTA customers and the community have the first-class transit hub they deserve,” Casey said.

The Darby Transportation Center project is one of several bus loops recently overhauled as part of SEPTA’s overall plan to update its aging infrastructure.