On Tuesday, February 28, SEPTA held a community meeting where representatives shared more details about the proposed 49 bus route that would run through Brewerytown, Fairmount, Grays Ferry and University City. The new route would run every 15 minutes on weekdays from 6AM – 9AM and from 3PM – 7PM, and every 20 – 35 minutes on weekends. (This excludes late-night travel.)

 The 49 route will travel from 33rd Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to 29th before turning south. Riders will then be taken all the way to Pennsylvania Avenue, where it will travel to Fairmount Avenue and then head east once again. The route then turns south upon reaching Eastern State Penitentiary at 21st Street. The final stretch will take riders west on Market Street once reaching Center City.

 University City has flourished over the last few decades and SEPTA deemed it necessary to provide the residents of the surrounding communities a direct line of transportation into University City. Currently existing bus routes that service Brewerytown and Fairmount do not provide direct access to West Philadelphia. The new 49 route would significantly reduce travel times and create a connection between the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and 30th Street Station.

 According to University City District, a disproportionate majority of the University City workforce reside in Fairmount, Brewerytown and Gray’s Ferry. In addition to aiding the commute of those workers, the bus route will also help residents of Center City reach workplaces to the north.

 Those who want to provide feedback on the proposal can email serviceplanning@septa.org. To see the route of the bus on a map, visit the University City District’s website.