PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 5 /EMWNews/ -- During the 16-day El

construction period, SEPTA Market-Frankford Line El service between 40th

Street Station (40th & Market Streets) and 69th Street Terminal (69th &

Market Streets) will be replaced by shuttle buses as the Market Street

Elevated (MSE) reconstruction project undergoes its final extended service

shutdown.



    There will be no El service to 52nd Street, 56th Street, 60th Street,

63rd Street, Millbourne or 69th Street Terminal beginning at 8 p.m. Friday,

August 8 until 5 a.m. on Monday, August 25 as all-stop and non-stop shuttle

buses replace train service.



    Regular Market-Frankford Line service will only operate between the

Frankford Transportation Center (FTC) and 46th Street Station during

weekdays of the 16-day shutdown, while weekend service from FTC will

terminate at 40th Street Station.



    The all-stop shuttle buses will stop at all designated locations

between 40th & Market Streets and 69th Street Terminal. Passengers should

look for shuttle bus stop signs. Non-stop shuttle bus service will only

operate on weekdays to and from 69th Street Terminal and 40th & Market

Streets during morning (6 a.m. until 9:30 a.m.) and evening (3:30 p.m. and

6:30 p.m.) peak hours without making any other stops.



    During the 16-day shutdown, SEPTA will divert the Route 52 bus to 46th

& Markets to connect with the El when service operates to 46th Street

Station on weekdays. Route 52 service will remain on 52nd Street on

weekends. Riders can connect to the El shuttle bus at 52nd & Chestnut (to

Center City) or 52nd & Walnut (to 69th Street Terminal).



    Route 21 service will also be relocated to operate from 61st & Pine

Streets between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays during the shutdown. Route 21

passengers traveling into Center City Philadelphia should board all-stop

shuttle buses at the terminal and transfer for free to the Route 21 at 60th

& Chestnut Streets.



    Westbound Route 21 passengers traveling to 69th Street Terminal should

transfer to an all-stop shuttle bus at 60th & Walnut Streets. After 7 p.m.

on weekdays, Route 21 service will operate directly to and from the

terminal until the end of service and at all times on weekends, however,

the Route will follow a detour routing (69th St. to Marshall Rd. to 63rd

St.). Also, bus Routes 108, 113 and 116 at 69th Street Terminal will be

relocated to the North Terminal for the duration of the shutdown.



    Route 31 bus stops along Chestnut and Walnut Streets at 61st, 62nd and

63rd Streets have also been temporarily discontinued. Route 31 passengers

should board at 60th & Chestnut/Walnut Streets for service.



    Crews will work around the clock during this 16-day period to replace

the elevated structure over Market Street to the Millbourne abutment. MSE

is a critical overhaul of the western portion of the line, which opened for

service more than 100 years ago in 1907. The project includes a

streamlined, single-column support structure, six new customer-friendly

stations, and art-inspired architectural features that will improve the

overall riding experience for passengers.



    In addition, SEPTA's construction of the Market-Frankford Line will

require the closure of the 63rd & Market Street intersection to vehicular

traffic for 16 consecutive days beginning Friday, August 8 at 7 p.m. The

intersection is scheduled to reopen to all vehicular traffic at 4 a.m. on

Monday, August 25.



    The 16-day construction period will also cause street closures and

detours increasing congestion on surrounding roads such as Haverford

Avenue, Lansdowne Avenue, Baltimore Pike, Garrett Road and Marshall Road.

Motorists should plan accordingly as electronic signs will be positioned at

various locations to alert commuters about the closures and detours.



    SEPTA Ambassadors will again be at 40th Street and 69th Street Terminal

to assist passengers. SEPTA's Community Information Center located at the

Enterprise Center (4548 Market Street) will be open during this extended

shutdown and is also available by telephone at 215-243-4141. Visit

SEPTA.org or call at 215-580-7800 for information on all SEPTA service.