SEPTA plans $535 million for new vehicles and construction

SEPTA plans to spend $535 million next year to buy new vehicles, replace and repair rail bridges, upgrade train stations, and begin overhauling its Center City subway concourse.

The proposed capital budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1 is $37 million, or 6.4 percent less than the current capital budget, which contained a one-time infusion of $85 million in federal funding.

Among the projected spending is about $160 million earmarked to replace and overhaul vehicles. That will include 13 new locomotives, the first of 525 hybrid buses that will be purchased over five years, and the start of procuring about 45 bi-level railcars to increase capacity on the Regional Rail lines.

About $48 million is slated for bridge repair and replacement; $34 million for communications, signal systems and other technology upgrades; $47 million for stations, bus loops and parking lots; $45 million for the installation of the new "smart-card" fare system; $20 million for cameras and other security upgrades; and $18 million for power substations.

Public hearings on the capital budget will be April 28 at 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at SEPTA headquarters at 1234 Market St.

The proposed budget will be available on SEPTA's website at www.septa.org/reports.