SEPTA demolishes building
to make way for terminal

by David J. Foster

Staff Writer

The steam shovel grabbed the building's ragged roof and bit down. Bricks and cement catapulted into the air and landed a few feet from invited guests.

The man at the controls, Dr. Irv Smiler, beamed. "That feels good. That feels really good." The wait was over. The new $140 million Bridge St. El terminal was on its way.

Also celebrating at last week's "ground-breaking" was U.S. Rep. Robert Borski (D-3), who helped secure federal funding for the modernized facility that will replace the 75- year-old terminal currently decaying between Bridge and Pratt sts. Borski is a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

He, too, took a turn at the steam shovel and bit off a huge chunk of concrete.

SEPTA General Manager John K. Leary Jr. expressed his excitement by noting that SEPTA had just approved its latest budget. Don't fear, he told the audience, "we have the money for this."

The special ground-breaking took place at 5120 Frankford Ave., the site of an empty fast food restaurant. It was the first of several vacant buildings standing near what will become the new terminal's southern extension.

The Frankford Transportation Center is the final and largest segment of SEPTA's plan to rebuild the entire Market- Frankford El between the Girard station and Bridge St.

The new terminal will feature air-conditioned waiting areas. The platform will be accessible via escalators and stairways. Among the highlights: a new 1,000 space parking garage.

Currently in the final stages of design, heavy construction will begin in 1999. It is scheduled to open in 2002. The terminal will continue operations during construction.

The Bridge St. terminal is SEPTA's busiest with over 50,000 people passing through daily. It also serves as a hub for 14 different bus routes.