Drexel Station at 30th Street
April 8, 2024
Today - Monday, April 9, 2024 - SEPTA joined Drexel University and local, state, and federal officials for a ribbon cutting to celebrate the newly reconstructed and renamed Drexel Station at 30th Street.
Located at the intersection of 30th & Market Streets in West Philadelphia - the station is served by the Market-Frankford Line, five Trolley lines, the LUCY Loop, Bus Routes 9, 30, 31, 44, 78, 124, 125, and provides convenient connections to Regional Rail at the nearby William H. Gray III 30th Street Station.
Drexel Station at 30th Street is part of the first phase of the Schuylkill Yards development - Brandywine Realty Trust’s vibrant innovation district. To support these development initiatives and the plans for the redevelopment of Amtrak’s 30th Street Station - SEPTA transformed Drexel Station at 30th Street by nearly doubling station capacity - complying with the urban design and seamless transportation connections planned for the area.
Following completion of the project - Drexel Station at 30th Street is now a modern transit gateway to the SEPTA system for employees, students, and visitors traveling to and from Drexel University, University City, and Schuylkill Yards.
“This transformative project would not have been possible without the partnership and commitment of Brandywine Realty Trust and Drexel University which provided important backing and financial support for the project and our successful application for federal grant funding,” said SEPTA Board Chair Kenneth E. Lawrence Jr. “SEPTA is pleased that this state-of-the-art station now bears Drexel University’s name – a testament to the strength of our partnership and SEPTA’s value to the city and region.”
Today’s ribbon cutting served as the official unveiling of Drexel Station at 30th Street - along with accompanying signage and branding.
This marks SEPTA’s most recent station naming rights agreement which helps generate revenue and improves the customer experience.
“We’re proud to join the celebration of the opening of the station that will serve as the gateway for so many of our students, faculty, professional staff, and community partners as they arrive on campus,” said Drexel President John Fry. “As new educational, research, and business development opportunities continue to grow in West Philadelphia - it is fitting for Drexel to welcome everyone to University City.”
The naming agreement is the latest development in Drexel’s longstanding relationship with SEPTA.
The University was one of the first SEPTA Key Advantage partners in 2022. SEPTA is an annual participant in Drexel’s Co-Op program and first-year medical students in the College of Medicine have served as “Health Navigators” in support of SEPTA’s SCOPE (Safety Cleaning Ownership Partnership Engagement) Program.
“The reconstruction of this flagship station will not only improve mobility and enhance access for SEPTA customers; it also demonstrates how transit infrastructure investments build communities and support regional economic growth,” said SEPTA General Manager/CEO Leslie S. Richards. “We are fortunate to have supportive regional funding partners and stakeholders – led by our Congressional delegation – who understand and promote the important role of SEPTA in the region.”
The project was initiated to modernize station infrastructure, increase capacity and improve circulation between transportation modes, and support the world-class development underway in the district. It was funded in part through a $15 million U.S. Department of Transportation Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant and $34.2 million in Pennsylvania Department of Transportation funding, which was made possible by Pennsylvania Act 89.
Congressman Dwight Evans (PA-3) said, “I want to commend SEPTA and Drexel for this partnership and I’m very pleased to see that transportation funding I voted for – both at the federal level and when I served as a state representative – is continuing to deliver for Philadelphia. We’ll also continue to see other SEPTA improvements and repairs as a result of President Biden’s 2021 Infrastructure and Jobs Act that I voted for.”
Extensive renovations were completed as part of the station reconstruction project to better integrate the station into Drexel Square and the broader Schuylkill Yards district. Improvements include a new glass headhouse and canopy; upgraded elevators, escalators and stairs to improve accessibility; a modernized and expanded mezzanine with enhanced lighting and improvements to connections between transit services; and new flooring and tiling throughout.
The construction was sequenced to provide minimal ridership disruption. The Market-Frankford Line and Trolley Lines were operational throughout construction. The existing headhouse on the northwest corner of 30th & Market Streets were temporarily closed for portions of the project. Customers were directed toward the other four entrances.
Before the project began - SEPTA installed a new elevator at 31st Street to ensure that station accessibility was preserved for customers.
SEPTA closely coordinated construction activities with Drexel and community stakeholders throughout the project.
Drexel Station at 30th Street is the first station to debut the SEPTA Metro Wayfinding initiative - with new colorful, easy to identify station signage.
The goal of SEPTA Metro is to create modern, welcoming, and accessible transit stations that everyone can use - no matter what language they speak or how well they know the SEPTA system. The completion of this station is a significant step forward for the initiative and during 2024 more new signage will continue to debut at additional stations on the SEPTA Metro system.
