[Image: According to the SEPTA ROUTE CHANGES DOCUMENT [LINK: https://www.septabusrevolution.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/SEPTA-CHANGE-SHEETS-09-08.pdf] “Route 130 will be shortened and realigned.” Dashed lines represent proposed discontinued route section.]
Bucks County has a serious public transportation problem.
Not enough routes, inefficient schedules and failed attempts to serve a widespread and dispersed riding public has caused the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority to rethink the way it allocates its resources in Bucks County and throughout its network.
SEPTA is considering changes to routes 129 and 130.
Route 129would be streamlined in Philadelphia and in Bucks County to provide faster and more direct service between Frankford-Knights and Oxford Valley Mall in Middletown.
Route 130would be shortened to connect Neshaminy Mall and Bucks County Community College in a simple and direct way. Riders could use this service for local trips or to connect with other services.
Essentially, with regard to Newtown, the loop in the Business Commons will be eliminated as shown in the attached image captured from the above document.
I believe rte 130 was mentioned at least once at the NTPlanning Commission in discussions about the Business Commons Overlay plan. The original overlay did NOT include areas without direct access to the 130 SEPTA bus line (see May 25, 2022 BOS meeting notes). SEPTA's planned changes to the Rte may have been a main reason for the alteration of that plan to disregard aligning development with the 130 bus rte.
In any case, this is bad news for the Business Commons Overlay plan to attract businesses because any workers from Philadelphia and other areas along Rte 130 would have to walk from Lincoln Ave along Washington Avenue to get to Terry Dr and then further into the Commons to get to work. Good for the cardio, but not so good for business!