PENNSYLVANIA RECEIVES FEDERAL CERTIFICATION FOR SAFETY OVERSIGHT OF RAIL TRANSIT

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary Leslie S. Richards announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has obtained certification from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for its rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) programs to meet a new federal requirement in advance of the April 2019 deadline.

Under newly established federal law, states with rail transit systems must be certified to oversee their safety or face the loss of all federal transit grants.

“PennDOT is committed to safety across all the transportation modes under its jurisdiction and this certification was critical to maintaining federal support and ensuring the continued safe operation of rail transit,” Richards said. “I applaud our State Safety Oversight Office for working diligently to meet this requirement.”

Pennsylvania is one of 30 states with rail transit that must meet the April 2019 deadline set by changes outlined in the federal transportation law, MAP-21, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century. The change required FTA to certify that each state’s rail safety oversight met the MAP-21 requirements.

The SSO program is responsible for independent safety oversight of rail transit and fixed guideway operations, including subway transit systems, subway/surface trolleys, as well as all stations and maintenance facilities related to these operations.

The Pennsylvania systems covered by this oversight include:

• The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)
  • Market-Frankford Subway Elevated
  • Broad Street Subway
  • Subway/Surface Trolleys
  • Media/Sharon Hill Trolleys
  • Norristown High Speed Line
• The Port Authority of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh
  • Light Rail System (the “T”)
  • Busways
  • Inclined Plane Railroads
• Cambria County Transit Authority in Johnstown
  • Inclined Plane Railroad

The SSO rule significantly strengthens PennDOT’s authority through its designation as a State Safety Oversight Authority (SSOA) to investigate accidents and oversee a rail transit agency’s implementation of its System Safety Program Plan (SSPP) and Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan. This final SSO rule replaces the existing regulations for SSOAs, which had been in place for the past 20 years.

In addition, Pennsylvania’s SSO certification ensures the continued flow of more than $438 million in federal funding for public transportation recipients across the state.