Philadelphia Buses Adapt for Open Streets Events
SEPTA detours Routes 9, 12, 21, and 42 on Sept 7 and 14 for Walnut Street closures
SEPTA Detours 4 Bus Routes for Open Streets Events
Four SEPTA bus routes will be detoured on two September Sundays when Walnut Street closes for Open Streets events in Center City Philadelphia. Routes 9, 12, 21, and 42 will follow alternate paths from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 7 and 14, transit officials said. The detours affect service between Broad Street and the Schuylkill River, though officials haven't said how many riders typically use these routes during weekend hours.
Open Streets Program Closes Walnut Street to Cars
The Center City District's Open Streets events temporarily transform Walnut Street into a car-free zone for pedestrians and cyclists, according to the event organizer. The program is part of a broader urban planning movement that originated in Bogotá, Colombia, and has spread to cities worldwide. Similar events in New York City and San Francisco require transit agencies to implement temporary bus detours. SEPTA serves the five-county Philadelphia region and carried 306 million passenger trips annually before the pandemic, making it the nation's sixth-largest transit system.
Four Routes Follow Different Detour Paths
Each affected route will follow a specific detour path during the four-hour events, according to SEPTA's service advisory. Route 9 will use Chestnut Street instead of Walnut Street through the closure area. Routes 12, 21, and 42 will also follow alternate streets to bypass the car-free zone, though the agency's advisory provides detailed turn-by-turn directions for each route. Officials didn't provide ridership data for the affected routes or estimates of how many passengers might need to adjust their travel plans.
Detours Take Effect September 7 and 14
The bus detours will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on both September 7 and September 14, 2025, matching the hours of the Open Streets events. SEPTA announced the service changes to give riders advance notice, though the exact announcement date wasn't specified in the agency's advisory. Officials said the detours will allow the events to proceed while maintaining bus service in the surrounding area.
Riders Should Plan for Temporary Route Changes
Weekend riders who use Routes 9, 12, 21, or 42 should allow extra travel time and check for temporary stop relocations during the events. The detours will return to normal routing after 2 p.m. each day. Riders can check Moovit for real-time bus locations and updated route information during the detours.
