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SEPTA Route 23
Route 23 is a former streetcar line and current bus route. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Chestnut Hill and Center City neighborhoods via Germantown Avenue, 11th, and 12th Streets.
Route 23 was once Philadelphia's longest streetcar route, extending south to 11th St. and Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia, and was one of three suspended by SEPTA in 1992. Route 23 was also believed to be the longest trolley route within a city in the world. A restoration of trolley service was proposed in recent years, with a feasibility study planned between 2021 and 2027.
The route is consistently one of SEPTA's most heavily-traveled bus lines, coming in as the fourth-busiest for daily ridership in 2018, as well as an average weekday ridership of 14,322.
Route 23 begins in Center City Philadelphia. The southern terminal is the intersection of 11th and Market streets, adjacent to the Market–Frankford Line's 11th Street station, although southbound buses continue as far south as Locust Street before turning northbound. From Center City, the line runs northbound on 11th Street and southbound on 12th Street.
In North Philadelphia, northbound Route 23 turns east to Huntingdon Street and then north again to Germantown Avenue, while southbound Route 23 moves from 10th Street west to Susquehanna Avenue and south again to 12th Street. Route 23 then continues northwest on Germantown Avenue through North Philadelphia, which includes a six-way intersection with Erie Avenue and Broad Street, providing transfers to Routes 53 and 56 on Erie as well as the Broad Street Line at Erie station. Routes 53 and 56 are actually also other former streetcar lines that were converted into bus routes. Another major connection along the route is the Wayne Junction station, which serves six SEPTA Regional Rail commuter lines.
As Route 23 enters Northwest Philadelphia, it runs through the Germantown and Mount Airy neighborhoods before entering Chestnut Hill. The route's northern terminus is the Chestnut Hill bus loop at the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike, located adjacent to the Chestnut Hill West regional rail station and a short distance from the Chestnut Hill East station.
Overnight service short-turns at Ontario Street near Temple University Hospital, only serving the Germantown Avenue portion of the route.
Route 23 was established sometime prior to 1877 as the Germantown Avenue Line, and ran from Germantown Depot to 8th and Dauphin streets. In 1890 the line was extended to the 4th and 8th Street trolleys and renamed the Pelham Line. It was combined with the Mermaid and Chestnut Hill Line in 1913, and renamed the Germantown, 10th and 11th Streets Line. The northern terminus was extended to the Bethlehem Pike Loop in 1920, while the southern terminus was extended to 11th Street and Pattison Avenue in 1926, and to 10th Street and Bigler Avenue in 1957.
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SEPTA Route 23
Route 23 is a former streetcar line and current bus route. It is operated by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The line runs between the Chestnut Hill and Center City neighborhoods via Germantown Avenue, 11th, and 12th Streets.
Route 23 was once Philadelphia's longest streetcar route, extending south to 11th St. and Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia, and was one of three suspended by SEPTA in 1992. Route 23 was also believed to be the longest trolley route within a city in the world. A restoration of trolley service was proposed in recent years, with a feasibility study planned between 2021 and 2027.
The route is consistently one of SEPTA's most heavily-traveled bus lines, coming in as the fourth-busiest for daily ridership in 2018, as well as an average weekday ridership of 14,322.
Route 23 begins in Center City Philadelphia. The southern terminal is the intersection of 11th and Market streets, adjacent to the Market–Frankford Line's 11th Street station, although southbound buses continue as far south as Locust Street before turning northbound. From Center City, the line runs northbound on 11th Street and southbound on 12th Street.
In North Philadelphia, northbound Route 23 turns east to Huntingdon Street and then north again to Germantown Avenue, while southbound Route 23 moves from 10th Street west to Susquehanna Avenue and south again to 12th Street. Route 23 then continues northwest on Germantown Avenue through North Philadelphia, which includes a six-way intersection with Erie Avenue and Broad Street, providing transfers to Routes 53 and 56 on Erie as well as the Broad Street Line at Erie station. Routes 53 and 56 are actually also other former streetcar lines that were converted into bus routes. Another major connection along the route is the Wayne Junction station, which serves six SEPTA Regional Rail commuter lines.
As Route 23 enters Northwest Philadelphia, it runs through the Germantown and Mount Airy neighborhoods before entering Chestnut Hill. The route's northern terminus is the Chestnut Hill bus loop at the intersection of Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike, located adjacent to the Chestnut Hill West regional rail station and a short distance from the Chestnut Hill East station.
Overnight service short-turns at Ontario Street near Temple University Hospital, only serving the Germantown Avenue portion of the route.
Route 23 was established sometime prior to 1877 as the Germantown Avenue Line, and ran from Germantown Depot to 8th and Dauphin streets. In 1890 the line was extended to the 4th and 8th Street trolleys and renamed the Pelham Line. It was combined with the Mermaid and Chestnut Hill Line in 1913, and renamed the Germantown, 10th and 11th Streets Line. The northern terminus was extended to the Bethlehem Pike Loop in 1920, while the southern terminus was extended to 11th Street and Pattison Avenue in 1926, and to 10th Street and Bigler Avenue in 1957.