SEPTA is launching a pilot program aimed at reducing the number of fatal falls and jumps into subway tracks.

Just last week, a person was Was hit and killed by a Market-Frankford Line train The 15th Street Station in Central City. As of May 23, there have been 79 declines this year, most of which are located on the market-Frankfurt line.

Somerset station will be the first station of the pilot project, SEPTA Bridge and Construction Chief Engineer Kate O’Connor, Tell why.Earlier this year, the Market-Frankford Line station Was briefly closed Deep cleaning and elevator repairs after passengers and employees Express concern Regarding drug abuse around the station.smallSecurity patrols have also increased.

SEPTA will install galvanized steel guardrails on the station platforms and open and leave the train gaps for passengers. The obstacle is approximately 6 feet high and is located at the edge of the platform, just before the yellow warning sign.

Once the barriers are set, SEPTA will monitor the effects and start looking for other locations to install them, O’Connor said.

This year’s fall is in Long-term trend. In 2020, more than 180 people fell into the subway track, and nearly 100 people fell in 2019. However, compared with the past few years, the number of fall injuries and deaths has decreased. In 2020, 155 people were injured and 18 people died at SEPTA station.

Although mental illness and addiction can cause falls, SEPTA says that other reasons—such as leaning too far on the platform or people looking at their phones—can also cause the problem. Two years ago, SEPTA release “Watch their footsteps” Follow the public awareness campaigns of other riders.

“If someone is about to fall on the track area, every second counts,” SEPTA’s website says. Passengers should remind the cashier at the station, use the emergency call box or call (215) 580-8111 to call the SEPTA traffic police for help.

After the COVID-19 pandemic caused limited passenger capacity for more than a year, the transportation authority resumed full capacity on Tuesday. Regardless of the vaccination situation, you still need to wear a mask.

“SEPTA will play an important role in the region’s recovery from the pandemic, and we are very pleased to see more drivers begin to return,” Leslie S. Richards, General Manager of SEPTA Say. “During the pandemic, our employees have been working hard to maintain basic services, and we want residents to know that we are ready for them to go to work, school, restaurants, special events and other destinations.”