Progressive Railroading, August 2015:
SEPTA immersed in 'unprecedented' planning for papal visit to Philadelphia
Ever since November 2014, when Catholic Church officials confirmed Pope Francis will visit Philadelphia over two days this September, there's been an all-hands-on-deck mindset at the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA).
Philadelphia officials estimate 1.5 million to 2 million visitors will descend on the city for the pope's Sept. 26-27 visit, which will coincide with the World Meeting of Families, a conference organized every three years by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family. Although the city and its affiliated agencies have prepared for many major public-gatherings in the past — Philadelphia hosted the Republican National Convention in 2000 and will host the Democratic National Convention in 2016, for example — SEPTA's planning for the papal visit is unprecedented, says Deputy General Manager Jeff Knueppel.
"In all my years here, I've never experienced anything like this," Knueppel said. "It's been a massive undertaking."
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