Comments on: Transit for a Future Philadelphia http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:19:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bob http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-490184 Bob Tue, 27 Dec 2011 22:29:59 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-490184 I've lived in most sections of the city and I have to say that -- oddly enough -- putting I-95 underground would bring much more life to the entire waterfront then anything else. It would be expensive but only a fraction of what we spend on wars. When will we declare war on city infrastructure. The spur all the way up the Blvd would not work -- people living there do not want it, they also have two cars in actual driveways. Build these things where people live and people who can not park cars live -- the city has lots of opportunities for this. If the Germantown trolley came back , cars would use the side roads as before. So the only digging should be to bury I-95 which stole priceless realestate and bring back the old fashioned electric trollies. It's Philadelphia - not Manhatten when they bulldose everything. I’ve lived in most sections of the city and I have to say that — oddly enough — putting I-95 underground would bring much more life to the entire waterfront then anything else. It would be expensive but only a fraction of what we spend on wars. When will we declare war on city infrastructure.
The spur all the way up the Blvd would not work — people living there do not want it, they also have two cars in actual driveways. Build these things where people live and people who can not park cars live — the city has lots of opportunities for this. If the Germantown trolley came back , cars would use the side roads as before.
So the only digging should be to bury I-95 which stole priceless realestate and bring back the old fashioned electric trollies. It’s Philadelphia – not Manhatten when they bulldose everything.

]]> By: Attorney http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-177570 Attorney Mon, 21 Mar 2011 00:28:40 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-177570 Yonah, I agree there is major need for improvement in Philly's transportation system. The key will be to be able to afford it, and to keep improvement costs manageable. That's not going to be an easy task. Jim Yonah,

I agree there is major need for improvement in Philly’s transportation system. The key will be to be able to afford it, and to keep improvement costs manageable. That’s not going to be an easy task.

Jim

]]> By: 00idiot http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-134190 00idiot Fri, 24 Dec 2010 02:36:21 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-134190 Yonah-I would like to know what exactly route you intend for the various proposals, specifically the NW Broad Street Extension. Running the line up to the Cedarbrook Mall probably captures a fair load, but other routes leading north out of Olney Terminal are also very heavy, like the 55 bus out Old York Road. much of this route is along a very wide road, and might be well suited for light rail. Yonah-I would like to know what exactly route you intend for the various proposals, specifically the NW Broad Street Extension. Running the line up to the Cedarbrook Mall probably captures a fair load, but other routes leading north out of Olney Terminal are also very heavy, like the 55 bus out Old York Road. much of this route is along a very wide road, and might be well suited for light rail.

]]> By: CH http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-59178 CH Sun, 15 Aug 2010 23:13:08 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-59178 Some of the ideas on here are good ones but I have to agree with some others on here, Philly's narrow streets would not really allow for a light rail line above ground especially in areas like north and south Philly. The light rails would only get caught up in traffic and defeat the purpose. I like the idea of a subway extension into the greater northeast at the city limits. But before any of this can take place City Hall would have a have a major enema to rid the city of the fecal matter that's been running the show down there for years. SEPTA could use the same thing! Some of the ideas on here are good ones but I have to agree with some others on here, Philly’s narrow streets would not really allow for a light rail line above ground especially in areas like north and south Philly. The light rails would only get caught up in traffic and defeat the purpose. I like the idea of a subway extension into the greater northeast at the city limits. But before any of this can take place City Hall would have a have a major enema to rid the city of the fecal matter that’s been running the show down there for years. SEPTA could use the same thing!

]]> By: Matt Fisher http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-48704 Matt Fisher Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:10:20 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-48704 BRT sucks by contrast to LRT, in the same sense Shaquille O'Neal's acting career sucks. And Shaq sucks as a genie in "Kazaam". :) BRT sucks by contrast to LRT, in the same sense Shaquille O’Neal’s acting career sucks. And Shaq sucks as a genie in “Kazaam”. :)

]]> By: Chad http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-20199 Chad Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:25:17 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-20199 The Chestnut Street transitway destroyed Center City's most vibrant shopping district in the 1970s, and it's only started recovering in the last few years since the street was restored to car traffic. There's no reasonable chance that any street in the city will be pedestrianized for a long time now. Really, the city just plain needs more subways. There are trolleys running in a wonderfully dense network in West Philly, but they're slow when they're above ground and the tunnel is overburdend when they're under. Most of the rest of the city is far away from transit, except along Broad Market, Front/Kensington/Frankford, and in the Northwest along the two Chestnut Hill lines. Every other part of the whole city needs subways, period. The Chestnut Street transitway destroyed Center City’s most vibrant shopping district in the 1970s, and it’s only started recovering in the last few years since the street was restored to car traffic. There’s no reasonable chance that any street in the city will be pedestrianized for a long time now. Really, the city just plain needs more subways. There are trolleys running in a wonderfully dense network in West Philly, but they’re slow when they’re above ground and the tunnel is overburdend when they’re under. Most of the rest of the city is far away from transit, except along Broad Market, Front/Kensington/Frankford, and in the Northwest along the two Chestnut Hill lines. Every other part of the whole city needs subways, period.

]]> By: Nathanael Nerode http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-8643 Nathanael Nerode Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:35:47 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-8643 Looks like that NW extension of the Broad Street Line is the most straightforward and effective improvement. The Broad Street Line already benefits from having express tracks and is (unlike the Market-Frankford or the Subway-Surface) therefore not packed to capacity yet. Extension through a dense area with grade separation and provision of express service -- probably without needing to order *that* many more vehicles? Sounds like a good move. The best way to serve near NE, SE, and SW Philly is an interesting question. I wonder if there would be any way to give a trolley loop line running through near SE and near SW Philly meaningful amounts of exclusive ROW. Pedestrianized street with trolley, so it's exclusive except for the cross streets? Are there any streets which are close enough to neighboring streets, with cross streets spaced closely enough, and vibrant enough, that they could afford to become trolley/bike/pedestrian only? Looks like that NW extension of the Broad Street Line is the most straightforward and effective improvement. The Broad Street Line already benefits from having express tracks and is (unlike the Market-Frankford or the Subway-Surface) therefore not packed to capacity yet. Extension through a dense area with grade separation and provision of express service — probably without needing to order *that* many more vehicles? Sounds like a good move.

The best way to serve near NE, SE, and SW Philly is an interesting question. I wonder if there would be any way to give a trolley loop line running through near SE and near SW Philly meaningful amounts of exclusive ROW. Pedestrianized street with trolley, so it’s exclusive except for the cross streets? Are there any streets which are close enough to neighboring streets, with cross streets spaced closely enough, and vibrant enough, that they could afford to become trolley/bike/pedestrian only?

]]> By: DBX http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-5652 DBX Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:03:55 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-5652 It's a sad comment on the state of Philadelphia that the last mayor who actually had the will to implement a vision on transportation -- even if it was borrowed from advisers like Damon Childs and Edmund Bacon -- was Frank Rizzo. Not exactly in the pantheon of great American mayors but it has been downhill since him. The Center City Commuter Connection remains a landmark in American transportation, probably the only scheme of its kind in the last 50 years to successfully tie together disparate commuter rail networks, and also notable for the fact that it is not a half measure but rather a truly major piece of infrastructure, a four-track main line underneath the heart of the city. When will our current politicians have the will to take the bright ideas of our planners and put them into reality? It’s a sad comment on the state of Philadelphia that the last mayor who actually had the will to implement a vision on transportation — even if it was borrowed from advisers like Damon Childs and Edmund Bacon — was Frank Rizzo. Not exactly in the pantheon of great American mayors but it has been downhill since him.

The Center City Commuter Connection remains a landmark in American transportation, probably the only scheme of its kind in the last 50 years to successfully tie together disparate commuter rail networks, and also notable for the fact that it is not a half measure but rather a truly major piece of infrastructure, a four-track main line underneath the heart of the city.

When will our current politicians have the will to take the bright ideas of our planners and put them into reality?

]]> By: Ken http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-3420 Ken Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:18:19 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-3420 There are some interesting ideas here, but I think there are a few things that may have to be addressed first: A) there are a heck of a lot of cars parked on the streets these days - perhaps space could be freed up by creating more parking garages first, then bringing in light rail or buses, B) some of the existing public transit routes go through somewhat scary areas. Crime in the city really must be significantly reduced and the public transit lines better protected. C) The highest revenue-generating lines would probably circle or criss-cross the downtown area and waterfront area where they would be used by locals, travelers, and business people alike. There are some interesting ideas here, but I think there are a few things that may have to be addressed first: A) there are a heck of a lot of cars parked on the streets these days – perhaps space could be freed up by creating more parking garages first, then bringing in light rail or buses, B) some of the existing public transit routes go through somewhat scary areas. Crime in the city really must be significantly reduced and the public transit lines better protected. C) The highest revenue-generating lines would probably circle or criss-cross the downtown area and waterfront area where they would be used by locals, travelers, and business people alike.

]]> By: Poster Nutbag http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2009/04/08/transit-for-a-future-philadelphia/#comment-882 Poster Nutbag Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:21:05 +0000 http://thetransportpolitic.com/?p=1831#comment-882 great post. one thing you missed though is the schuylkill valley metro. its one of the most important projects the city could undertake, connecting center city with king of prussia. this would be of great service to the region, not just center city and its immediate surroundings. great post.

one thing you missed though is the schuylkill valley metro. its one of the most important projects the city could undertake, connecting center city with king of prussia. this would be of great service to the region, not just center city and its immediate surroundings.

]]>