Quote:
Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan
Arch, Race, 5th, and 6th Streets all need drastic road diets. That area would be a lot more welcoming if crossing the street doesn't translate to a life-or-death situation, taking the size of the roadways into consideration. All of those apartments will certainly liven up the area, but a true road diet (along with a reopened Franklin Square stop on PATCO) would do wonders.
The same thing could be said about JFK, Arch, 15th, and 16th. The front entrance to Suburban Station would receive a MUCH greater level of patronage if the roads were not only narrowed, but the sidewalks were also widened.
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Hmm Arch in that area has the same amount of lanes it does in Chinatown, though. Though two through lanes is probably one too many. Race around Franklin Square presents a serious problem: it's the only access the VSE has to the BFB. If we can get that bypassed, a road diet becomes more likely. 5th and 6th really can be significantly narrowed from Chestnut to Race, though; the sections between Chestnut and Walnut work just fine without feeling stroady.
I've heard around the rumor mill that PATCO is "studying" reopening Franklin Square (the expensive bit here's probably an elevator down to the concourse), while I ran into the Sic Transit Philadelphia guy the other day and was informed that the City's going to be putting in protected cycle tracks on JFK and Market just west of City Hall (which in his opinion is about the absolute least the city could do).