Philadelphia Transportation Thread

[w0985465y]

Originally Posted by summersm343

SEPTA will reveal plans for long-awaited rail service to King of Prussia Mall and Valley Forge at a four-hour public meeting tomorrow.

This, in my opinion, is the biggest waste of money of any plan SEPTA has ever come up with, and all it will do is further help KOP kill communities like Norristown.

Originally Posted by LMich

I wouldn't just yet say I'm depressed. This is the worst case scenario being painted as leverage for funding, which is not an unusual tactic.

No, it's the reality if the current funding level is maintained or god forbid lowered.

Septa gets 300 million dollars a year, by far the lowest of any of its peers.

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

Do you think that Harrisburg would make a big stink if Philadelphia just seceded?

Yes. Philadelphia is its cash cow, and everybody knows it. Pittsburgh's resurgence would help offset things a bit, but Philadelphia leaving the state would kill PA.

The only way to do that though would be to somehow secede and become a part of Delaware. I want absolutely no part of New Jersey.

[w0985465y]

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

SEPTA's board is administered by Harrisburg. The Board itself is comprised of 15 members, 2 from each of the five PA counties in which SEPTA operates, one from the House and State majority and minority leaders and one by The Governor.

Publicly appointed but not elected and funded by both farebox and state/federal subsidy.

Wow, I didn't even know this. Harrisburg should in no way be able to appoint members to SEPTA's board.

Originally Posted by LMich

But, Philly's set-up doesn't strike me as particularly unusual for a regional transit authority, and Harrisburg does not literally run the authority, just so people don't get the wrong idea.

Just like the state doesn't "literally" run the Philadelphia School District, even though it pretty much controls the SRC.

[summersm343]

The Bridgeport Viaduct for the Norristown Highspeed Rail Line is reopening

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Br...peed-line.html

[Phil_North]

Just heard on the news that Harrisburg rejected the transportation funding proposal. Hopefully Septa's doomsday plan isn't really enacted.

[hammersklavier]

Yes, bad news for SEPTA indeed. It necessitates implementation of the Doomsday Plan to meet budget constraints until the funding situation improves. The first major action we'd see would be mothballing the Crum Creek viaduct--curtailing the R3 back to Swarthmore (as that is the infrastructure issue with the highest need right now).

[Phil_North]

It's too bad SEPTA (or any other agency for that matter) can't be like Hong Kong and virtually print their own money. Hopefully some funding comes soon. I am a big fan of public transit. I didn't realize until recently, after reading Septa's latest annual report, that less than 50% of operating expenses are made back from customer fares. So I can see why the money is needed.

[Muji]

Well here's some good news. It looks like the House got its act together and passed the amendment tonight.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/20...s/201311190149

[Parkway]

Not nearly as exciting as the funding but still an interesting SNAFU from last week. An Amtrak Keystone enroute to New York made a slight detour... to Bala Cynwyd. Some info and pictures here. http://www.trainweb.org/phillynrhs/RPOTD131114.html

[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by Parkway

Not nearly as exciting as the funding but still an interesting SNAFU from last week. An Amtrak Keystone enroute to New York made a slight detour... to Bala Cynwyd. Some info and pictures here. http://www.trainweb.org/phillynrhs/RPOTD131114.html

Its the most action that Branch has seen in decades...

[shadowbat2]

Update on the transportation bill....

HARRISBURG - In a single afternoon, the state Senate on Wednesday did what the House had agonized over for months: approved a $2.3 billion transportation funding bill to repair aging highways and bridges, and bolster mass transit across the state.

The vote cements a major victory for Gov. Corbett by delivering the biggest transportation spending plan in 15 years, one to address critical infrastructure needs while creating tens of thousands of jobs.

"This legislation is key to the success of Pennsylvania and health and welfare of the region," said Sen. John Rafferty (R., Montgomery), chairman of the Transportation Committee.

The bill now goes back to the House for a pro forma vote Thursday afternoon. It could be signed by Corbett the same day.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/po...3zoXSzVZkqC.99

The article goes on to list some of the road projects that will affect the city:

Road Projects in the Works

Repaving and widening Route 322 from Route 1 to I-95 in Delaware County. $216 million.

Rebuilding and widening three miles of road, and repairing 11 bridges and four retaining walls along Route 1 from Old Lincoln Highway to Route 413 in Bucks County. $216 million.

Reconstructing the road and bridges along Route 422 from Berks County to the Schuylkill in Chester County. $46.5 million.

Resurfacing and replacing pipes along Route 252 from the Delaware County line to the Montgomery County line in Chester County. $15.3 million.

Replacing the Route 422 bridge over the Schuylkill, Indian Lane, and the Schuylkill River Trail at Betzwood, and replacing the bridge carrying Route 23 over Route 422 in Montgomery County. $149 million.

Repairing the Chestnut Street Bridge at 30th Street in Philadelphia. $80 million.

Replacing Vine Street Expressway bridges, involving seven new structures carrying 18th Street, the Family Court Pedestrian Walkway, 19th Street, the Free Library Pedestrian Walkway, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, 21st Street, and 22d Street in Philadelphia. $110 million.

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/po...3zoXSzVZkqC.99

[shadowbat2]

Camden to Glassboro Light Rail update....

PITMAN A proposed $1.6 billion South Jersey light-rail line drew scores of area residents to Pitman on Tuesday evening to review the plans for possible operation by 2019.

Another similar "open house" meeting is scheduled for Camden on Thursday as planners explain where the 18-mile route would go and what information they are gathering for their environmental-impact statement.

The long-discussed rail line would restore passenger service to a corridor now used only for freight trains and run between Glassboro and Camden, with 14 stops.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...yq6yXHcf2Pi.99

Patco car refurbishment update....

The first of PATCO's long-awaited refurbished railcars have arrived in Lindenwold for final testing and will be carrying paying customers by February, PATCO officials said Wednesday.

PATCO passengers have endured months of crowded rides as the commuter rail agency has shipped cars to a Hornell, N.Y., factory for a $194 million makeover. The entire fleet of 120 cars is supposed to be back in service by October 2016, despite delays in delivering the first cars.

So far, 26 cars have been sent to the New York factory for overhaul.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...BkpdeHHT3X1.99

[Phil_North]

That is good news regarding the transportation funding bill in PA and the refurbished PATCO cars. I really wish Septa would've purchased the PATCO line when they had the chance. It only makes sense to have the lines share management and resources. I could see several advantages of the read line being run by Septa.

• Moving the 8th & Market train to the lower (original) platform
• Extending the current 8th & Market train to 17th st (current patco end))
• Extending the current Locust street subway into Uni City (easing some crowding on the blue line) and possibly even the airport (Giving NJ residents a one seat ride to the airport)
• Replacing some of the subway surface lines with a Woodland Avenue 'el' as an extension from the Locust street subway

But this is just a dream. Either way, I'm happy for the PATCO riders. I've ridden PATCO a few times. Really not much to complain about.

[Flyers2001]

Originally Posted by shadowbat2

Update on the transportation bill....


The article goes on to list some of the road projects that will affect the city:

I have to imagine the widening of the road on Old Lincoln is going to take place around Bensalem Turnpike exit onto Rt. 1 north. Its a mess during rush hour and needs work. They have already put in a good amount of work up towards the Langhorne exit on rt. 1, byt Flowers Mill Rd.

[CentralGrad258]

The state transportation bill is a huge win for Philly, imo. Finally dedicated SEPTA funding, various infrastructure projects in the city (and region), coming mostly from increased gas tax (making shorter commutes and city living more attractive). Did not see this coming.

[Busy Bee]

I don't follow Phila transit news terribly close so forgive me if this has been asked before. I know that it is widely known that Septa would like to replace the Kawasaki trolleys with new modern streetcars and there is talk periodically of desiring the funding to do so. Does anyone have any insight into whether or not Septa would stick with the traditional double bogey trolley platform with same length specs or would they opt for an articulated model with 3+ bogeys with the associated added capacity? Besides Skoda/Inekon, CAF and now United Streetcar, is there a car manufacturer in the world that still sells an off the shelf two bogey streetcar? I personally would like to see Phila move on and takes cues from Toronto and their new Flexity stock.

[ardecila]

There are several companies that offer two-bogey replica streetcars, including Gomaco and Brookville.

New Orleans is building streetcars in-house at an insane cost per unit (it was pitched as a workforce development tool). They may eventually take orders.

[Nexis4Jersey]

From what has been floated around SEPTA would order 2 types... One smaller Streetcar for the Suburban network and longer articulated Streetcars for the Subway-Surface network. Total cost seems to be at least a billion from what i'm told , it would be the largest Rolling Stock order SEPTA has ever done. They would order enough for the 56 and 23 restorations along with running them on the 15. It all comes down to Money , if they were treated like NJT or MBTA in terms of funding this would have been done by now , but they are the least funded system in the Northeast. Even Maryland funds its Transit more then SEPTA....300-400 million is scraps. SEPTA needs 1.2 to 1.5 Billion to run effectively...

[Flyers2001]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20...Navy_Yard.html

[CentralGrad258]

Originally Posted by Flyers2001

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20...Navy_Yard.html

This makes a ton of sense, but I hate how Local 98 and the building trades have their greedy little paws on this.

[afiggatt]

Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey

From what has been floated around SEPTA would order 2 types... One smaller Streetcar for the Suburban network and longer articulated Streetcars for the Subway-Surface network. Total cost seems to be at least a billion from what i'm told , it would be the largest Rolling Stock order SEPTA has ever done. They would order enough for the 56 and 23 restorations along with running them on the 15. It all comes down to Money , if they were treated like NJT or MBTA in terms of funding this would have been done by now , but they are the least funded system in the Northeast. Even Maryland funds its Transit more then SEPTA....300-400 million is scraps. SEPTA needs 1.2 to 1.5 Billion to run effectively...

For SEPTA, an additional $350 to $400 million a year in direct funding is a huge step forward over the starvation levels of capital funding it has had in recent years. Sure SEPTA could use more funding for capital projects, but now they can tackle the substantial backlog of maintenance, repair, and system modernization. The additional state funding should also help in getting federal funds for transit projects because SEPTA will be able to put up a 25% to 50% match.

What I don't know is whether the additional funding as currently projected will be enough to support system expansion projects in the near term such as restoration of service to Elwyn, Norristown High Speed Line branch to King of Prussia, the subway extension to the Navy Yard that is now being advocated. A skim of the capital budget document shows a huge backlog of system maintenance and replacement needs that will take years and years to get through. SEPTA has been the poor cousin of the Northeast Corridor regional and Metro transit systems and in a survival and contracting mode for so long, that a program of expanding the system will be a new day in the Philly metro region. But that may take a Democratic governor and a shift in the balance of power in the state legislature and in regional politics to fully get to a serious system expansion mode. The good news is that the doomsday plan can now be put away. That's progress.

This has been a good year for state transportation and transit funding in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. VA, MD, MA, VT all passed major tax increases to pay for transportation funding with funding transit projects playing a major role in getting the MD and MA gas tax increases passed. NJ is the holdout state that badly needs to increase its gas tax to pay for transportation projects, but any change there will have to wait until NJ gets a new Governor.