Philadelphia Transportation Thread

[PhillyRising]

I'm noticing more cars are now parking again at the Exton train station. A year ago it was dead empty most days. I am hoping that means people are funneling back into their offices and giving Center City a bit of a boost weekdays. Service is still cut back. Hourly service ends at Malvern. It so funny after they spent all that money and took forever to rebuild the stations and expand the parking lots. Then Covid hit.

[thoughtcriminal]

Back to the Roosevelt Boulevard Subway - here is a link to an article on Axios about it. https://www.axios.com/local/philadel...e-philadelphia
The only thing I wanted to comment about on it is the last line, which is that the next step is to do a feasibility study to see whether building the line is possible. Haven't there been several feasibility studies proving that it is possible? Why do we need yet another one, and why would it take a year? there is so much info about this that they should be able to regurgitate what has already been studied, reformat it, throw in some new renderings, and call it a feasibility report.

[Busy Bee]

Because that's what we do in this country... study. A study creates the illusion progress is being made.

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Because that's what we do in this country... study. A study creates the illusion progress is being made.

Bob Brady, the head of the Democratic party in and around Philadelphia, said at the last feasibility study press conference at the Philadelphia Navy Yard said he wouldn't show up again unless it's after it's built lol.


Congressman 'tired of studies' as lawmakers tout latest Broad Street line extension research

U.S. Rep. Bob Brady expressed the exasperation many were likely thinking Monday as a group of local, state and federal government officials touted the latest study on extending the Broad Street Line to the Navy Yard – he's over all the research and ready to see work begin.

"I don't know what we're doing here today," Brady (D., Pa.) told the Philadelphia Business Journal. He openly remarked how anyone in the Navy Yard during the morning and afternoon rush hours can see an obvious need for more transit options

[Phillyguy215]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

Bob Brady, the head of the Democratic party in and around Philadelphia, said at the last feasibility study press conference at the Philadelphia Navy Yard said he wouldn't show up again unless it's after it's built lol.


Congressman 'tired of studies' as lawmakers tout latest Broad Street line extension research

I was going to make a comment but it would just be banned because I’m not super far left whatsoever.

[Busy Bee]

Errr...okay

[Phillyguy215]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Errr...okay

I just don’t think it’s WISE to keep having democrats give false hope to do anything about actually helping Philadelphians because all I hear are more false prophets. We should be encouraging both right and left wing politicians because one sided thinking tends to lead to society going in circles and we see in Philly/Chicago/NYC. I’m going to assume most of you guys didn’t grow up in the Philly I know, since it seems some of the population on this website seems to live in a bubble. We really shouldn’t be encouraging democrats since let’s be real, they don’t accomplish anything, republicans are just as bad.

Are we just going to forget the current democrat mayor who went on a tantrum on TV about how he can’t wait to not be mayor anymore? Because to me that tells me him/city council doesn’t give a shit, meanwhile 35 people have been shot since Friday and 11 killed.

It’s my 4th account on this website, I get blocked for having a different opinion all the time on this site.

[Phillyguy215]

But I just did a townhall meeting with @ state rep Ciresi, i had inquired to the state of the Schuylkill river passenger rail and he said he personally is going to keep Amtrack to their word to restore the 60 miles of rail from Reading - Philly. He said last week bus services from reading - Philly accounted for 1,500 people taking it it’s first week, witch all things considered it’s good I guess, it’s a baby step in the right direction. He said the restoration-operational service should take about 10 years?!? We’re going to have a luncheon in December and I’ll inquire more about it among other things that I can think of between now and then.

[Busy Bee]

You seem to be attributing blame to a political party for failures caused by external factors beyond their control. In the case of transportation, the reason nothing ever seems to get done is because weve spent the last 70 years in a national culture that devalues non-automobile modal share paired with a private sector that is no longer bound to provide it paired with a federal government that is unwilling to fund and build it to level of service it would take for its use amongst all citizens to be second nature to that of driving a car. And thats not even getting into the disaster of letting the free market drive our land uses.

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

You seem to be attributing blame to a political party for failures caused by external factors beyond their control. In the case of transportation, the reason nothing ever seems to get done is because weve spent the last 70 years in a national culture that devalues non-automobile modal share paired with a private sector that is no longer bound to provide it paired with a federal government that is unwilling to fund and build it to level of service it would take for its use amongst all citizens to be second nature to that of driving a car.

In other words, no one wants it, and no one wants to pay for it. So you can't force it on people.

[Philly Fan]

Penn Ph.D. student leads charge to build new subway line in Northeast Philadelphia

[Jayfar]

Expect an announcement from SEPTA shortly that they have selected 5100 Grays Ave as the site for their new trolley maintenance facility.

You can view the aerial map via atlas: https://atlas.phila.gov/5100%20GRAYS%20AVE/property

Further details at P.I.C.H. — https://www.facebook.com/groups/Phil...1561024799194/

[summersm343]

SEPTA board votes to move forward with acquisition of 70 properties for King of Prussia rail project

SEPTA's board of directors voted on Thursday to move forward with the acquisition of 70 sites to make way for its proposed King of Prussia Rail Line project.

The 70 sites are located on or around the rail line's proposed path and would allow the transportation agency to build out the rail line itself, as well as associated train stations and parking facilities. The project is estimated to cost $2 billion.

The four-mile King of Prussia Rail Line will include five stations and will be an extension of the Norristown High Speed Line, which runs from the Norristown Transportation Center to the 69th Street Transportation Center in Upper Darby, where the Market-Frankford Line picks up. SEPTA has long voiced its goal of using the rail to connect the region's three largest employment hubs — Center City, University City and King of Prussia.

Stops on the King of Prussia Rail Line will be at Moore Road, American Avenue, Mall Boulevard, Allendale Road and Henderson Road, all in King of Prussia.

Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=4#cxrecs_s

[summersm343]

New Trolley Station designs being thrown around:



Links to more info:
https://www.facebook.com/DVRPC

https://planning.septa.org/projects/...Cjb_KIod7mDIhc

[Busy Bee]

#2 looks pretty good

[TonyTone]

Trolley Modernization Transit Talk


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5E0y84OEj0

[Boku]

SEPTA is working out kinks in its mobile phone ticketing feature. Volunteer testers report frustration.

https://www.inquirer.com/transportat...-20221024.html

Mark Chadwick wants to help. He downloaded the software to his Android. He keeps trying to use it but can’t.

“I still have not been able to make a ticket,” said Chadwick, a volunteer beta tester of SEPTA’s mobile phone ticketing app, which is in development. His round of field trials began Oct. 3.

If all goes well, the interface downloads a QR-code ticket that can be read at turnstiles as well as the bus or trolley farebox on city transit. It’s paid for with a credit card entered on the app.

One thing it can’t do: Use money stored in the Travel Wallet of a rider’s Key Card. Several testers, who mostly are frequent SEPTA users, said that’s frustrating. They also described the process of downloading mobile tickets as cumbersome, not made for spontaneous excursions.

It's really something how incompetent this agency is.

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by Boku

It's really something how incompetent this agency is.

Idiots. Am I the only one who mostly uses the wallet too? I like to just put a few bucks on and go. This seems to not be what I thought it was going to be.

[Urbanthusiat]

PennDOT commits to studying possibility of Roosevelt Boulevard subway

It's a no brainer.

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

PennDOT commits to studying possibility of Roosevelt Boulevard subway

It's a no brainer.

Except that it has been studied, and studied, and studied.....
What more do they need to find out?
And as for the costs, $4 billion per mile is one of those numbers that they throw out there so that there will be some objection to it, and it will go away. Again.
Let's just keep doing this every 10 years, great idea. Or they could just build the damn thing already. From the last time they "studied" it, it could have been done by now.