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  #341  
Old Posted Feb 18, 2010, 11:13 PM
phillyaggie phillyaggie is offline
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well yeah, no doubt $20 million plus/minus is nothing to move major transit projects forward. Just a short extension of the BSL to the Navy Yard is now expected to cost upwards of $300 million, is it?

It just seems that major projects in Philly are sat upon forever and the city isn't ready with its grand wish list for such projects when the federal (or state) spigot if finally tapped. It just feels unsatisfactory.

I'm sure a lot of folks will enjoy these new/extended trails. But I'm with Chtorr00's points about bike access. Which makes me wonder how come the city's efforts at north-south bike lanes wasn't even included in the proposal...seems to me that would do more in providing bike transit infrastructure.

I'm not unhappy about the South St boardwalk etc getting funded...I think it's awesome. Just don't think it's as relevant to transit; it's more of a recreational issue (isn't it and the grant money being handled by the Parks Dept and not by the Transportation Dept?).
     
     
  #342  
Old Posted Feb 18, 2010, 11:14 PM
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PhillyAggie of PB & PS fame?

Welcome to SSP
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  #343  
Old Posted Feb 18, 2010, 11:49 PM
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PhillyAggie of PB & PS fame?

Welcome to SSP
yep, that be me. Didn't think I was famous though! More infamous for getting into trouble with some folks there in the past.

Been a lurker here long enough, thought might as well join and chime in sometime.

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  #344  
Old Posted Feb 19, 2010, 5:19 AM
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Phillyaggie, the bit about access is from the DOT description of this project in their announcement. The actual grant proposal from PA/NJ seemed to emphasize network continuity and expansion of the existing bike path network. Basically, our local grantwriters seemed to throw in all the "shovel ready" bike trail projects they had in the pipeline, and wrapped it in a nice neat bow. I don't think Philly has completed their round 2 deliberations on how to expand the on-street bike network, so that might be why it didn't make it into the proposal.

I agree that the Boardwalk is going to be awesome, and it will make the Schuylkill banks more of a destination for both locals and tourists. Considering what a dump this area was only a decade ago, it is nice to see the vision finally come to fruition (especially on the Feds dime)!

With the 58th street connector, the Bartram trail, and the Dupont Crescent now all squared away, there are only two gaps for linking up West Phila. and Cobbs Creek with the Schuylkill Banks. One is the crossing at Grays Ferry, which is currently being studied. That one seems to only be a matter of time and money. The other is by the PECO facility down by the Highline. That one is going to be a very tough nut to crack.

One problem is that that stretch has the same narrow clearance issues as the Locust to South St. stretch. However, in this case, a boardwalk is not going to work, because the PECO plant has a dock on the river that is actively used. My guess is that they use it for fuel oil deliveries by barge, and probably the occasional delivery of a big generator or replacement turbine.

I have not been able to find any substantive proposal for how that gap is going to be closed. Does anyone know of a report or study? Most of the maps of the master plans just ink in a pretend line and put it on the "to do" list. An older article mentioned bridging back to the other side of the river, and then getting back to the Dupont Crescent over the drawbridge, but that solution seems both pricey and convoluted.

The only solution that comes to mind would be to extend the dock area out into the river about 10-12 feet, and run the path so it tightly hugs the existing buildings and the gantry crane that PECO appears to have there. Basically, shift the docking area further out into the river, and then cover over the dockside section of the trail with a pretty rugged steel reinforced roof along the working area of the dock. With the CSX train tracks nearby, it looks like everything gets transferred to PECO via the crane or the flyover that PECO has over the tracks. A higher elevation for the dock shouldn't matter to them too much.

Given the relatively intermittent use of the dock, that might be enough to finesse the liability concerns of PECO, while still giving them river access. Regular deliveries of fuel, and fuel transfer by hose over the covered path would pose minimal risks for trail traffic, so perhaps Phila. could just agree to close that stretch of trail whenever some bulky parts need to be delivered. From there, the final stretch to the Dupont Crescent could be handled with the same kind of boardwalk - only shorter.

I can see why this stretch was pushed aside in favor of easier segments, but now that it is going to be the last remaining gap in the system with no real plan for fixing, I hope that the trail advocates and planning wonks now turn their attention and funding there.
     
     
  #345  
Old Posted Feb 19, 2010, 10:09 AM
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re transit lines

Yesterday's Inquirer noted that initial funding for the Del Ave. (Columbus? - sorry, I don't have time just now to look it up) surface line is in place and preliminary work is underway and should require two years. Apparently, we'll see that line someday. It does have great potential for connections and expansion.
     
     
  #346  
Old Posted Feb 19, 2010, 2:20 PM
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Originally Posted by bucks native View Post
Yesterday's Inquirer noted that initial funding for the Del Ave. (Columbus? - sorry, I don't have time just now to look it up) surface line is in place and preliminary work is underway and should require two years. Apparently, we'll see that line someday. It does have great potential for connections and expansion.
If that's true--and I highly doubt it is--I'd like to know where the Inky got that info.
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  #347  
Old Posted Feb 20, 2010, 5:05 AM
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I didn't have much time to snap this photo the other day as i was driving but as you can see steel has almost reached ground on center city side of the water

Beams are going up on the South Street Bridge.

A lot of ado has been made about the essentially highway-girder quality of the bridge's substructure (particularly since the previous structure was a re-purposed 1920s drawbridge). However, any look at photographs of the substructure of the late South Street Bridge will show that the same kind of girder beams were used there, too.








http://ruins.wordpress.com/2009/01/2...rst-last-time/

What does this mean? Although a better bridge, aesthetically, would have been nice, there's no particularly compelling reason (due to siting or history) to really sit up and demand the better bridge--yet. Once the South Street Bridge is done, the Streets Department will have to turn its focus to a number of other '50s-era deteriorating Schuylkill River spans, including two that really should be flagship bridges: Chestnut Street--whose new design will need to strongly evoke the Kneass bridge to be successful--and the Spring Garden/MLK Drive complex, where the intricate maze of pilings, pierings, history, and just plain old unique siting are positively asking for the Hand of Calatrava (including the fact that such a bridge would be a showpiece sculpture for the Art Museum as well).
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  #348  
Old Posted Feb 21, 2010, 8:47 AM
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If that's true--and I highly doubt it is--I'd like to know where the Inky got that info.


from here: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/84678112.html

Thu, Feb. 18, 2010

On track: Phila. waterfront rail line

By Paul Nussbaum
Inquirer Staff Writer

Quote:
Plans for a waterfront rail line in Philadelphia took a step forward yesterday, as a Delaware River Port Authority committee approved a $6.5 million contract for environmental studies and preliminary design, expected to take about two years.

Last edited by bucks native; Feb 21, 2010 at 8:58 AM.
     
     
  #349  
Old Posted Feb 23, 2010, 12:15 AM
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Originally Posted by hammersklavier View Post
and the Spring Garden/MLK Drive complex, where the intricate maze of pilings, pierings, history, and just plain old unique siting are positively asking for the Hand of Calatrava (including the fact that such a bridge would be a showpiece sculpture for the Art Museum as well).

It would really be cool if they could build a new spring garden bridge that is an homage to the ancient suspension bridge that was once there, even if it was a single-spired cable-stay bridge. They'd never do it, but one can hope!

     
     
  #350  
Old Posted Feb 23, 2010, 3:21 AM
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There's a reason why I think Spring Garden begs Calatrava. Calatrava is the only one who can really design a signature bridge there and succeed.
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  #351  
Old Posted Feb 26, 2010, 12:22 AM
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Barbes WEB CAM

I'm sorry if this has already been posted

Barnes WEB CAM http://www.barnesfoundation.org/sitecam.html
     
     
  #352  
Old Posted Mar 10, 2010, 9:18 PM
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New photos of the South Street Bridge:












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  #353  
Old Posted Mar 11, 2010, 6:39 PM
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  #354  
Old Posted Mar 31, 2010, 7:02 AM
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Has construction and demolition already begun?
     
     
  #355  
Old Posted Apr 2, 2010, 6:54 AM
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source: http://www.philly.com/philly/enterta...expansion.html


photo credit: April Saul; Philadelphia Inquirer

Refurbished Music Room

The music room was a warm-up for the architect. Moshe Safdie & Associates is designing a new addition and the partial restoration of the existing building. The renovation was small, but the preamble to a much greater one. A larger library mission that library president and director Siobhan A. Reardon is working into the program for the new building. New spaces for "content creation" are planned - stations where composers can realize their music in podcasts, where authors can meet to talk about their work, and where animators can work.

Leaders now feel confident enough to predict that a shovel will go in the ground this year.

Currently (APRIL 2010), about $105 million has been pledged toward the $175 million goal (which includes $10 million for endowment). Gov. Rendell is dangling $4 million if it can be matched, and two other major gifts are expected this year.

Last edited by bucks native; Apr 2, 2010 at 8:07 AM.
     
     
  #356  
Old Posted Apr 2, 2010, 6:10 PM
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Fingers crossed! If they can break ground before the end of the year I'll be overjoyed. Between this and the Barnes Foundation move, this certainly would've won my vote.
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  #357  
Old Posted Apr 3, 2010, 3:15 AM
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I can't tell from the rendering but will the expansion face the Parkway at all or is situated behind the library, heading north?
     
     
  #358  
Old Posted Apr 3, 2010, 3:41 AM
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The expansion will go behind the building on what is currently a parking lot.
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  #359  
Old Posted Apr 3, 2010, 1:48 PM
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Has construction and demolition already begun?
No. The Spectrum is still standing.
     
     
  #360  
Old Posted Apr 6, 2010, 2:35 AM
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Good to hear.
     
     
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