Philadelphia 2035 (York, Washington, Girard: compensation, programs, letter)

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

I agree wholeheartedly on both accounts


the current tunnel would not add anything great for a park and is surrounded by so much green space - it would be overkill and a non productive use.


I believe the tunnel could be used as BRT or LRT - I also believe we need to be forward thinking - the new rail yard cap in U City has planned to set aside space for transit. To me the Pennsy cut/tunnel could be used to extend to the art Museum and further along the eastern park to link with potentially the rail ROW and out to the BLVD for some form of BRT (Or LRT think BRT is more realistic given cost) to extend along the BLVD.


The new routing could also come across at SG using the already built tunnel in front of the Art Museum steps and into the new rail yard cap and use the underground 31st street to link at 30th and into UC City and over in SWCC. BRT could used along the DE ave and into the NY and connect with the BSL. There are other options like Washington Ave or 25th street down to the NY as well (even some connection to the new Penn Dev on the eastern side of river (further south then south))


BTW I am pretty sure I walked past you on 9th Street by the Italian market about a month ago - almost said hey MSL this is KP

I'm all for forwarding thinking even if it sounds like I may not be. But I'm also pretty practical. Where is the money to do any of this? Re: old tunnel use for transit. The nimby in opposition from the neighborhoods, particularly lower Fairmount/Art Museum, would be breath-taking.

The tunnel, I believe, was part of the original Schuykill Valley Metro project from 10-15 years ago.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Isn't NYC in the planning stages for the "Low Line" though?

Really? First I'm hearing this. Do you know where this would be? Is it in Manhattan?

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by kyb01

I'm all for forwarding thinking even if it sounds like I may not be. But I'm also pretty practical. Where is the money to do any of this? Re: old tunnel use for transit. The nimby in opposition from the neighborhoods, particularly lower Fairmount/Art Museum, would be breath-taking.

The tunnel, I believe, was part of the original Schuykill Valley Metro project from 10-15 years ago.

I think rapid transit is the absolute best use for this tunnel. The best and most cost-effective type would be Bus-Rapid-Transit. BRT's that run from the Broad Street Line (with station connections to Race/Vine) out to the museums.

There could be a stop at Broad Street (connections to Broad Street Line and greater transit system), 18th Street (CCP and Mormon Temple), 21st Street (Barnes, Rodin, Target, Whole Foods), 23rd Street/Spring Garden (Art Museum, Eakins Oval), 25th Street/Fairmount (Art Museum, Perelman Museum, Eastern State, Boathouse Row/Farimount Park), then head out to Girard with a station between Poplar and Girard to connect with the Trolley route. It could even then come up to Girard Ave, and use the trolley lanes alone Girard Ave to connect to the Zoo and the "Centennial District Transportation Center," and lastly head along Girard Ave to Parkside Ave to Belmont Ave to the Avenue of the Republic to connect to the Please touch museum where it can then loop back around onto Parkside Ave and Girard Ave to head back the other direction.

It would obviously be called the "Cultural Corridor Line." It would allow tourists to take direct transit to all of Philadelphia's largest art and cultural institutions along the Parkway and in Fairmount Park. It would also give people living in Fairmount, Brewerytown and the Parkside neighborhood in West Philly direct public transit access into Center City - where they currently have none.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Really? First I'm hearing this. Do you know where this would be? Is it in Manhattan?

The Low-Line: An Underground Park for New York City's Lower East Side | Inhabitat New York City


Abandoned rail road tunnels in the LES, pretty sure this project has the green light.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by RightonWalnut

I think rapid transit is the absolute best use for this tunnel. The best and most cost-effective type would be Bus-Rapid-Transit. BRT's that run from the Broad Street Line (with station connections to Race/Vine) out to the museums.

There could be a stop at Broad Street (connections to Broad Street Line and greater transit system), 18th Street (CCP and Mormon Temple), 21st Street (Barnes, Rodin, Target, Whole Foods), 23rd Street/Spring Garden (Art Museum, Eakins Oval), 25th Street/Fairmount (Art Museum, Perelman Museum, Eastern State, Boathouse Row/Farimount Park), then head out to Girard with a station between Poplar and Girard to connect with the Trolley route. It could even then come up to Girard Ave, and use the trolley lanes alone Girard Ave to connect to the Zoo and the "Centennial District Transportation Center," and lastly head along Girard Ave to Parkside Ave to Belmont Ave to the Avenue of the Republic to connect to the Please touch museum where it can then loop back around onto Parkside Ave and Girard Ave to head back the other direction.

It would obviously be called the "Cultural Corridor Line." It would allow tourists to take direct transit to all of Philadelphia's largest art and cultural institutions along the Parkway and in Fairmount Park. It would also give people living in Fairmount, Brewerytown and the Parkside neighborhood in West Philly direct public transit access into Center City - where they currently have none.

Is it safe to say pretty much everyone on here will be long gone if/before a project like ever happens?
I'm thinking by like 2100 this will get realized if it were to happen.

[RightonWalnut]

I also think BRT is the best transit option for Roosevelt Blvd. A BRT line here could honestly run from the Neshaminy Mall to Lankenau Medical Center.

[cpomp]

Changing the topic back to Toll Brothers again... Major height increase, this could finally be a cutting edge Toll tower in Philadelphia, I have/remain in full support of this project.


Toll now planning 29-story tower on Jewelers Row for more condo units

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Isn't NYC in the planning stages for the "Low Line" though?

To be fair, the lowline (if it actually happens) is physically very different from the tunnel portion of the Reading Viaduct park. (I personally think they are both bad ideas, but IMO no one is going to conflate them.)
Unlike the Reading Viaduct plan, the Lowline is not a component or extension of the Highline, nor is it even remotely connected to it in any way other than the name (if it sticks) - which is only such because someone thought it would be a clever name for a competition proposal back when the Highline was a brand new sensation, and itself the result of a major design competition a few years earlier.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by RightonWalnut

I think rapid transit is the absolute best use for this tunnel. The best and most cost-effective type would be Bus-Rapid-Transit. BRT's that run from the Broad Street Line (with station connections to Race/Vine) out to the museums.

There could be a stop at Broad Street (connections to Broad Street Line and greater transit system), 18th Street (CCP and Mormon Temple), 21st Street (Barnes, Rodin, Target, Whole Foods), 23rd Street/Spring Garden (Art Museum, Eakins Oval), 25th Street/Fairmount (Art Museum, Perelman Museum, Eastern State, Boathouse Row/Farimount Park), then head out to Girard with a station between Poplar and Girard to connect with the Trolley route. It could even then come up to Girard Ave, and use the trolley lanes alone Girard Ave to connect to the Zoo and the "Centennial District Transportation Center," and lastly head along Girard Ave to Parkside Ave to Belmont Ave to the Avenue of the Republic to connect to the Please touch museum where it can then loop back around onto Parkside Ave and Girard Ave to head back the other direction.

It would obviously be called the "Cultural Corridor Line." It would allow tourists to take direct transit to all of Philadelphia's largest art and cultural institutions along the Parkway and in Fairmount Park. It would also give people living in Fairmount, Brewerytown and the Parkside neighborhood in West Philly direct public transit access into Center City - where they currently have none.

If the city and country( who the heck knows, considering) lasts long enough, maybe some millennials, or the somewhat nameless generation younger than them, may(and I greatly emphasize "may") see some of these things. I still doubt it.

And you leave out how this would be paid for or how disruptive the construction would be to rejuvenated and rejuvenating communities. You don't seem to show very much empathy for the people living there now and what a mess it will be for YEARS.
Think how long it took to rebuild the El in West Philly.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Is it safe to say pretty much everyone on here will be long gone if/before a project like ever happens?
I'm thinking by like 2100 this will get realized if it were to happen.

You're probably correct. Maybe my 3 year old great-nephew will see it. I love transit. Growing up in car-oriented suburbia, I still rode a lot of transit. But, I also find that some of these transit nerd schemes have little connection to reality. Funding does not get included or what happens to people and businesses while construction goes on.