[PRCo] Re: PCCs in Operation

[Fred Schneider]

Philadelphia is and always has been a law of its own.   Remember how  
the money for the Blue Route was diverted to mass transit in the  
1970s and the Blue Route was cancelled.   Later own the Federal  
government paid again for the Blue Route ... the expressway from  
Chester to the Northeast Extension of the Turnpike.   And remember  
how they rebuilt trolley route 6 and then abandoned it.   Hey, its  
Philadelpha.

On Jan 18, 2007, at 4:37 PM, Joshua Dunfield wrote:

>
> Jim Holland wrote:
>> There may be a line that is crossed somewhere on the ADA issue.
>> Special platforms were built at stops for wheelchairs;  portable ramp
>> from TrolleyCar to platform is set in place manually by the  
>> operator on
>> PCCs.       Don't know requirements about older equipment.       I  
>> may
>> have heard but don't remember.       Activists have considerable
>> influence in SF as most seem to know.
>
> The ADA tried pretty hard to not cause massive disruption in the  
> short term.
> Historic routes are exempt; vehicles already in use in 1990 are  
> exempt.
> (See Section 12142 of the ADA:
> http://finduslaw.com/ 
> americans_with_disabilities_act_of_1990_ada_42_u_s_code_chapter_126
> )
>
> The "PCC-II"s on the 15 were rather obviously remanufactured, so  
> they're not
> exempt.  OTOH, most of the Market-Frankford and Broad Street Subway  
> stations,
> even important ones like 15th/City Hall, are not ADA-compliant.  I  
> assume they
> fall under 12147(b)(1)(2)(B):
>
>  (B) Extension for extraordinarily expensive structural changes
>           The Secretary may extend the 3-year period under  
> subparagraph
>         (A) up to a 30-year period for key stations in a rapid rail or
>         light rail system which stations need extraordinarily  
> expensive
>         structural changes to, or replacement of, existing facilities;
>         except that by the last day of the 20th year following July  
> 26,
>         1990, at least  2/3  of such key stations must be readily
>         accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.
>
> At their current rate I doubt SEPTA will make the deadline, unless  
> they've
> managed to interpret "key stations" to leave out most of Center City.
>
> -j.
>