[PRCo] Fwd: BRT vs. LRT/Rt 13/Vets/Germantown Ave.

[James B. Holland]

"eileen byrnes" <eileenbyrnes at ...> wrote:

Most importantly, thanks to all of the vets on this list.  I appreciate
the work that you have done for our country and the world.

Last Wednesday, I attended an event from DVRPC called Dots and Dashes. 
The goal was for community planners and citizens to plan out transit
projects by 2030, based on their usefulness and cost.  We worked in
small, randomly assigned groups, and were given a map of the
Philadelphia/South Jersey metro area with areas marked as regional
job/residential centers.  We were given five billion dollars to spend
and had to decide how much to allot towards "system improvement" vs. new
projects.  Suggested system improvements included items such as a modern
fare system, upgrading stations, improving security, etc.  Here was the
catch:  they gave us "ballpark" estimates for planning.  Three miles of
rail (includes heavy rail, light rail, and trolleys) would cost $500
million, and three miles of BRT would cost $10 million.  Hmmmm...think
that those numbers are stacked in any way?  I can't say for certain, but
am sure that several of you can, but considering the way that the
numbers were stacked, I felt like it an exercise in getting people to
say how much they loved BRT since *in theory* you get can get more
transit for your money.  There was little description in what they meant
by BRT vs rail, and of course the devil is in the details.  If you want
to attend a session, see www.dotsanddashes.org. This is a federally
mandated project to get community input.
.
My group included a gentleman who worked for a planning firm who
recently completed yet another study on Roosevelt Blvd transit (he said
that he couldn't give any details, but I pried out some - they were
looking at light rail in the median of the road, and they decided that
it was a great idea); the gentleman who coordinates transit for the
Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging; a very nice suburban lady with a
strong interest in the environment; and me.  I'm happy that we all
agreed that the BRT was a crock, since people generally don't like to
ride the bus.  We agreed that their should have been a third option: 
electric busses, since they are more environmentally benign.  We spent
$2.5 billion on system upgrades (we all agreed to return Rts 23 and 56
to trolleys, esp. since the planner lives on the Rt 23 and he hates the
noisy, dirty bus), and improving the overall appearance of stations etc;
and a modern fare system.

----
I started a new job at 56th and Kingsessing a few weeks ago; besides
being thrilled to have finally upgraded my status from poverty stricken
student to someone with a paycheck (hey, that means that I can finally
mail a bunch of packages - trolley lights and Toronto maps - to patient
list members!) I get to ride the trolley every day.  I can't wait for
the Rt 13 work to be completed, since the ride takes forever from 30th
Street Station to 56th Street; it involves a detour and the trolley
driver stopping to change the switch twice.  The detour takes us past
the Woodland depot, and one morning they had a trolley with the new LCD
signs; will try to get a picture the next time.  I am not in favor of
them, but maybe others will like them.

---
Work continues on Germantown Ave.  The wires have been removed Mermaid
Loop to Gowen Ave, but the last time I checked, the poles were still up.
If anyone is interested, I'll go out to take some pictures since it is a
few blocks from my house.

e

--- End forwarded message ---