transportation : Development News

Unlike many other local colleges and universities, families of Swarthmore College students often have to go miles out of their way to find lodging. It's not uncommon for these families to have to stay as far away as the Airport area. However, if a proposed new Town Center continues on its path to fruition, those visiting the college or the borough won't have to skip town to find a bed. Swarthmore College has begun the re-routing of utilities to allow for Swarthmore Town Center West, which is a complex slated to include an inn, restaurant and lounge, and re-located campus bookstore. 

The idea of an inn in the borough of Swarthmore gets a lot of people excited, whether they're affiliated with the college or live in town. The college is endeavoring to build a 40-45 room inn, which would be open to anyone visiting Delaware County. "It's an idea that's been discussed and debated for a number of years," offers Marty Spiegel, Swarthmore Borough's town center coordinator. This will "draw more people into downtown (Swarthmore)," he adds. Spiegel  especially covets the increased pedestrian traffic he says this inn will generate.

While the inn has a lot of students and townsfolk talking, so too does the idea of a restaurant and lounge. Spiegel recounts that the community would like a restaurant that is a short and non-treacherous walk for residents, as well as an appropriate gathering place for people to meet and chat. The coordinator says the grades are still out as to whether the restaurant will be formal or casual, as the college is currently embarking on marketing studies to see what kind of eatery would work best.   

Currently, Swarthmore College is moving ball fields to potentially make way for the Town Center. Spiegel estimates that plans for the new complex will be ready for preliminary review and analysis in a few months. If all goes according to plan, he believes construction will commence in 2013, with a possible completion and opening date in 2014.  

If Swarthmore Town Center West does get approved, it could also result in a re-engineering of the Route 320 underpass by SEPTA's Swarthmore Station. "This brings added importance to that issue," says Spiegel, who is concerned about the dangers of existing traffic at the intersection of Swarthmore Borough and College, and the commuter traffic from the station. While the southernmost exit of the college, which stares the underpass down, would have to be removed for the Town Center, the new development would undoubtedly bring increased vehicular traffic. 

Spiegel wants to emphasize his wish that the new complex minimize the need to use a car. He explains that the development is "ideally suited" by being convenient to the center of the borough, the college and the train station. He envisions residents and students walking from the borough and the college to grab some dinner, and visitors taking the train to stay at the inn. 

Source: Marty Spiegel, Swarthmore Borough
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Map art by Alex Forbes

Despite a budget shortfall, SEPTA will be able to resume purchasing hybrid diesel-electric buses thanks to two grants from the US Department of Transportation. For the first time ever, SEPTA will purchase hybrid 60-foot accordion buses, which are the longest buses in the system. SEPTA’s current assortment of hybrid buses is about 30 percent more fuel efficient than equivalent clean diesel buses.

SEPTA is the beneficiary of $15 million in federal funds to cover the difference in cost between hybrid and clean diesel 60-foot buses. Luther Diggs, who’s in charge of operations at SEPTA, says it will stretch out the acquisition of these longer buses over four years, with the first year’s purchase entirely hybrid. Over the four years, SEPTA will be replacing 155 longer buses, with an option for 65 more. The percent of these that are hybrid will depend on how much more grant money becomes available. 

This opens the possibility that additional bus routes might see these longer buses. "We have some additional need for 60-foot buses," confirms Diggs. He suggests that the Route 47 bus, which was the subject of the failed skip-stop pilot and more successful attempts to speed it up, might end up seeing longer buses. Also, he hints that the extremely well-traveled Route 17 bus, which runs up and down 19th and 20th Sts. in South Philadelphia and across Center City, might be another new candidate for the 60-footers.

Shortly after the $15 million grant was announced, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced another grant of $5 million to pay for additional hybrid 40-foot buses, the most prevalent of SEPTA's fleet. This is welcome news for many local environmentalists, who earlier this year were dismayed to hear that funding difficulties meant SEPTA would cease acquiring standard-size hybrid buses. According to Diggs, SEPTA will resume purchasing these hybrid buses in 2013, and only purchase hybrid 40-foot buses in 2014. 

Diggs is convinced that hybrid buses represent the most financially sensible way for SEPTA to green its bus fleet. Diggs says SEPTA did examine running buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) in the mid-1990s. However, hybrid buses were ruled more effective than their CNG counterparts because of "infrastructure, residential neighborhoods, and cost," says Diggs. While some transit agencies in California and Texas use CNG, there are legitimate concerns about the cost of putting in CNG infrastructure and the health risks associated with natural gas.  

Source: Luther Diggs, SEPTA
Writer: Andy Sharpe 

Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) and SEPTA have completed a six-month pilot of skip-stop service on the Route 47 bus between South Philadelphia and Center City. They were hoping to speed buses up by having them stop for passengers every other block, instead of stopping at every block. However, supporters did not see the time savings they were hoping for, and in fact found some buses ran more slowly. As a result, they have re-established the bus stops that were taken away. 

Six months ago, the city and SEPTA were dreaming about allowing the Route 47 bus to run seven or more minutes faster, which would enable a bus to make an extra run. Fast forward to the pilot, and the reality was a bus that ran almost two minutes quicker at the most, according to Ariel Ben-Amos, a planner in the MOTU. This was on the northbound side, which saw more time savings than the southbound side. Unexpectedly, southbound service was 1 minute, 12 seconds slower during the afternoon rush hour with the skip-stop service, says Ben-Amos. At other times of the day, the removal of stops only sped the southbound bus up by about a minute.

The Office of Transportation and Utilities has a few explanations for why the service alteration didn't work as well as expected. The Route 47 traverses a "very dense neighborhood with lots of blocks we have to stop at because of stop signs," recognizes Ben-Amos. The planner also blames seemingly omnipresent utility work, which delayed the route by forcing buses to detour. Ben-Amos elaborates by saying there was a detour along the route at some time about every other day.

Another factor to the reversal on the Route 47 pilot was changing rider and community group reactions. Ben-Amos says that some riders noticed a faster trip on their bus, but others did not. This dampened rider support for the pilot. At the beginning of the pilot, there was weighty support from community groups along the bus route. However, at least one civic association expressed skepticism about the removal of a few stops later during the pilot.

Stop consolidation was a major part of the city and SEPTA’s test, but it wasn’'t the only change in service. They also decided to depart buses every six minutes from their terminus at Oregon Ave.'s Whitman Plaza, regardless of what time it was. This change is also being done away with. However, other elements of the pilot are being retained, such as the change in trash collection times to avoid delaying buses during rush hour, backdoor loading at 8th and Market Sts. during the afternoon rush period, and the moving of the 8th and Walnut Sts. stop to the far side of the intersection. 

Another component that will be retained is the newfound cooperation between the city and SEPTA. For decades, it looked like city transportation officials and SEPTA couldn’t get on the same page. Ben-Amos says he’s especially happy that this has changed. This cooperation will again be on display as the city and the Authority work on traffic signal priority for select bus and trolley routes.

Source: Ariel Ben-Amos, Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Many Philadelphians would say that University City is one of the hottest sections of the city for development. In fact, it seems like both the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University have grand plans to further development in their pockets of the city. With this in mind, Penn Praxis, the University City District, and Sustainable Communities Initiative- West have teamed up with other community, university, and business interests to form the Friends of 40th St. The Friends held their final public meeting last week to brainstorm ways to enhance the 40th St. corridor between Baltimore and Lancaster Aves.

Harris Steinberg, the executive director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Praxis did much of the talking at the public input meeting. Steinberg makes it clear that transportation is one of the biggest slices of the Friends goals. This includes “thinking of our transit portals as important markers,” says Steinberg. 40th St. is an important transit stretch, as it includes the Southwest Philadelphia trolley portal at Baltimore Ave., the 40th St. Market-Frankford Line Station at Market St, and connections with heavily-traveled cross-town bus routes.

One transit issue that stuck a nerve with the crowd was making the station at 40th and Market Sts. handicapped accessible. Even though neighboring El stations have elevators, 40th St. Station does not, despite being feet away from senior housing. Steinberg confirmed that “universal accessibility for all users” is a big area of study for the Friends.

Yet, some members of the audience didn’t feel like the Friends were pushing hard enough for elevators, as question after question emerged about the accessibility of the station. Finally, a representative of Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell’s office spoke up and promised the councilwoman would convene a meeting between SEPTA and neighbors about constructing elevators at 40th St Station.

It’s important to note that transportation isn’t the only aspect the Friends of 40th St. are concentrating on. Steinberg showed a picture of the pocket park around 17th and Chestnut Sts. as an example of how parks could make the street a more appealing corridor. Two other elements that are being examined are preservation/development and density. Specifically, the Friends are researching whether 40th St. can support greater density to create a more vibrant urban environment.

The idea of greater density made some in the audience uncomfortable. Long-time residents griped about a lack of parking and other quality-of-life issues caused by an increase in student population. They also raised their hands to complain about what they saw as local institutions having too much control over development. Steinberg, poised as ever, responds “as new development happens, quality of the built environment would improve the quality of your life.” That sums up what the Friends of 40th St. are trying to do, which is improve the quality of life of everyone who lives, works, shops, or attends classes along the 40th St. corridor.           

Source: Harris Steinberg, PennPraxis
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Spring Garden St. is one of Center City’s prime east-west arterials, connecting the art museum on one side with the Delaware River on the other. Yet, there is a pervasive feeling that the four-lane artery is not living up to its potential. Because of this feeling, the Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC), in conjunction with Sam Schwartz Engineering and Interface Studios, held a public information session last week to discuss how to create a Spring Garden Street greenway that would better cater it to all forms of transportation.

Many attendees of the meeting represented bicycle interests, which PEC was well-positioned to address as a bicycle and pedestrian trail advocacy group. Speakers at the meeting representing PEC, Sam Schwartz, and Interface announced two options that would make conditions safer for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders. Doug Adams, a project manager at Sam Schwartz, revealed that consultants were looking into buffered bike lanes either in the center median of the street, or curbside.

Given this was the first public meeting for the greenway, there were very few absolutes. There were some areas where consultants were strongly leaning towards a course of action. For example, Adams said both alternatives recommended that the forward travel lanes on Spring Garden be reduced from 12 feet each to 10 feet each. Also, both alternatives call for buffered bike lanes, although it is still up for debate as to whether the buffer will be landscaping, like is being proposed for Market St. and JFK Blvd. in Center City, or a parking lane.

The planning team also expressed a desire to improve conditions for pedestrians and transit riders. Adams said that brighter lighting would likely be included for pedestrians, especially along blocks that can currently feel a little intimidating to walk along. Spencer Finch, PEC’s director for sustainable infrastructure, also previewed some potential conveniences for transit riders. “A connection to the (Broad-Ridge) spur subway might be created at Ridge and Spring Garden,” says Finch.

Consultants are also discussing better stormwater management along the street. Adams mentions bioswales, rain gardens, and porous pavement as techniques that the consulting team is analyzing. One of the more controversial ideas being batted around is the option of eliminating vehicular left-turn lanes, which would force motorists to make three right turns instead. This would be helpful if the public and the consultants decide they prefer the median bike lanes.

This meeting was the first public input session of many to be held. It will be a fairly long process, as speakers said the earliest possible completion date for the greenway will be 2014 or 2015. Finch did re-assure the crowd that there was support for making Spring Garden St. more bicycle and pedestrian-friendly from all city council members who represent the area, as well as from various relevant city agencies. With that in mind, just about every part of the greenway is still up for debate. It’s now up to the people who live, commute, work, and/or shop along the corridor to provide the debate.  

Sources: Spencer Finch, Pennsylvania Environmental Council and Doug Adams, Sam Schwartz Engineering
Author: Andy Sharpe

Toole Design and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission held two open houses earlier this month to present an exhausting list of bicycle and pedestrian improvements to West and Southwest Philadelphia. The Planning Commission is recommending that a myriad of different types of bicycle lanes and sidewalk enhancements be created in the west and southwest sections of the city.

Dan Goodman, a senior planner at Toole Design, envisions a West and Southwest Philadelphia where bicyclists and pedestrians are put on an even field with motorists. To achieve this, Goodman plotted buffered bike lanes, non-buffered bike lanes, and specially marked lanes to be shared by 2- and 4-wheeled modes of transportation. The audience at the University City open house was tantalized by Toole's vision for buffered bicycle lanes on Belmont Ave. and Lindbergh Blvd. "Belmont and Lindbergh might have enough room to put a bike lane and buffer," says Goodman.

Goodman says that Toole is also examining putting "sidepaths" on City and Island Aves. What's a "sidepath," you ask? He explains that a sidepath is a sidewalk for bicycles that is ideally constructed on a street so heavily traveled by autos that removing a lane is impractical. The design firm in also researching uphill bicycle lanes and downhill shared lanes on certain West and Southwest streets, such as 65th St. Finally, Goodman reassures bicyclists that West Philadelphia's Vine and Pine Street bike lanes will probably be moved away from the bus lane.

While bicyclists were a large part of Toole's study, the designers also drafted ways to make West and Southwest sidewalks more hospitable to pedestrians. Currently, "sidewalks are in such poor condition in some areas that they're deemed missing," concludes Goodman. Goodman said the Planning Commission is especially interested in fixing sidewalks around train stations and bus hubs.

It's important to note that there's no guarantee anywhere near all of the bicycle and pedestrian recommendations being made by Toole and the Planning Commission will be implemented. At the University City open house, the deputy transportation commissioner in the Streets Department, Steve Buckley, attended to give a realistic assessment of the plan's chances for success. Buckley made it clear that there was no certainty that every recommendation would actually happen. The deputy commissioner did divulge that money gleaned from red light cameras would go toward re-striping bike lanes.

Toole Design and the city are studying West and Southwest Philadelphia as part of the second phase of their Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. The first phase represents most of the city's population, and covers Center City, South, Northwest, and most of North Philadelphia. The rest of the second phase is comprised of Northeast Philadelphia, communities around the Delaware River, Olney, and East and West Oak Lane. Two additional open houses will be held this week, with one in Juniata and the other in the far Northeast.

Source: Dan Goodman, Toole Design
Writer: Andy Sharpe

This week the City of Philadelphia is wrapping up a pilot to see what impact removing a lane of vehicular traffic on Market St. and John F. Kennedy Blvd. between 15th and 20th Sts. has on traffic flow. The pilot, which began on Oct. 9, has shifted both streets into three-lane arteries by taking out the left-side lane. The city's Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU) is working with the Center City District on this as part of a continuing campaign to make streets kinder to bicyclists and pedestrians.

So far, the city has not noticed too much change to traffic flow caused by the lane closures on the well-traveled streets, reports Aaron Ritz, the Active Transportation Coordinator in the Office of Transportation and Utilities.  "We've gotten just a scattering of emails and phone calls," says Ritz. "Our initial observations are that there has been little impact to traffic flow." In fact, the most noticeable impact to traffic flow has likely been how much easier it is for bicyclists and pedestrians to navigate the streets, as they now have a lane of traffic for themselves. 

This is true even in the face of the Occupy Philly protests that have been transpiring during the same period of time, sometimes resulting in traffic disruptions. In fact, both the timing and location of Occupy Philly have been unfavorable to this pilot, as protest-related closures of 15th and Market Sts. at and around City Hall have wrought traffic headaches on both of the skinnier streets. Thus, it's somewhat surprising that MOTU says so few people have complained about the temporarily defunct lanes. Ritz does assure everyone that Occupy Philly gridlock won't doom this pilot.

While Ritz's observations hint that the effort will be successful, the jury remains out as there's still a week left. If the pilot proves fruitful, the city and the Center City District have a dream of creating a buffered bike lane with verdant landscaping separating the bike lane from the other lanes. This would improve the aesthetics of both streets, as well as provide more effective stormwater management. 

If the city decides to go through with the protected bike lane, the major challenge will be procuring funds. Ritz assures that the city and the Center City District will chase any source of funding through PennDOT or the US Department of Transportation. The District does have experience in securing grants for green space, as they were the recipients of a large federal payout for the Dilworth Plaza renovations. 

This experiment is just the latest in an attempt to foster Complete Streets in Philadelphia, which means improving streets so bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, and motorists are treated equally. Ritz evokes the Spruce and Pine St. bicycle lanes and the South St. Bridge overhaul as other examples of the city's commitment to Complete Streets. A joint goal is to improve Center City west of Broad Street. "If completed, the JFK and Market street projects will be an integral part of remaking (the) west (part of) Center City into a vibrant place for visitors, residents and workers," idealizes Ritz.   

Source: Aaron Ritz, Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Shop-a-holics with finer tastes are used to extravagant unveilings of new products or fashions at the King of Prussia Mall in Montgomery County. On Friday, the largest shopping mall on the East Coast hosted a different kind of unveiling.

Local politicians and mall officials were on hand at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for four new electric vehicle charging stations at the mall. The stations will allow drivers to simply pull up and plug in. Charging will be free during an introductory period, and prices will be established by 350Green, the EV charging service provider working with the mall. Starting  this month, mall shoppers will have access to a pair of Level 2 chargers at 208/420 volts (standard for all electric cars) located in front of Nordstrom in the upper level parking deck. Two more units are slated for installation on the upper level deck of the court near Bloomingdale's.

The self-serve stations, partially funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, are able to "top off" or "partially charge" an electric vehicle in anywhere from one to two hours. Electric cars are nothing new to King of Prussia Mall. The mall's public safety team uses an electric Gem Car, which operates on a 72-volt battery system.

More than a dozen new plug-in electric car models are expected to arrive on the market by next year, fueled in part by President Obama's goal to have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.

Source: King of Prussia Mall
Writer: Joe Petrucci

Viridity Energy joined with Mayor Nutter to cut the ribbon on its new Center City office last week, located on the top floor of 10 Penn Center. Viridity is an up-and-coming renewable energy company most notable for working with SEPTA on rail regenerative braking and Jefferson Hospital on wind energy storage. Before the opening of the new office, Viridity was located in Conshohocken, about 14 miles from Center City.

The innovative energy firm is excited to now be located downtown. H.G. Chissell, Viridity’s strategic development director, is convinced that his company made a good decision in moving. He points out that employees, clients, and partners can get to and from New York and Washington D.C. much more quickly and easily from Center City. This improves the lines of communication between Viridity and its growing list of clients and partners. Along with this, Chissell says that many talented, skilled people are attracted to companies with a downtown address.

Another impetus to Viridity’s move is its expansion. "We needed more space because we expanded so quickly," says Chissell. The firm now employs forty people, and continues to make headlines. Chissell is especially eager to point out his company’s increased program development and network operations space at the new location. The office also offers ample conference, cubicle, and technology room.

"The management of the building has a commitment to sustainability in line with ours," praises Chissell. As a matter of fact, the high-rise was awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold status. Below LEED Platinum, LEED Gold is the second highest sustainability designation. Some of the strategic development director’s favorite sustainable features of the skyscraper include its abundance of recycled content and outside air flow.

Some of the most notable clients include Drexel University, SEPTA, Jefferson Hospital, Con-Ed Electricity, and the U.S. Army’s Fort Meade. When Chissell mentioned ease and speed of traveling to New York and Washington, he may have been thinking about Con-Ed, which is New York City’s energy provider, and Fort Meade, which is located in the Baltimore-Washington area.

Chissell summarizes Viridity’s mission as a company that strives to make its clients and partners more aware of the electricity they use. "Viridity is taking consumers and turning them into prosumers," sums up Chissell. "Prosumers" are professional consumers who are knowledgeable about the production of the energy they utilize. As electricity continues to become more in demand, and Viridity continues its growth pattern, expect to see many more prosumers. 

Source: H.G. Chissell, Viridity Energy
Writer: Andy Sharpe

The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) is embarking on an ambitious plan to make it easier to get to and from the Delaware River. To do this, they have identified three connector streets that will receive bicycle, pedestrian, lighting, and artistic improvements. These streets are Race and Spring Garden Sts., and Columbia Ave. On Thursday, DRWC will unveil the enhanced sidewalks, lighting, and artwork along Race St.

One of the most eye-catching changes to the Race St connector beneath I-95, which runs between Columbus Blvd. and 2nd St., will be a 24-hour-a-day projection of the Delaware river on four LED screens. These screens will be hooked up to cameras along the river, which will capture every wave, boat, and aquatic animal, and be able to shift on account of lighting conditions. Tom Corcoran, president of DRWC, explained that this will be a technique to help bridge the gap between the river and the rest of the city. This river projection is the product of artists Richard Torchia and Aaron Igler, and was the winning entry in a competition by the city's Office of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy.

Corcoran says that other updates to this section of Race St. include the installation of colorful "high-impact" lighting, the widening of sidewalks to better suit pedestrians, a more navigable intersection with the I-95 entrance, and the striping and painting of a bicycle lane on the north side of the street. The lighting and sidewalk improvements will be on display starting this week, while the roadwork and bicycle lane will be part of a second phase of work to be completed later. All of this is part of Corcoran’s dream to make Race St. an inviting, not intimidating, conduit to the Delaware River via foot, bike, or car.

While Corcoran is elated at the work being done with the Race St. connector, his vision extends beyond one street. The next connector between the river and the rest of the city that his corporation plans to improve is Columbia Ave., which leads to Penn Treaty Park and the river. Not wasting any time, this project is being done on a "rush basis," says Corcoran. This effort is a collaboration with PennDOT, and involves plenty of consultation with Fishtown neighborhood groups over artistic elements that capture the unique qualities of the neighborhood.

Similarly, the Waterfront Corporation plans to work with the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association (NLNA) to make the Spring Garden St. connector to the Delaware River more bicycle and pedestrian amenable, more luminous, and more artistic. Corcoran gives Spring 2012 as a probable start date for this. Another element of this project may be a push to get SEPTA to increase service frequency on routes that use Spring Garden St., including the Routes 25 and 43. Corcoran intimated that DRWC will make an effort to lobby for increased bus service, along with light rail service in the median of Columbus Blvd. in the coming decade.   

Source: Tom Corcoran, DRWC
Writer: Andy Sharpe

For one week in mid-October, pedestrians and bicyclists on Christian and Catharine Streets in Southwest Center City will be able to breathe a little calmer. This is thanks to the South of South Neighborhood Association (SOSNA), which will be implementing creative traffic calming techniques as part of their Better Blocks Philly celebration for DesignPhiladelphia.

While it would be a stretch to say all the details have been worked out by now, Katie Winkler, a design coordinator for Better Blocks Philly, was able to give a rough itinerary. In short, the event will raise awareness of safer streetscape and neighborhood design policy and local businesses, aiming to even the playing field between cars, pedestrians, and bicycles. Winkler says raised mid-block crossings will make it easier for pedestrians to cross streets, bump-outs will be constructed at intersections to slow down vehicles, and the installation of new signage will make sure motorists are aware to share the road.

Winkler is also aiming to beautify Southwest Center City. “We will be having trees generously donated to us from the new Tree Philly Program of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, as well as other planted material from Greensgrow Farms and County Line Nursery,” says Winkler. Additionally, the neighborhood will offer more sidewalk lounge space by crafting a parklet at 17th and Christian Sts -- similar to the recently opened one near Clark Park in West Philadelphia.

Another important component to Better Blocks Philly is the rehabilitation of unused building space. Winkler currently has two or three spaces in mind that she wants to turn into short-term cafes or shops. As well, a coalition of 30 craftspeople and thinkers called PhillyWorks plans to set up an open studio and/or think-tank space. Also, a group called Cartographilly might set up a space to showcase its Philadelphia mapping project.

Inspiration for Better Blocks Philly comes from a variety of different places. According to Winkler, Philadelphia Park(ing) Day, where parking spots across the city sprouted into one-day parks, was a weighty inspiration. Also, inspiration was gleaned from other U.S. cities including Seattle, Portland, and especially Dallas. Believe it or not, the Texas bastion was where the national Better Block movement originated. SOSNA is acting as the "project head," while Wallace, Roberts, & Todd is the "lead design coordinator" and Brown and Keener Urban Design is the "lead event programming and sponsorship coordinator."

Source: Katie Winkler
Writer: Andy Sharpe

SMP Architects helped transform a parking spot on the 1600 block of Walnut St into a coffee garden, just one of over 30 parking spots in Philadelphia transformed into parks for the fourth annual Park(ing) Day. Indeed, the aroma of coffee penetrated the air around 16th and Walnut, all to generate awareness of the perceived negative impact of cars on a city.

SMP certainly demonstrated its commitment to Park(ing) Day, as they had their display percolating from 8:30 a.m. until at least 3:30 p.m., says architect Scott Ritchie. To be sure, the coffee theme was a unique one on this day. “Ground is essential to a city, so we collected coffee grounds from local shops,” said Ritchie, who was eager to explain his firm’s eclectic choice. All told, the spot contained scores of cups filled with coffee grounds from area coffee shops.

Ritchie explained that his firm pounced at the chance to participate in Park(ing) Day because of its history of sustainable design. “We want to be a part of the dialogue that makes the city greener,” says Ritchie. When asked about the primary benefits of the day, the architect mentioned discussion about pedestrian conditions, as well as the effect of autos on a city.

By far, most of the one-day parks were located in Center City, although University City, Mount Airy, Manayunk, and North Philadelphia all had participating spots. Organizations that came out for the day included city and regional planning agencies, other city government bodies, architecture and design firms, alternative transportation advocacy groups, and community development corporations.

Park(ing) Day began in San Francisco back in 2005, the brainchild of an art and design firm called Rebar. It has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, with events in 183 cities spanning six continents. In the U.S., cities that saw parks temporarily sprout up included Memphis, New Orleans, Raleigh, and Salt Lake City.

Of course, there was no tally of how many angry drivers inched by the newly formed parks. At the 1600 Walnut St. park, Ritchie saw a few miffed motorists. However, putting it in perspective, Ritchie says it was a negligible impact for one day -- a day set aside for those not driving in downtown areas. 

Source: Scott Ritchie, SMP Architects
Writer: Andy Sharpe

Don’t let Chester, Delaware County’s suburban location fool you; it’s a patchwork of neighborhoods afflicted by crime and poverty. Just in the past couple of weeks, Chester saw six people shot and a man commit suicide after a traffic stop by ingesting cocaine. With those woes in mind, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) recently undertook a study analyzing how a train station can connect fans of the Philadelphia Union soccer team that plays there, office workers, and perhaps even future Chester residents.

The DVRPC study, called the “Chester Riverfront and Community Rail Access Study,” researched how Chester’s currently struggling Highland Avenue Station can better serve residents, visitors, and workers. Presently, “Highland Avenue is one with (a) very low number of boardings (84 boardings per day in 2009) and might be considered a candidate for closure under other circumstances,” says Dr. Joseph Hacker, manager in DVRPC’s Office of Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Planning.

Yet, the Union’s soccer stadium, PPL Park, stands in the way of closure, as does the recently built office complex Wharf at Rivertown. Due in large part to these destinations, DVRPC looked into rebuilding a station at Highland, or moving the station to one of two nearby locations, Townsend/Engle Streets or Flower Street.

Hacker thinks a rebuilt or relocated Highland Ave. train station could be a catalyst for some new housing development, which is something not often heard of in Chester. Specifically, Hacker points to Rivertown as an area that could be ripe for new housing. “It is my understanding that SEPTA would be eager to partner on a new station if there was a coterminous development supporting a new investment,” said DVRPC’s manager. “A $27 million investment (the cost to build a new station) is not warranted by the weekly soccer ridership.”

According to DVRPC, distance and accessibility to PPL Park and the Wharf at Rivertown are two of the greatest factors that went into the study. Accessibility is defined as “the legibility and the safety of the path between the station and the respective destination,” in the words of Hacker.

In fact, DVRPC’s current Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) addresses the Chester study. Both the Flower and Townsend/Engle St. sites have improved pedestrian crossings over a freight line leading to the PPL Park and Rivertown programmed into the TIP. As for the Highland Ave. site, there is a TIP item concerning signage and streetscaping there, to make for a better walking environment.

While Chester continues to be plagued by high crime and low incomes, a train station might lay down the track for the resuscitation of the suburban city. While a rebuilt or relocated Highland Ave. Station would be a good thing for Union fans and office workers, it could be a marvelous thing for residents. 

Source: Dr. Joseph Hacker, DVRPC
Writer: Andy Sharpe

If you ride SEPTA buses or trolleys, you have likely experienced what it feels like to be stopped at a red light block after block after block. The great news for you is that Philadelphia and SEPTA are working together to help alleviate your headache. In as little as 18 months, three select SEPTA bus or trolley routes within the city will be able to move a little faster, thanks to the planned re-timing of traffic lights to prioritize SEPTA vehicles.

Andrew Stober, chief of staff for the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU), explained just what traffic signal prioritization means. For instance, if a light cycle for a given intersection with no participating SEPTA routes passing through is 60 seconds, each direction would get 30 seconds of green. However, the city and SEPTA plan to utilize transponders atop buses and trolleys to alter traffic light timing so that a street’s lights will remain green for 40 seconds when a mass transit vehicle approaches.  

Currently MOTU is working with SEPTA to determine which bus or trolley routes are most deserving of traffic light prioritization. According to Stober, the five routes being debated for light re-timing are the routes 6, 52, and 60 buses, the route 13 trolley, and the route 66 trackless trolley. Stober described some criteria for the choice of routes. “All run along a single arterial with a lot of traffic signals,” he said. It is important to note that the prioritization will occur along the entirety of the three routes chosen, not just parts of them.

Interestingly, none of these routes go through Center City, which is not an accident. Stober justified these routes because they feed the Broad Street or Market-Frankford lines, which can subsequently be used to get downtown. With that in mind, the routes seem to represent many other parts of the city, including Southwest, West, North, Northeast, and Northwest Philadelphia.

Stober glorifies the transit prioritization by pointing out the many perceived benefits. The prioritization will "improve flow on capacity-constrained streets," boasted Stober. "The improvements will help increase transit modeshare." Not leaving out non-transit drivers, he added that other vehicles traveling in the same direction as the chosen buses or trolleys will also benefit from the lengthened green light.

This is all made possible by a $3.5 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration (FHwA). The city and SEPTA expect the transit preference to begin in 18 months to two years. This is just the latest collaboration between the transit agency and the city it serve to speed up transit vehicles. It comes on the heels of the removal of half the stops for the route 47 bus between Market Street and its South Philadelphia endpoint.

Source: Andrew Stober, Philadelphia Mayor's Office on Transportation and Utilities
Writer: Andy Sharpe

At a press conference this past week, SEPTA announced that its Board will be voting on an ambitious plan to modernize the Regional Rail fare structure in September or October. This comes after the Regional Rail Fare Policy Advisory Group, which consisted of 14 suburban and urban transportation planners and transit activists and had been meeting since May, released a report concerning SEPTA’s New Payment Technologies proposal.

However, before the Board votes on reforming Regional Rail payment, SEPTA wants more input from riders. To this end, SEPTA has placed a brief survey soliciting opinions about New Payment Technologies on its website. The authority has also promoted the survey in stations and vehicles. John McGee, SEPTA’s chief officer of New Payment Technologies, is eager to see rail riders participate in the survey. This survey "really impacts what we’re doing," said McGee. "It will help us lay out the foundation of a gated railroad system."

For Regional Rail riders, conductors, and engineers, the installation of turnstiles in the five designated Center City stations, which are Temple University, Market East, Suburban, 30th Street, and University City Stations, may be the most noticeable proposed change.

Because of this, the addition of turnstiles is also proving controversial.

"Turnstiles are both a physical and psychological barrier to riding the train," said Matt Mitchell, a director at the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers (DVARP) and a vocal member of the advisory group. "They slow down people as they’re rushing to catch the train." Yet, SEPTA remains eager to install turnstiles and gates. "We’ll buy gates soon after the Board vote in September or October," pointed out McGee.

Another notable aspect of New Payment Technology concerning Regional Rail is that, if approved by the SEPTA Board, riders to some stations closer to Center City will have to pay for traveling further, and then collect a refund when they disembark the train. McGee looked to brush off skepticism about this for riders paying with credit or debit cards. "The refund will be instantaneous for contactless credit and debit card users," reassured McGee.

It is important to add that many of these proposed changes are still at least a couple of years away. Also, some of the changes are not even etched in marble yet. "We’re still open," said McGee. "That's why we’re asking for wider input."

This means that debates over whether fares will be collected in one or both directions and what to do about paying with cash and transferring vehicles are not over. 

Source: John McGee, SEPTA
Writer: Andy Sharpe