In the last bit I wrote about the plan for a new subway in south philly using mostly existing rights of way, but how about two new services for North and West Philadelphia that run entirely on existing rights of way?
Mantua, Brewerytown, Strawberry Mansion, Stanton, Fairhill, Juniata, what do all these neighborhoods have in common?
Not that they are all rough neighborhoods.
They are all situated along train tracks, but have no train stations.
What if stations?
Two new metro services on existing tracks. The yellow line is currently in service for Amtrak and SEPTA routes, the right of way is four tracks wide and could easily accommodate additional Metro service with improvements to switching infrastructure.
The blue line does not currently see passenger service of any kind, and on the surface, seems less useful than the yellow line, it has several unique benefits.
The station in Brewerytown will make a huge difference in traffic on 76 by keeping nearby residents off the roads.
The far reaches of the line cutting through Kensington and Port Richmond carry passengers to and from the Frankford El, encouraging transit use in winter months when long walks encourage people to use cars.
The middle section connects the BSS and the MFL, making the system more multi-dimensional. The blue becomes more and more useful as the transit system develops towards a state of grid integrity.
Perhaps the greatest benefits of the EZ metro will be social ones. Both lines serve gentrifying and blighted neighborhoods alike. By expanding mobility you expand the horizons of the cities poorest residents and expand their opportunities to access employment and education.
Whether or not you care about the well being of the city’s poor, raising the bar for the lowest standard of living just a bit will do good to stem the tide of violence that has plagued the city for so long, which will serve to revitalize the city’s urban experience and metropolitanism by quelling the culture of fear that has perpetuated the cyclic decay of the 20th century.