To transform Philadelphia into a transit oriented city is a massive undertaking, but while New York is choking on its own infrastructure as its employers and residents flee the rising cost of doing business there, now is the time for Philadelphia to make itself.
The vision for a new Transit Authority of Philadelphia will be realized upon completion of these initial phases.
- Phase 1 – Design a Transit Network with a declared scope and committed level of service, as well as an financial and administrative paradigm to allow the system to sustain itself.
- Phase 2 – Establish a uniform fare control within the designated City Transit Zone.
- Phase 3 – Utilize existing track and rights of way to establish 3 new metro services within the Central Transit Zone.
- Phase 4 – Improve the tunnels under market street to accommodate new services, realign station stops to connect with new loop services.
- Phase 5 – Construct new tunnels for two new metro services along 5th St and Ridge & Allegheny Avenues, and complete the delivery loop.
- Phase 6 – Dig tunnels for an outer delivery loop, redirect PATCO service to terminate at City Hall. Realign I-76 through a new tunnel under Belmont Ave. Construct central parking garages along the outer loop area and at other inter modal hubs.
- Phase 7 – Dig tunnels for a subway on 28th St via the unused tunnels under Pennsylvania Avenue.
- Phase 6 – Establish streetcar lines to fill in gaps in metro service (Supplemental) and deliver people from stations in residential areas (Last Mile).
- Phase 8 – Extend the Market-Frankford Line to Northeast Philadelphia Airport and realign stations along the route to connect with intersecting services.
- Phase 9 – Close access to the area within the outer loop to other than emergency vehicles except along Broad Street and I-76. Discontinue bus services made redundant by the metro system
Check back in the coming weeks while I discuss each of these phases in depth.