Commute routes to center city from Main line towns/ Jenkintown area (Philadelphia: upper-class, crime)

[dorianwales]

Hello all,

We've been visiting Philadelphia and the area trying to decide on a desireable location for our planned relocation.

This forum has been very helpful. I intend on summerizing our experience for the benefit of others as well.

We've been driving through the area quite extensively and have a couple of questions on commuting routes.

Driving from the Main Line to center city - Lancaster Ave. very quickly transformed into not the most hospitable place on earth. The GPS actually asked us to make a left on Girard ave but we hadn't noticed it and continued on through Lancaster to Drexel and then to Market. We've been driving through Philadelphia and I must say that area appeared to be far worse than others we've seen, which I would characterize as everyday working class areas (north Philly, south of Cheltenham, for example). Do "main liners" commute via lancaster ave to center city?

Also, commuting from Jenkintown to center city would take you through Broad which, upon recommendation, we avoided and took a serious detour to hwy 95 south.

I'd love to hear from your experience on these routes. I don't like the idea of having to avoid certain areas unless this is recommended.

[FindingZen]

There are no convenient freeways heading from the Main Line or Jenkintown areas. It's true that there are a good portion of lower-income-to-working-class neighorhoods in Philly. However, there are many middle-to-upper-class areas here as well, particularly in NW and NE Philly. As I recall you are relocating to the USA, you should know that Philly is not unique among larger American cities where the plurality/majority of economic prosperity is outside of the city. In any case, if you're traveling through North or West Philly during the daytime, it's highly unlikely anyone will approach you at a stoplight; crime there usually happens between people who either know each other or were otherwise looking for trouble.

Unless you need to drive as part of your job, why not consider taking the train? The Paoli-Thorndale Line runs through the Main Line to downtown while several routes go through the Jenkintown-Wyncote station. Besides the stop-and-go traffic you'll inevitably endure heading from either location, the most convenient parking will cost more on a daily basis than a weekly or monthly train pass. Check out www.septa.org for more information.

[JasmineFlower]

Originally Posted by dorianwales

Also, commuting from Jenkintown to center city would take you through Broad which, upon recommendation, we avoided and took a serious detour to hwy 95 south.

Who in the world told you that? What a ridiculous way to get into the city from Jenkintown. Very much a waste of time. Yes, take Broad. I mean, is Broad Street through Logan, Olney, and heading toward Temple some great area? No, but is someone going to reach in, yank your door open, and pull your from your car? No. I'd be dead by now if that was the case. People are entirely too paranoid, they shouldn't have told you to avoid Broad St. You're not on Broad that long, and when you are, its a busy street with cars and activity, its fine. If you are at all concerned, exercise some basic caution, keep your doors locked (something I'd suggest doing at all times anyway), keep your windows rolled up, and don't lean too heavy on the beep for minor driving infractions (a tip I'd suggest for any part of the city), you'll be just fine.

In Jenkintown or Elkins Park, you can take Old York Road, which will turn into Broad, and get onto Roosevelt Blvd, which will turn into 76 into Center City. Without traffic, it takes about a half hour, with rush hour traffic, more like 45 minutes, sometimes an hour because there's been construction on Roosevelt Blvd that can slow things down more.

Now, it really depends on where in Jenkintown you are, the above tends to be the shortest, but you can also take Washington Lane towards Johnson to Lincoln Drive to 76 into the city, there's a couple of other ways too but basically they lead to Lincoln Drive, which can take you to 76 or to another drive into Center City.

None of the routes is a straight shot, but they all basically take the same amount of time if you have the same starting point give or take 10 minutes depending on traffic.

There's truly no need to be afraid of your own shadow when driving up main streets from Jenkintown to Center City, even in the less than perfect neighborhoods.

[pman]

train

[mltimes]

Agree with JasmineFlower's route from Jenkintown. From the western suburbs, it depends where you are.

From close in places like Wynnewood and Narberth, take back roads to City Line & Lancaster Avenue. Turn left on 52nd Street and around the Mann through the park, past the Please Touch, then cut over Sweetbriar, and down West River Drive. Or, if you need to be farther north and west in center city, don't turn on Sweetbriar, cross over the river, and right on Poplar, which will put you toward Kelly or over to Girard Avenue.

From Bala, I'd cross over City Line down to West River. No point going over to Lancaster, or sitting on the Expressway if you're that close in.

From moderate suburbs (eg, Ardmore, Penn Valley, Bryn Mawr) if you are between say Lancaster and the River, take back roads like River Road, Black Rock, etc. to get on the Expressway in Gladwyne. If you are further south but close in (like south side of Haverford or Ardmore), I'd probably take Haverford to Wynnewood and pick up the directions from Lancaster Avenue.

Farther than that, like Wayne, I'd probably take the Blue Route to 76, though I personally wouldn't and haven't ever lived that far out so I have no personal experience. If you're in someplace like Paoli, just take the train.