Is SEPTA the best? (Philadelphia, Allentown: costs, authority, train station)

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by WAOrganicFarmWannabe

You're not scared on septa buses? I'm afraid to go down into the subway nowadays. Portland's rated the best. Valley Metro in Arizona still small but if all goes well, the light rail will be 52 miles long eventually. Also, Olympia Washington is or at least was rated #1 for a small city. I don't want to hear about crapola Philadelphia. I'm escaping from this place.

PORTLAND THE BEST?! Let me get this correct.... PORTLAND?!

Portland's TriMet (this map includes light rail, buses and highways)
Portland has a red line
A yellow line
A blue line
and a green line


Philadelphia's SEPTA (this map does not include light rail, buses and highways)
Philadelphia has the Broad Street Line
The Market-Frankford Line
The PATCO Line
The Broad-Ridge Spur
The Trenton Line
The West Trenton Line
The Fox chase Line
The Warminster Line
The Glenside Line
The Doylestown Line
The Chestnut Hill East Line
The Chestnut Hill West Line
The Norristown Line
The Thorndale Line
The Media/Elwyn Line
The Cynwyd Line
The Newark Line
The Philadelphia International Airport Line
The Norristown Highspeed Line
The Media Highspeed Line
The Sharon Hill Line
The New Jersey Transit Riverline
The Route 10 trolley
The Route 11 trolley
The Route 13 trolley
The Route 15 trolley
The Route 34 trolley
The Route 36 trolley
The Route 101 trolley
The Route 102 trolley
...and is serviced by Amtrak


If you think Portland has the best transit you have no idea what you are talking about. Very few cities in the US are better than Philly when it comes to public transit. I never ride the buses, so I couldn't tell you. But no, I never feel afraid or worried on the subway or the platforms. It sounds like to me that you are afraid when you see black people.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

PORTLAND THE BEST?! Let me get this correct.... PORTLAND?!

Portland's TriMet (this map includes light rail, buses and highways)
Portland has a red line
A yellow line
A blue line
and a green line


Philadelphia's SEPTA (this map does not include light rail, buses and highways)

The map actually does include light rail.


I'd also argue that Philadelphia is better than the vast amount of American cities when it comes to public transit. However, one thing I will add, is the one thing I miss about living in a city with much worse public transit than Philadelphia (which was Minneapolis) is the ability of people and local governments to discuss putting in new lines, and then do it. When I moved to Minneapolis, the Hiawatha light rail line had just opened - in the 5 brief years I lived there, they opened the Northstar Commuter Rail line, and began construction on the Central Corridor light rail line, and two bus rapid transit lines. As well as having a number of other lines being seriously proposed at least some of which will get built.

While I think SEPTA is great, one thing about living here (and it's because of the state of PA more than the city or SEPTA) is that there are serious doubts whether even current service will be maintained - adding new lines seems impossible.

[K 22]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

While I think SEPTA is great, one thing about living here (and it's because of the state of PA more than the city or SEPTA) is that there are serious doubts whether even current service will be maintained - adding new lines seems impossible.

Well, it sounds like they're looking at the Boulevard for a possible rail line. It's certainly wide enough to accomodate one.

[FamousBlueRaincoat]

Originally Posted by K 22

Well, it sounds like they're looking at the Boulevard for a possible rail line. It's certainly wide enough to accomodate one.

They've been looking at it for 60 years. It would be great if it happened, don't get me wrong - but if anything, the BLVD extension is exactly the type of thing I'm talking about. The ability to actually get things done.

[Charlestondata]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

They've been looking at it for 60 years. It would be great if it happened, don't get me wrong - but if anything, the BLVD extension is exactly the type of thing I'm talking about. The ability to actually get things done.

The Second Avenue part of NYC's subway system has been planned since 1929 and is just now making progress with construction. Great projects call for great patience.

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/...icle-1.1337997

[MikeNigh]

I think when you look at Philly's regular public transportation (subways, trollies, buses) it appears rather average for it's size. However I think it's when you look at it's suburban coverage as separate you really get to see how much septa really covers.

[Cnote11]

The Center City area transportation, to me, isn't all THAT impressive, although the Trolleys add a new dimension. The extent of the regional rail is quite amazing, though.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by MikeNigh

I think when you look at Philly's regular public transportation (subways, trollies, buses) it appears rather average for it's size. However I think it's when you look at it's suburban coverage as separate you really get to see how much septa really covers.

When it comes to the number of rail options, Philadelphia ranks 3rd behind only New York City and Chicago when adding up commuter rail and subway lines.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by FamousBlueRaincoat

They've been looking at it for 60 years. It would be great if it happened, don't get me wrong - but if anything, the BLVD extension is exactly the type of thing I'm talking about. The ability to actually get things done.

60 years?

This year marks the centennial of the release of A. Merritt Taylor's plan for a city-built rapid transit network.

That plan included a Northeast branch off the Broad Street trunk line; it would have followed the then-new Northeast (now Roosevelt) Boulevard to about where Oxford Circle is today.

And the latest set of proposals for rapid transit in the Boulevard corridor, from what I've heard, shift the focus to bus rapid transit.

At this rate, they'll be cutting the ribbon on the Boulevard subway in 2113.

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

When it comes to the number of rail options, Philadelphia ranks 3rd behind only New York City and Chicago when adding up commuter rail and subway lines.

Is this in terms of number of lines?

In terms of the extent of territory covered, Philly's mass transit system is relatively small compared to its peers: you can take commuter trains to points more than 50 miles from Midtown Manhattan or Chicago's Loop, and almost as far from Boston Common. I think the furthest you can get from Philadelphia City Hall on Regional Rail is not quite 40 miles - Newark, Del.

Add NJT commuter rail to the mix and the figure gets better: Atlantic City is about 50 miles from Philly.

In terms of density of coverage within the territory, none of our peer cities has us beat. Regional Rail has unusually close station spacing and many branches.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

60 years?

This year marks the centennial of the release of A. Merritt Taylor's plan for a city-built rapid transit network.

That plan included a Northeast branch off the Broad Street trunk line; it would have followed the then-new Northeast (now Roosevelt) Boulevard to about where Oxford Circle is today.

And the latest set of proposals for rapid transit in the Boulevard corridor, from what I've heard, shift the focus to bus rapid transit.

At this rate, they'll be cutting the ribbon on the Boulevard subway in 2113.



Is this in terms of number of lines?

Yes

In terms of the extent of territory covered, Philly's mass transit system is relatively small compared to its peers: you can take commuter trains to points more than 50 miles from Midtown Manhattan or Chicago's Loop, and almost as far from Boston Common. I think the furthest you can get from Philadelphia City Hall on Regional Rail is not quite 40 miles - Newark, Del.

Add NJT commuter rail to the mix and the figure gets better: Atlantic City is about 50 miles from Philly.

In terms of density of coverage within the territory, none of our peer cities has us beat. Regional Rail has unusually close station spacing and many branches.

I see what you mean. Restoring rail service to places like Reading, West Chester, and Newton would be a great improvement for Septa's territorial coverage.