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Is it cost? When you look at how much some surface light rail systems have cost, maybe not. Perhaps studies have shown that people would rather not descend into darkness for the ride. Too much extra time for short rides, too much darkness for long rides.
Is it cost? When you look at how much some surface light rail systems have cost, maybe not. Perhaps studies have shown that people would rather not descend into darkness for the ride. Too much extra time for short rides, too much darkness for long rides.
The cost of surface light rail is much cheaper than the cost of either boring a tunnel or doing cut and cover tunneling for a subway. Though tunneling for light rail isn't much difference when it comes to cost compared to a heavy rail subway line.
I can't speak for other cities, but in the UK, we largely rely on central government for infrastructure funding, and there is no way in hell they are going to fund a subway system. The only new subway lines that might get built are in cities with systems already in place.
I'm from Philly, and I think that we need more subway infrastructure. First of all, the Broad Street Line needs to be extended to the Navy Yard or even to Gloucester City, NJ. The long proposed Northeast Subway should also be constructed, going as far as Woodhaven Road. PATCO needs to be extended eastward to 38th Street in University City. I also think that there should be subway spur to the airport. Here is my conceptual plan:
I'm from Philly, and I think that we need more subway infrastructure. First of all, the Broad Street Line needs to be extended to the Navy Yard or even to Gloucester City, NJ. The long proposed Northeast Subway should also be constructed, going as far as Woodhaven Road. PATCO needs to be extended eastward to 38th Street in University City. I also think that there should be subway spur to the airport. Here is my conceptual plan:
That is exactly the type of subway system Philly needs. There subway system is nice for what it is, but feels like it services only a small portion of the city, which is a shame. Though their streetcar bus system is just crazy weird and I am not sure what I think of it other than it felt like an underground amusement ride.
Expensive to build. Its much simpler to build a surface level light rail for inner city transport, and a skyway on some crowded freeway median for rapid transit than bore a tunnel, lay tracks, build & ventilate stations, ect.
Expensive to build. Its much simpler to build a surface level light rail for inner city transport, and a skyway on some crowded freeway median for rapid transit than bore a tunnel, lay tracks, build & ventilate stations, ect.
And much less efficient.
You get what you pay for. Surface level light rail is inferior to subway. Period.
That is exactly the type of subway system Philly needs. There subway system is nice for what it is, but feels like it services only a small portion of the city, which is a shame. Though their streetcar bus system is just crazy weird and I am not sure what I think of it other than it felt like an underground amusement ride.
Exactly! What we have is pretty nice, but there is so much room for improvement. One of the most interesting streets in the city, South Street, is a long walk from the Market-Frankford Line and even the Broad-Street Line. A lot of our museums are also semi-isolated from rail stations. This map, which is my honors thesis (I am a college honors student), addresses some of the issues I have seen with SEPTA's rapid transit system.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Adi from the Brunswicks
Expensive to build. Its much simpler to build a surface level light rail for inner city transport, and a skyway on some crowded freeway median for rapid transit than bore a tunnel, lay tracks, build & ventilate stations, ect.
The problem with this is that several streets in Philadelphia are narrow. Philadelphia is a colonial city, so a lot of streets in the city are narrow and even cobblestoned (which is charming). Philly used to (and still does) have one of the best trolley systems around, but to have surface level light rail in certain parts of the city is just not feasible. Market Street, the main thoroughfare of Philly, is already heavily congested by car and bus traffic, so adding surface level light rail would make for a traffic nightmare.
Philadelphia has the 3rd largest downtown population (behind New York City and Chicago), so an efficient system of downtown transportation is needed. For me, the solution is more subway lines. Philly could become so much more of a 24/7 city if we build more subway infrastructure.
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