Philadelphia Area Transportation (South Jersey section) Honors Thesis (Franklin: 2014, station)

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

The DRPA should seriously consider reopening Franklin Square station. It's a nice and convenient subway station to have given its close proximity to Chinatown and Old City.


http://njmonthly.com/downloads/4058/...d/IMG_1631.JPG

Franklin Square was fixed up & reopened for the Bicentennial. It was a bust. It didn't help that then mayor Frank Rizzo ruined the Bicentennial, but there wasn't enough usage to keep it open for rush hour.

[soug]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

Not graduate haha! This is my undergrad thesis. Since I am an honors student, I must complete a thesis to graduate *** laude, magna *** laude, or summa *** laude.

Hahaha C-D obscenity filters at work.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

Franklin Square was fixed up & reopened for the Bicentennial. It was a bust. It didn't help that then mayor Frank Rizzo ruined the Bicentennial, but there wasn't enough usage to keep it open for rush hour.

In my opinion Philly doesn't have enough subway stations to not be utilizing all of them including the abandoned stations.

[thegreengrass]

So, this is a proposed line that's currently in the environmental study stage and could be running by 2019. - Glassboro-Camden Line

Bus rapid transit is also being studied for the Route 42 corridor - South Jersey Bus Rapid Transit (SJBRT) System

I'd look at the tracks running from Camden to Mount Holly. That was apparently a proposed line way back, but I hear Moorestown basically stopped it. I think they'd be more open to it now, given that walkable places on transit lines are where people are choosing to buy homes these days (I certainly did), and that the job market is improving in Center City (see: the awesome tech scene in general, and Comcast putting up a new building that'll provide like 2,000 new tech jobs).

Something else I'd strongly recommend looking into is the issue of coordination between all of the assets that currently exist. As it is now, the Riverline, PATCO, and Atlantic City line run as independent systems that know nothing about each other. They all run have different fare systems, and they don't really seem to coordinate with each other. From my perspective as a long time South Jersey resident, there seems to be little to no coordination between the systems, and transit literacy is very low here because of it (no common regional transit map, for instance, and little to no outreach or promotion of transit options; it's hard for people to learn what's out there). Factor in that NJ Transit busses have horrible hours and run very infrequently and you can find plenty to write about in terms of improving what's already out there.

Overall, there are tons of great resources about transit in Greater Philadelphia, including some good articles like this one specifically dealing with South Jersey transit - 3 Ways to Improve South Jersey Transit (and Lure Commuters Away From Cars) – Next City

Hope this helps!

[jasomm]

Its probably a good idea to factor in where freight is traveling as well. DVRPC has a good interactive map resource here:
PhillyFreightFinder 3.1

If you haven't already, look on Google Earth and click on their Rail layer. It is a good way to visualize where existing corridors are, even if they are not in use, or used for transit.

I have worked on a plan for the Philly region over the last few years. Starting with the existing system and proposed additions, I tried to uses existing ROWs to maximize connectivity and access for the whole region, while keeping the vision reasonable, and relatively cheap... that gets me to this:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1M...it?usp=sharing
[satellite view on, Labels off for best viewing, click on lines for names]

That system includes an alignment for High Speed Rail from DC to NYC (route and track realignments). This is mostly proposed lines and a few that have been studied. Taking that design a few steps further would hinge on digging a rail tunnel under the Delaware River connecting Markets St, Phila to Market St Camden. With that one tunnel serving both the Market line (no long going to frankford) and the Patco line at the same time, the regional system can be optimized to look like this:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1M...it?usp=sharing
This would be my optimal system

This design consolidates redundant freight lines around center city, which clears several ROWs for transit and/or Schuylkill River trails/parks. I think this much of this could actually be build piecemeal in the next 35-50 years if the desire is there.

Use any of this that you like

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

In my opinion Philly doesn't have enough subway stations to not be utilizing all of them including the abandoned stations.

It's not Philly's call. The station belongs to PATCO. I road the train when Franklin Square was open. Very few people used it.

[kidphilly]

Still a work progress and mostly Philly but figured I would post as I updated it a bit

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...o.k2bFHU6_UMcc


though may reconsider the Blvd extension use of ROW (we had similar ideas in a sense) that jasomm posted

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

It's not Philly's call. The station belongs to PATCO. I road the train when Franklin Square was open. Very few people used it.

It's a different time now. That area has changed a lot since 1979. Franklin Square station at least deserves a test run but knowing how incompetent the DRPA functions, it probably won't happen.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by kidphilly

Still a work progress and mostly Philly but figured I would post as I updated it a bit

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/ed...o.k2bFHU6_UMcc


though may reconsider the Blvd extension use of ROW (we had similar ideas in a sense) that jasomm posted

Just out of curiosity, what would be the estimated cost to complete all of those mass transit projects on your map design?

[kidphilly]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

Just out of curiosity, what would be the estimated cost to complete all of those mass transit projects on your map design?

Have zero idea but most of this uses existing row

imagine high and the Blvd extension would be high I am sure

a lot of the remainder exists but obviously comes with a cost

billions and billions I am sure

I would say I have about as much experience on this front as a fantasy football player but was sort of mindful of what exists and some flow. I would propose replacing the RR lines with shorter light rail hybrids maybe 3 or so car trains but faster headways with a few more stops closer to the core.

We have a god RR infrastructure and a lot of this acts to re-task this. Plus use the Pennsy cut and some trolly lines (maybe two car lines on these)

it would also use the 25th street viaduct - an area that could benefit as well as fairmont east and Lehigh. I looked for connections outside the core to allow for better connections.

Imagine a sort of more frequent line that ran from the main line through CC and up the Blvd. Or a KOP extended Norritown line that ran up to (via CC) Trenton as an example

I also think a loop with access to South Philly, U City, CC, the Art Museum etc.

This also extends the southern portion of the old 23 to connect to the Navy yard eventually

Uses a horseshoe loop west of CC through the west market business area (connecting with new Penn developments) further SW Philly and around and up the Delaware


The 23 street line would flow through CC up the Pennsy cut, up East Fairmont and back accross Lehigh connecting the BSL and MFL

lines on a map but some thought to them.

So thinking of existing RR lines

1. Exton/Thorndale (main line) to Blvd and Neshaminy Mall area (new portion)
2. KOP (new portion and get rid of the NHSL proposal) via Norristown and to Trenton
3. Wilmington to Doylestown
4. Media (would love to extend to WC) to Warminster
5. Airport to CH East
6. Cynwyd (extended to Manayunk) to Fox Chase (extended to Newtown if possible)
7. West Trenton to Newark DE


New stops would be places like the Zoo, North Philly, Spring Garden, Girard etc.