Besides 676, the biggest problem on 76 is the f-ed up area at City Line Ave. I'm almost of the opinion that all the ramps should just be removed and let folks find another way to Bryn Mawr and Bala-Cynwyd.

There's just too much lane shifting and just on the westbound side alone there's THREE onramps in such a short span you got almost no choice but to sit in the lanes marked for the City Ave exit (hugging the barricade), skip the exit, then muscle your vehicle into that nasty merge just to avoid 15-20 minutes of backup. 60% of the time this maneuver works, unless it's seriously backed up or too many people know about that tactic and are trying it.

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WHYY pays their CEO $750,000 a year. So WHYY should I renew my membership? Seems they have no problems finding money and spending it unwisely.


And this is why you should donate to PACCA, not PETA:

In September, PETA made headlines in Vermont and across the nation for asking Ben & Jerry's ice cream to use human breast milk in their ice cream, instead of cow milk

There's only two possible fixes, and both of them are extremely expensive.

Option A - bore pylons into the center and sides of 76 and build a limited access express deck above 76, with ramps on and off 76 itself (no local access permitted). That would allow thru-traffic to blow by all the townships to get to KOP and the turnpike.

This option is much cheaper than option B, but you'd have to arm yourself with semi-automatic rifles, a BFG and a neutrino bomb to fend off the hoardes of NIMBYs in the rich suburbs who want an unobstructed view of the barditch... er Schuykill.


Option B - using TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines), build an express tunnel underneath the Schuykill River with very limited access. This would remove enough through traffic off 76 to make Main-Line-to-CC traffic and back go faster than 20mph and would take some pressure off 676 and 476).

This option would cost as much as the Big Dig, be the second longest traffic tunnel in the world and would be a union-and contractor patronage bonanza just like TBD was. Plus we'd all be dead by the time the tunnel opens to traffic.

But... it would be very cool to our city if we did do it, it would also strip out massive tonnage of pollutants from all over the region out of our atmos and would prepare Philadelphia for the next economic boom that hits us.

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WHYY pays their CEO $750,000 a year. So WHYY should I renew my membership? Seems they have no problems finding money and spending it unwisely.


And this is why you should donate to PACCA, not PETA:

In September, PETA made headlines in Vermont and across the nation for asking Ben & Jerry's ice cream to use human breast milk in their ice cream, instead of cow milk

No it skips from 36th by the Fed Ex on the CC side to 47th on the West Philly side. There is no 39th and Gray's Ferry or actually its right next to 14th and Broad. Actually if you look at the map the numbered streets are running at about a 60 degree angle to each other on either side of the Gray's Ferry Bridge.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=S+34th...TF8&hl=en&om=1

Better yet, take that megabucks TBM machine and bore a subway underneath Roosevelt Blvd. It'd probably carry as much or more people as an express Schuylkill tunnel.

Also, to my knowledge tunnels require massive ventilation shafts every so often. Even ignoring the cost I'm not sure it'd be possible to drill a tunnel parallel to and underneath the Schuylkill. Not to mention you'd now have millions upon millions of cubic yards of probably-contaminated Schuylkill River mud that'd now have to be trucked and dumped somewhere. Take the controversy surrounding the proposed Delaware dredging and multiply it by 10.

Getting back to the original topic: Philly is already a very walkable city in Center City and most of the outlying neighborhoods. There are few if any streets that don't have sidewalks, and few intersections that don't have crosswalks. We've also got a pretty decent network of bike lanes, and some fantastic jogging/biking trails. Having spent one miserable day walking around Tampa, I can tell you that it gets much, MUCH worse.

One thing that I think would help: making the traffic signals more pedestrian friendly. Nothing is more unfriendly than crossing the light on a standard circular green, and then having to hustle it when the light turns yellow midway through. If the city had hand/man signals, "countdown" signals, or even (gasp!) pedestrian-only phases where you can cross diagonally as well as laterally, that would be a big help.

A but what kind of people would it carry. Cue angry anti-newbie rant from zur . . . now.

We're getting countdown crosswalks, One just went in at 10th and Market.

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by the time a blvd subway would be finished North Philly and NE will have switched roles.

The lower NE by design will end up bad. Especially on the lower western side. Miles of gridded rowhomes without any redeeming features, without major employment or the ability to have it again. (Sears is a home depot)

Northwood and Frankford had architecture and history. Not sure what the appeal of Lawncrest, Lawndale and Cator Gardens is beside community.

Those areas stayed nice because of community. Much of that has left or is aging.

I do hope that the new arrivals form up quickly...they will need to to stop the decline and combat the age of those homes (they are reaching the new pipers/heating/electric age) which when housing like this goes to immigrants and the poor...tend to turn into blight within 5-10 years (See anywhere south of Adams on the Blvd)

The remaning major employer...the Federal Gov't via the DOD, regularly downsizes the Supply Center. When that goes so does a lot of reasons for staying there. (as Rising Sun slides...shame on the city for letting all of it's Ave's wither)

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From the front page of Msnbc.com
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13362927/


Funny that they are starting to redesign new developments to mimic what Philly already has. People are starting to realize the benefits and convenience of walking cities. We really have something good going here and most people don't even realize it taking it for granted.

another cheaper solution. Take mass transportation. And make it better.

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www.inafunk.com
KOOZA REVIEW>>>NEW


HEY PHILLYBLOG - SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!

I'm not bothering with either. I had to fight, scream and hang up on a lot of headhunters before I found something I could work with in CC so I can walk to work. If I see another headhunter post "PHILADELPHIA" as a job location, then turn around and admit it's really KOP I'm gonna bitchslap them in the face.

One option I was looking at last month pays slightly more than I make now, and a lot more than where I am changing jobs too, but I would be living in airports 3 days out of every week and telecommuting the rest.

Took me two years of hunting--but I finally got it. Now I can actually go to the gym at 4pm instead of at 10:30pm.

__________________
WHYY pays their CEO $750,000 a year. So WHYY should I renew my membership? Seems they have no problems finding money and spending it unwisely.


And this is why you should donate to PACCA, not PETA:

In September, PETA made headlines in Vermont and across the nation for asking Ben & Jerry's ice cream to use human breast milk in their ice cream, instead of cow milk