PA's future - Brooking Institute

[tw]

Originally posted by sycamore
I was watching a show on the Discovery Times channel that made me think of this thread--the idea of "congestion pricing."
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So, how do you feel about it? How would you feel about having to pay such a toll?

I needed research in Drexel and Temple libraries. Congestion is so bad that taking the train is (by far) the best alternative. At least it used to be. SEPTA is no longer run by people from mass transit such as Giacomo and Roberts. Open parking places exist in stations. But only for monthly permits. The few 'public' spaces are said to be gone long before 7 AM. IOW I turned around and went home.

Giacomo once said every parking spot is a guaranteed customer. Now with bean counters running SEPTA into the earth, they want customers to commit to monthly contracts. Bull. Philly needs (also) people who come into town periodically and conveniently (such as by train). But instead, they would rather dump their potential customers onto the Schuykill.
As if it was not overcongested already.

Pricing of services such as parking, tolls, etc do just fine as congestion management tools. But instead, Philly (Septa) would rather make life cheaper by dumping everyone on the only (and fully congested) viaduct.

Is NYC congested? Apparently not. They lowered all tolls substantically.

So how could both towns make themselves (in the long term) more customer, employee, and tourist friendly? Mass transit must be convenient. For example, Giacomo and Roberts would have built a large regional station in Upper Gwyendd and Route 202. Many from the region park in this 'isolated from all residential areas' mass station. Then express right into Philly. Convenient. Faster than the Schuykill. And not done when those without foresight took over Septa.

Mass transit must be placed for extensions out from NYC to places like Wayne and Pike county from lines such a Gladstone or Bonton- plans today that define what will start being constructed in 20 years. Again, no such willpower to address the future of these congested regions. Would congestion pricing fix the real problem - no regional planning? I doubt it. However congestion pricing may eventually become the only alternative.

PA needs same planning for Philly to Reading and for Philly to Allentown. Again, no willpower.

Private highways priced higher in some locations. It is not known if these have been proven successful. After 10 years, there should be better evidence pro or con. Another example of congestion pricing.

Again, Septa now is the nation's worst system for on-time performance. Of course. Without knowing anything about those currently running Septa, it is a given - they don't come from mass transit. That is the type of management that could have made congesting pricing irrelevant and could help address the problems cited in the Brookings Institute. That management, instead, may make congestion pricing necessary. The alternative is simply more 'hollowing out' of PA.