Parking parking parking

[Dagnabit]

This is the one thing that always GETS me about the city... parking. Mainly center city I'm talking about here. Every time I go in it seems like I either have to pay $19 for three hours, I have to give my car to some jagoff valet, or I have to park 10 blocks from where I want to get to.

One time my wife and I drove in, couldn't find a place to park, had an argument about it, and drove out... eithout going to where we intended to go.

The train isn't an option where I am.

It just SUCKS! OK, rant over.

[elSicomoro]

Originally posted by Dagnabit
This is the one thing that always GETS me about the city... parking. Mainly center city I'm talking about here. Every time I go in it seems like I either have to pay $19 for three hours, I have to give my car to some jagoff valet, or I have to park 10 blocks from where I want to get to.

One time my wife and I drove in, couldn't find a place to park, had an argument about it, and drove out... eithout going to where we intended to go.

The train isn't an option where I am.

It just SUCKS! OK, rant over.

So...tell us how you REALLY feel. ;-)

I live near a Regional Rail station here in the city...and I'd use it if it weren't so damned expensive.

Interestingly, I had to pop by my work the other day on my day off (I work near Rittenhouse Square). Amazingly, I found a empty metered spot on Walnut and 19th...at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday. Thank God for my Geo.

[Violine]

Originally posted by sycamore

[/b] So...tell us how you REALLY feel. ;-)

I live near a Regional Rail station here in the city...and I'd use it if it weren't so damned expensive.

[/b]

You haven't been on anybody else's rail system, have you? Round-trip from my house on LI to Manhattan $11.50 off-peak / $18.00 peak. And that's only to Babylon - about 1/3 of the way out on the island.... I don't want to know the fare all the way to the Hamptons! Oh, and parking was not free at the rail stations, either - meters for $.50/hour with a 12 hour max.

At least SEPTA hads a $5 each way cap on their fares.

Ruth
- who, now living in small-town KS has to DRIVE everywhere, but never has a parking problem

[tw]

Originally posted by Dagnabit
The train isn't an option where I am.

It just SUCKS! OK, rant over.

Why not? The regional rails are everywhere. I have even used SEPTA to get out to Port Jefferson on the north shore of Long Island for just over $20 if I remember. I believe the LIRR was the most expensive part.

Why drive into Philly anyway? If you can spend all that money driving in (typical cost is over $0.50 per mile), then you certainly can afford $20 parking fees. Center City does not even cost that much.

Compared to many big east coast cities, Philly is cheap (lesser expensive).

[Dagnabit]

The train for me is like a 25 minute drive away, and that's to a station where there is NO parking available by 10 am weekdays (Paoli). So already I've added like 30 minutes to the trip which would get me about halfway into town on a typical day.

[russotto]

Anyone who has an actual cost of 0.50/mile must be driving a better car than I am, that's for sure. They can afford those Center City garages.

[tw]

Originally posted by Dagnabit
The train for me is like a 25 minute drive away, and that's to a station where there is NO parking available by 10 am weekdays (Paoli). So already I've added like 30 minutes to the trip which would get me about halfway into town on a typical day.

The same station was that far for me. No problem especially when the alternative is sitting - just sitting - on the Surekill.

Once I could not get parking in N Wales, so I had to go to Ambler. A pain, but less so than dealing with Philly traffic, parking (on the Surekill), tailgaters, etc. I have never had problems with Wayne Sta. which is one of many convenient alternatives to Paoli (and a less expensive ticket).

Look if you think Philly is a problem, then you did not do NYC even in the 1970s or Atlanta these days. Philly is a pain if your previous experiences are Washington, Baltimore, or early 1980 LA. But then guess what - look at the plans on the drawing boards. It will get even worse - much worse. Use the trains. Next decade you will talk about how much easier it once was. Just look at the planning - or non-planning - because politicans even got control of Septa from Mass Transit people.

[Violine]

Originally posted by tw

I have never had problems with Wayne Sta. which is one of many convenient alternatives to Paoli (and a less expensive ticket).

The Wayne station is nice. Good juice bar and friendly ticket sales office staff. I used to live in walking distance (about 1/2 a block, actually). If you catch a Limited R5 it's about 20 minutes (and no stops) into 30th Street.

- Ruth
now 45 minutes from the nearest town with a taxi system; 3.5 hours from a city with buses

[russotto]

If it's 10am, the Surekill is a nonissue-- it's easily passable by that time, barring accidents.

Wayne's hardly a convenient alternative to Paoli -- it's several miles down Route 30, not a pleasant drive due to traffic and traffic lights.

[Violine]

Originally posted by russotto

Wayne's hardly a convenient alternative to Paoli -- it's several miles down Route 30, not a pleasant drive due to traffic and traffic lights.

Conostoga Rd runs parallel to Rt 30 with only about 3 lights. If you take Conostoga to N. Wayne Ave you'll run right into the Wayne station.

- Ruth
feeling guilty that I CAN'T use public trans right now.

[elSicomoro]

[quote]Originally posted by Violine

Originally posted by sycamore

You haven't been on anybody else's rail system, have you?

I say expensive in comparing Regional Rail to the El/Bus. Although, I have dealt with Maryland's MARC system (from DC to Baltimore). The prices are pretty reasonable (5.50 from Union Station DC to Baltimore's Inner Harbor), although the trains aren't as nice, and MARC doesn't run on weekends.

[GarlicQueen]

If we could get the Schyullkill Valley Metro built within a reasonable amount of time (heck, get it built at all the way the politics is going), it would help *a lot*!

Phoenixville is becoming nearly impassable (as is Rt 23) from 7 am to 9:00 am -- I don't know where all these people came from and where they are going, but there *HAS* to be a better way to get them where they need to go!

[adamzion]

When I read a thread like this, it makes me feel oh, so good about my choice to be car-free in Center City. No worries about parking, no worries about someone breaking into a car, no worries about paying for maintenance or repairs on a car, no car insurance to pay. Combine the fact that my car costs are nil (when they average more than $8000/yr. in Philadelphia, according to one estimate) with the fact that I pay mortgage and condo fee for my place instead of exorbinant rents, and I'm living pretty damned nicely, thankew, and doing so on the cheap.

I'm also in better shape from walking more than I would be if I drove. So I take Regional Rail and taxicabs places... big deal.

Still occasionally drooling at a motorcycle, though,
Z

[tw]

Originally posted by GarlicQueen
If we could get the Schyullkill Valley Metro built within a reasonable amount of time (heck, get it built at all the way the politics is going), it would help *a lot*!

Phoenixville is becoming nearly impassable (as is Rt 23) from 7 am to 9:00 am -- I don't know where all these people came from and where they are going, but there *HAS* to be a better way to get them where they need to go!

For the Cellar Mark III(?), I shall repeat some of the obvious symptoms of Philly's future regional problems.

1) Route 202 near Gwynedd. Open land on a major regional rail line with direct highway access to all new residental development. This would be THE next Septa project IF Septa was serving the interests of the Delaware Valley Region. It will not happen because the only two Septa people who come from mass transit (Roberts and Giacomma (I never spell his name correctly) ) are gone. Septa is now dominated only by variants of MBAs - political appointees, finance department neanderthals, etc. Visit real world (successful) mass transit operations such as south Jersey's high speed line and Washington's and Baltimores systems for examples of what will never happen in Septa.

2) Route 202 is cooked. PENNDOT should have already had plans for a new beltway from the Turnpike's Lansdale area, out into the (former) farmlands, circling around KoP, crossing Route 422, and joining Route 202 somewhere just before Exton. However this requires bureaucrats in charge - not short term, political appointees who are only interested in political (and legal) bribes.

3) Phoenixville is classic of a totally mismanaged community because its residents are their own worst enemy. Previously, Phoenixville almost undermined financing for all Philly area towns by flirting with bankruptcy ONLY because its politicans were classic anti-Americans. Only the Delaware Valley Planning Commission got Phoenixville's town council together within minutes of bankruptcy. Why did DVPC to it? See sentence two. If you don't know this story, then you are a fan of that 'scum bag' Jim Garnder and Liza Thomas Laurey.

Of course those Phoenixville council members are not done yet. They have this massive, abandoned steel property directly behind the town along French Creek. Perfect for people to visit the business district AND to solve the serious traffic conjestion. Remember Phoenixville area suburbs have seen NO housing boom yet while town rush hour traffic already backs up waiting for multiple green lights.

Do they plan a highway around the town with convenient off ramps to the business district? Of course not. That would be thinking like a partiotic American. They now plan to fill this land with office buildings! How are all these office people to get into their offices? Not a problem when your politicans are only worried about the years they will be in office (and collecting legalized bribes).

Visit Phoenixville when Route 422 backs up. This is what you should expect from every Chester and Montgomery County town where the people have no idea beyond the latest car crash on Action News. We put those people in power. We even encourage legalized bribery of judges. Even our new President likes the corruption (its is how he got so much money to be elected). The Schukyll Expressway - even conjested at 10 AM - is what the rest of the region will look like - if the region has any serious growth.

4) As for the Schyullkill Valley Metro, you must be dreaming!!! Look who runs Septa. The days of easy money are gone. Read the Inky's study of it, then realize the 'bribed and paid for' local politicans are doing everything they can to destroy it. IOW politicans are not getting enough campaign contributions for SVM to happen. Read the Inky article of about 2 months ago. The SVM would happen if based upon an engineer's logical thinking. But logic has nothing to do with solving problems in a region where 5% of the votes are routinely discarded (guess what - it was not only in FL but those 'powers that be' don't want you to know) and the people don't even care!

[elSicomoro]

About a month ago, my company transferred me from Somerton to Center City. Right away, I figured to be taking the El, since there was no way in hell I was going to pay for parking. Not to mention, my fiance and I split our car, depending on where either of us is working.

But then the stars aligned themselves. My company actually PAYS for parking for its managers. Then, my fiance got a job in University City, so she can either ride with me or take the trolley.

I'm a huge fan of public transit, and although I can't read my morning paper, I must admit that I enjoy the drive. The traffic isn't too terribly bad, and I save two hours a day now. There was just no way I could refuse my company's generosity on this one. ;-)