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The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger
Electronic Edition
December 1993
Vol. XI, No. 12
Published by the Delaware Valley Association of Railroad Passengers in
the interest of continued, improved, and expanded rail service for the
present and potential railroad and rail transit passengers of
southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and nearby areas.
For more information about DVARP and good rail service, please contact us:
P.O. Box 7505,
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215-222-3373
<73243.1224@compuserve.com> <---NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS
The Electronic Edition is published as a service to the net community
by DVARP. Please send your comments to <mmitchell@asrr.arsusda.gov>.
Archives are maintained at <listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu>. To obtain a
newsletter file from January 1992 to the present, send an e-mail message
to the listserv saying GET DVARP 9201 RAILNEWS (substitute the year and
month you want for 9201). This newsletter can also be obtained by FTP
to hipp.etsu.edu, directory pub/railroad/dvarp. DVARP thanks archivists
Geert K. Marien and Dr. Robert Wier for providing these archive sites.
Time to Renew Your DVARP Membership!
use the coupon on page 15
No Dues Increase in 1994--details page 14
Inside The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger.
1 Broadway Limited farce demonstrates serious problems with Amtrak
management
3 Riders win! Feds increase capital funding, concourse vagrants
have new home, El car deal done.
4 On the Railroad Lines: Cynwyd line threatened by bridge closing,
SEPTA people make merry.
7 South Jersey Update: Ridership up, but NJT not resting on its
laurels
8 Harrisburg Line: John Pawson explains why SEPTA should have
control of it.
10 Europeans, Americans teaming up to bid on high-speed trains for
Amtrak.
11 Federal hearing on intermodal planning and implementation:
different views of progress made.
13 PA, NJ, NY seek Phoebe Snow's return.
14-15 Dates of Interest, Up and Down the Corridor, DVARP Directory
DVARP President: Chuck Bode
Newsletter Editor: Matthew Mitchell
Production Manager: Tom Borawski
for other officers and committee chairs, see page 15
entire contents copyright c 1993 DVARP,
except photos c 1993 credited photographers
Opinions expressed in The Delaware Valley Rail Passenger are not
necessarily those of DVARP or its members.
We welcome your comments: call 215-222-3373
A "Broadway" Farce in Two Acts by Chuck Bode
Act I--The Westbound Broadway Limited, October 17th: A Hot Train
The trip begins normally--the Broadway Limited leaving Philadelphia
17 minutes late. Numerous package cars, about five coaches, a snack
car, a dinner, and two sleepers in that order form today's train.
Despite reports of sold out trains, this one is only about 50% full--
which will shortly be fortunate. Out on the mainline all seems well:
the crew collects tickets and fills out reports of who is to get off at
which station.
The crew assures a concerned passenger that the train will make up
delay time and arrive on time. Another passenger across the aisle is
going to Huntingdon. She is also concerned about being late. She had to
arrange to be met. Seems Huntingdon does not have even one taxi and she
is too old to walk home. She hopes her ride will wait the 20 extra
minutes because there is no way for him to know where the train is. The
passenger next to her is less help. She rides the Broadway almost once a
month and says it is never on time and is often hours late. Her husband
is to meet her at Pittsburgh. As the saying goes--watch this space.
Over the PA an announcement is made that there will be three seatings
for dinner--5:30, and two later about 7 and 8:30. A member of the
dining car staff comes through the train taking dinner reservations.
Decisions, decisions. One of our party is hungry so we settle on 5:30.
A stop to pick up passengers at Paoli is normal. A few hundred feet
west of Malvern Station the train comes to a stop. Why would the
Broadway stop in the middle of nowhere?
Now about 5:35 our party heads to the diner, easier to walk in a
motionless train. Entering the diner one sharp nose asks about an odd
burning smell? This is a "hot car"--whatever that is supposed to mean--
seems to be the explanation. We are seated and our order taken. We
remain in the curve west of Malvern--studying the superelevation with
our water glasses. We notice that the crew begins telling arriving
diners that the car is closed? A PA announcement is made for crew
members--to come to the diner for dinner?
There seem to be a few attempts to back the train and the crew is on
the ground. About 6:15 our waiter tells us that passengers whose meals
have been started can remain and finish, but that desert will not be
served because the diner is to be removed from the train.
Logical places to remove the car would seem to be Paoli or Thorndale
which have switches and side tracks to store the car. With a diesel
engine there should be no problem running around the train to remove the
car--just takes time. Maybe Amtrak is sending a switch engine from 30th
Street to make the project easier--it ought to be here by now. We
finish eating and return to our coach. Frustrated passengers are being
told the snack-lounge car is closed but not why. Therein is the nub of
the problem--passengers not informed for hours. Some passengers would
not be told what was going on until after 9.
About 7--well over an hour motionless--an announcement is made for
crew to assist moving food to the snack car. An announcement is made for
help moving sleeping car passengers and their luggage forward.
The train has now blocked one track for an extended time at peak
commuter time. Beside it is a second track. For some strange reason
only a couple eastbound trains go by. Wonder why none of the trains use
the other track? Must be a lot of mad commuters by now. At 7:20 one
Harrisburg train used the other track so we know it could be done.
At 7:23 the Broadway moves--minus a diner and two sleepers. Finally
underway, an announcement is made that some cars have been left behind.
Otherwise, all that the passengers are being told is to stay in their
seats and not move about--might as well be on an airplane with the seat
belt sign lit. Oh yes, that passenger for Huntingdon is by now extremely
concerned--but she has decided to try to find a place to call the
police--her only hope for not spending the night outdoors at a deserted
station.
Recalling stories of how railroads strove to recover lost time, we
hope Amtrak can uphold the tradition. Now three cars shorter the train
should go faster. Time passes and a parade of passengers with much
luggage moves forward through the coaches. We get later--Lancaster is 1
hour 58 minutes late, Harrisburg 2 hours 10 minutes. More time, maybe
9:30, and our coach is told there is free food in the snack car.
We stop for Huntingdon at 11:04: 2 hours and 11 minutes late. The
passenger's ride waited for her! She hadn't been on a train for many
years. I suspect we won't ever see her again.
Let's analyze act one. The train broke down. It took only minutes
to determine the problem and apparently the crew knew then that the car
could not be moved. Why did it take over an hour and a half to uncouple
the cars? Passengers and their luggage could have been removed in much
less time. A pizza place with delivery truck could have stocked the
snack car along the way.
We are left to conclude that the onboard crew eventually made a good
series of decisions under difficult circumstances. They relocated the
affected passengers and the food. They fed the sleeping car passengers
first, then worked one coach at a time proceeding away from the snack
car feeding the other passengers. They made food free, but that was
probably as much to simplify logistics as for goodwill.
We are also left to conclude that "management infrastructure" is
weak. Some distant place must have had to authorize leaving the cars--as
we will see in act two, there was no choice. Lack of training is a
management failure, which is the only cause of the total lack of timely
and useful announcements. There is no reason passengers should not have
been told that a breakdown occurred, that the snack car was closed
because it was being used as a diner or that limited facilities made it
necessary to feed passengers one car at a time.
Act II--Who Minds the Store?
After the trip we began to inquire about what happened. Railfans seem
to have information sources everywhere--a second CIA. What they report
makes the management failure after the train stopped seem minor.the
Broadway was on fire.
The Broadway starts in New York City. From there to Philadelphia it
passed numerous other trains--NJ Transit, SEPTA, and Amtrak. At least as
far back as Croydon, SEPTA trains were reporting that the Broadway had a
serious problem.
Who decided not to investigate the situation then? Surely there are
people to inspect at 30th Street Station. This is the last major Amtrak
facility until Chicago. Why wasn't a through inspection made to
determine why passing trains would report fire under the Broadway? Such
a report from a bystander ought to be checked. Surely reports from
experienced train crews would be taken seriously? Not by Amtrak.
Additional reports of trouble were made by SEPTA trains between 30th
Street Station and Paoli. There are even SEPTA mechanical staff at
Paoli. They may not be familiar with details of Amtrak cars, but they
could probably observe a major problem.
How major was the problem? When the train finally stopped a wheel
was flat--a flat 6 inches long! It required repairs so serious that the
car sat at Paoli for days. How close was the Broadway to derailing
before someone did something?
Amtrak may cry lack of money, but the immediate problem seems to be
lack of management. A secondary problem seems to be splitting the
railroad into multiple pieces and removing many of the facilities. When
it was one PRR, crew worked up from years of experience in freight
service. That meant passenger crews were thoroughly qualified in
dealing with mechanical operations and problems. There was also a pool
of other employees to assist during problems--everybody worked for one
boss rather than Amtrak, Conrail and SEPTA.
The one boss, one railroad concept also meant assistance from the
closest location during problems--PRR had engines at Paoli and
Thorndale. But Amtrak banished Conrail and its freight from the line.
Must have also banished SEPTA that evening.
The issue affects every railroad user, passenger and freight. Is it
in their best interest to continue discarding facilities and balkanizing
the facilities? Or will it eventually lead to no facilities and no
trains despite the illusory financial success in cutting costs by
stripping off assets?
From the Editor's Seat:
No Free Ride!
Are suburban employers justified in crying that trip reduction
regulations are an unfair burden? I say no.
The people who are crying have been getting a free ride for years,
but it's over now. The government's subsidy of automotive
transportation is so all-pervasive that people see it as some kind of
basic right. For the good of all of us who live and work in the
suburbs, that attitude has to change.
Frantic development of the remaining open space in the suburbs has
been hastened by policies which give away infrastructure improvements to
businesses which locate on previously undeveloped sites. They buy the
land cheap, and new roads, sewers, and other improvements subsidized by
your tax dollars inflate the value of the property. The cheaper cost of
relocation to rural areas is also being subsidized by the employees,
with the time and money they spend driving to the out-of-the-way site.
County and local governments have started to recoup through
development fees at least part of the costs they incur, but the
developers refuse to pay the entire cost. Meanwhile, many sites which
already have been developed lie fallow, a blight on their communities.
Those employers made their bed, relying on the automobile for all
their transportation needs and imposing a burden on the community. Now
let them lie in it.
No free ride for drivers, either.
Given that most businesses aren't going to pick up stakes and move,
it's clear the solution is carpools and mass transit. Is paying for new
mass transit routes an unfair burden on employers? Is subsidizing
transit commuters an unfair burden? Let's look at the question the
other way: how many billions of dollars do businesses spend on subsidies
(yes, they certainly are subsidies!) paid to employees who drive alone
to work? Redirect those subsidies to transportation services that are
less hostile to the community, and the net cost is zero. That's right,
zero! The law calls for a reduction in car use of only 25 percent. If
three drivers start paying $30 a month for parking instead of being
subsidized, the employer gets 90 dollars to spend on a transit pass for
the fourth. Net cost: zero. There is a cost for the paperwork showing
compliance with the regulations, but if the employers had done the right
thing in the first place; things never would hav gotten to where the
state had to step in.
Happy Holidays!
When you wish a safe journey to frineds and family who are traveling
this holiday season, remind them the safest and most pleasant way to go
is the train!--MDM
Board Awards El Car Contract
The SEPTA Board awarded the $285 million contract for 220 Market-
Frankford cars to ABB Traction, after a third study found the New York
firm to be a responsible bidder. Local subcontractors hoping for a
piece of the ABB deal added to the tumult of job creation claims and
threats of reprisal which had been building up for months. With FTA
Administrator Gordon Linton in the audience, the Board voted 13-1 in
favor of ABB. With such an overwhelming majority one would think that
not much was said during the Board meeting; however, that is not our
Board's way.
At one point (after Andrew Warren asked for the vote to be taken), a
plea by Board Member Jettie Newkirk to stop "political posturing"
yielded an additional ten minutes of political posturing. Board members
pledge eternal vigilance over ABB. After reading Steve Masters' story on
the N5 in last month's DVRP, surveillance from Constantinople-on-Market
may be wise.
Concourse Cleared of Homeless Persons
The City and SEPTA started cleaning the concourse on the 13th of
November after removing homeless people who had been encamped there over
a year. The Inquirer reported that David Cohen, the Mayor's chief of
staff, said that no one who wanted a bed at the city's facilities had
been turned away. To discourage further encampments, exits from the
eastbound side of 13th St. Station are being closed at 8:00 pm. The
South Concourse is now locked down after the last subway train passes
each night. With the health and safety hazard to passengers and SEPTA
employees alleviated, DVARP has lifted its warning to avoid 13th Street
eastbound.
Fed Budget Brings Boost to Transit
While Federal funding of mass transit is significantly increased over
FY 1993's budget, the full funding levels authorized by the ISTEA law
still have not been achieved. When the House and Senate got through
with President Clinton's proposed budget, the riders and capital
planners of the nation's mass transit systems were winners. Programs
allocating capital funds to transit agencies based on fixed criteria
like number of miles of service operated were sharply increased.
Transit operators and supporters are still worried about the cost of
compliance with Federal mandates like the Clean Air Act, Americans With
Disabilities Act, and Railroad Retirement taxes, for which Congress has
set aside no money.
On the capital grant front, Congress shifted its funding preference
from building new rail systems and lines to rebuilding older systems
like SEPTA's. Federal operating funds allocated to SEPTA should stay
about the same, an outcome pretty much expected. It's likely that
legislators were influenced by transit's promise that increased funding
would result in increased jobs in America's cities. APTA's breakdown of
the Federal transit budget appears below:
FY 93 ISTEA FY94 Change
Section 3: Capital Grants Authorized
New Starts/Extensions 721.8 820.0 667.9 -7.5%
Rail Modernization 666.3 820.0 760.1 +14.1%
Bus 336.9 410.0 357.0 +6.0%
Formula Funding:
Sec. 9 Urban 1560.5 2642.6 2226.6 +42.7%
operating portion 802.3 1059.3 802.3 0.0%
Sec. 18 Rural 90.8 153.8 129.6 +42.7%
Sec 16b Elderly 48.6 68.7 58.7 +20.8%
Interstate Transfer 75.0 --- 45.0 -40.0%
Planning/Research 91.0 160.7 98.3 +8.0%
TOTAL FTA@ 3799.6 5325.0 4582.6 +20.6%
@includes administration, Washington Metro
Computer Corner:
Internet SEPTA Schedules a Success
Hundreds of people have checked out the SEPTA commuter rail schedules
available on the PennInfo computer system. You don't have to be a Penn
student to use them: anyone with an internet connected computer can
enter the command telnet penninfo. upenn.edu to access the system.
SEPTA's latest printed schedules now also show how.
Subway Info On-line
Pierre David of Versailles, France has created an on-line direction-
finder for several subway systems including New York and Paris. For
details, e-mail to Pierre.David@ masi.uvsq.fr
DVARP Newsletter Disks Available
Once again, you can obtain a full year of the Delaware Valley Rail
Passenger on floppy disk. Send $4.00 to DVARP for disk and postage, and
specify IBM or Macintosh format: 5.25 or 3.5 inch.
On the Railroad Lines.
Engineer and Conductor Unions Consider Merger
UTU News reports that informal discussions are underway between
officers of the United Transportation Union (which represents SEPTA's
conductors) and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (which
represents the engineers) to determine if a merger of the two unions can
be achieved.
The News quotes UTU President G. Thomas DuBose, "I want to emphasize
that, at this time, neither union has agreed to any merger plan or
conditions, but both sides do agree that further talks are necessary,
and that a merger would serve the long-term interest of both
memberships."
R1 Surfacing Complete
The track maintenance project which disrupted weeknight service to
Elkins Park, Jenkintown, and Warminster is now done and schedules are
back to normal.
Wire Pulled Down
The Reading trunk suffered hour-long delays October 28 due to downed
wires just north of Jenkintown. The trunk suffered 30 minute delays
during the morning rush November 10 due to a "Conrail equipment
problem," reportedly a derailment.
R2 Delaware Deal Done
Delaware Transportation Authority (DTA) and SEPTA have amended the
operating agreement for service to Wilmington. The agreement will
"permit SEPTA to capture its incremental costs" while DTA will be
"credited for revenues attributable to passengers originating in
Wilmington."
Sharon Hill Station Benefit
Looking for a conversation starter for your desk or living room? A
holiday gift for a model railroading friend? Sharon Hill Historical
Society is selling HO scale "save our station" boxcar kits as a
fundraising effort for restoration of the Sharon Hill train station at
$10.98 each, including postage, from SHHS, c/o John A. Nawn, 144 Laurel
Rd., Sharon Hill, Pa. 19079-1322. --CB
R3 SEPTA Girds for I-95 Project
As PennDOT prepares to rebuild the Delaware Expressway, parking lots
at SEPTA Regional Rail stations will be expanded at Yardley, Woodbourne,
Langhorne, Neshaminy Falls, Trevose, and Philmont in 1994.
The West Trenton line had 15 minute delays during the morning rush
November 11th due to "late track work."
R5 North Wales Safety Talks
Representatives from SEPTA, PennDOT and the Public Utilities
Commission met with North Wales Borough and Upper Gwynedd Township
officials to discuss crossing safety. The Inquirer reports that the
meeting was arranged by State Senator Holl after the September 30th
accident which killed a North Wales child.
Lansdale Station an Historic Dump
State Senator Edwin Holl has written to SEPTA GM Gambaccini asking
that SEPTA renovate the Lansdale Station according to the Reporter. The
station was built in 1902.
R6 New Warning Sign, But Crews Still Flagging
At Markley Street in Norristown a new electric "no right turn" sign
has been installed which lights up when the crossing gates are
activated. Crews are still hand flagging the railroad crossing at Main
Street.
52nd Street Jumpover to be Phased Out
(photo of structure)
DVARP has learned that the structure which connects the R6 Cynwyd
line to the Amtrak main line will be phased out in approximately one
year. The current alternative is to use the track 1 tunnel which has in
the past proven to be unworkable (because of the requirement to travel
against the usual flow of traffic). A new Cynwyd line connection must
be made now before the bridge is history.
Bala Station: From Lease to Easement
Leases which allowed commuters access to Bala Station through private
property have been converted to perpetual easement.
Kazoo-Toting SEPTA Volunteers Bring Christmas Cheer
The Paoli, Chestnut Hill West, Frankford, and Broad-Ridge lines
hosted Santa specials on 'Black Friday'this year. Upon the train's
arrival, the 'circumferentially-challenged' man in red lead a parade of
Mummers and kids to the musical tree at center court. Sixty SEPTA
volunteers started musical careers by handing out free kazoos to the
kids. DVARP Volunteer Coordinator Betsy Clark reports that the R8
Chestnut Hill West run was packed. Thank you SEPTA volunteers and Happy
Holidays to you all!
CTD Track Upgrade
New welded rail was installed Sunday November 21 on the southbound
local track between Erie and Girard. Trains operated on the express
track while shuttle buses served the local stations.
@Weekend service disruptions on the Frankford El are suspended until
January.
@Market-Frankford cashier Harold Murray earned a Star Award for
assisting a SEPTA Police Officer in the apprehension of a thief.
STD
@KYW reported that Route 100 was offering only "limited service" on
Saturday Nov. 20. No reason for the disruption was given.
@The latest Route 125a schedule offers through buses from Center City to
Collegeville and Upper Providence. Six round-trips are now offered for
those working at the MontCo companies sponsoring the service, three for
suburban residents who work in Philadelphia.
Such A Deal: 8? a Token
Ever wonder how much tokens cost SEPTA? The Board recently awarded a
$170,000 contract to buy 2 million tokens. That works out to 8? per
token.
New Bus Microphones for Handicapped Will Help Everyone
SEPTA awarded a $242,000 contract to Neoplan, the manufacturer of
SEPTA's bus fleet, for lapel microphones to be added to bus PA systems.
The mikes are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) but
will help everybody, as long as the operators actually use them.
SEPTA rules require drivers to announce all Center City stops, and
other points which are marked with little 'megaphone' stickers on the
transit stop sign.
Eye on the Infrastructure: Route 13 Work Expanded
The Board approved an $73,000 increase in the contract price for the
Chester Avenue Track and Roadway Improvements Project. The total
contract value stands at $683,000.
National Post Ends for Gambaccini
SEPTA GM Louis Gambaccini's term as Chairman of the American Public
Transportation Association ended in October as he was replaced by Rod
Dirdon of Santa Clara County (San Jose), California.
Section 9 Subsidy Update
The Federal formula subsidy for rail operations, on which Newtown
privatization plans rest (see cover story: October DVRP) is $21,000 per
year per mile, according to SEPTA CFO Feather Houstoun.
SEPTA Joins Trip Reduction Team
SEPTA finally accepted its role as provider of transportation
solutions to employers faced with state manates to reduce the number of
cars employees drive to work. A SEPTA brochure outlines several
employer-oriented SEPTA programs, like COMPASS, the corporate pass sales
program, and the employer-supported services like Route 125a.
Meanwhile, WCAU-TV jumped on the media support of transit bandwagon by
sponsoring a brochure touting the DVRPC's TransitChek commuter benefit
program.
In its brochure, SEPTA promises two new services: customized transit
itineraries for new employees, and a 'guaranteed ride home' for
employees in areas with limited transit service who have to leave work
early or late. The latter program has been successful in several other
systems.
The Market Development Office at SEPTA is responsible for serving the
employers: if your employer isn't 'on-board' with SEPTA yet, do your
fellow employees a favor and get the boss to call 580-7963.
News compiled by Matthew Mitchell and correspondents: Chuck Bode,
Howard Bender, Tom Borawski, Betsey Clark, Regina Litman, James Lutz,
Don Nigro, John Pawson, Dan Radack, William Ritzler, Lee Winson.
Additional news from BITNET, ESPA Express, Highway Builder,
Jenkintown Times-Chronicle, KYW, Lansdale Reporter, NMRA Bulletin,
Newark Star-Ledger, Norristown Times-Herald, Passenger Transport,
Philadelphia Inquirer, Surface Transportation Policy Project,
USENET, UTU News Online.
Montco to SEPTA: Take Our Money
The Times Herald reports that Montco Commission Chairman Mario Mele
told SEPTA officials, "Transportation is an area where I'd like to spend
more..it will be cheaper for the taxpayers in the long run.We can't have
more cars on the roads and we can't build more roads."
Route X Extension Mulled
Route X, one of SEPTA's least-known and least-used routes, may
undergo a metamorphosis into a longer, stronger Route 77. The current
Chestnut Hill-Glenside-Jenkintown service would be extended to Northeast
Philadelphia via Township Line Rd. and Cottman Av., making the first
circumferential SEPTA route in the north suburbs. Transit supporters in
Montgomery County have been asking for the extension for years, but have
not been able to find the funding SEPTA needs to extend the route.
Now the County Commissioners are considering providing that support.
But another obstacle to the extension may be opposition from Jenkintown
residents living along the route, but there is likely to be plenty of
support from other residents who would be able to access shopping,
medical services, and jobs with the new bus service.
422 Corridor Transit Plan Dropped
An effort to regulate suburban sprawl and bring back the railroad
village has been officially dropped by the Montgomery County Planning
Commission, according to the Inquirer. The villages would have been
called "Transit Activity Centers." The clustering of development was an
effort to preserve open space, reduce traffic congestion, and save
millions in infrastructure costs: water, sewage and electricity.
The plan was killed by local municipalities intent on maintaining
control of the planning process. Some residents appear to favor sprawl
since the proposed villages resembled the city they were escaping from.
There were fears that the land designated as "open space" would be
reduced in value.
Auto Subsidy = 10 x Transit's
A study released by Professor John Pucher of Rutgers shows that the
subsidy provided to motorists is ten times that of the average transit
user. He has calculated that the price of gasoline would have to rise
to between $6 and $8 a gallon to cover the full social costs and
economic costs of driving.
BARTA Celebrates 20 Years
BARTA, serving Berks County and Reading, celebrated its 20th birthday
Oct 8 by serving coffee and cake to the passengers. BARTA also
published a 16 page area transit guide as a newspaper supplement paid
for by advertisements in the supplement.
Red Rose Captures Design Award
Red Rose Transit Authority (Lancaster) won the 1992 PennDOT
Excellence in Transportation Design/Construction Award. This award had
once been limited to highway and bridge projects; 1992 was the first
year it was expanded to include transit & airport projects.
The winning project was renovation of the Lancaster Information
Center during fall 1991. Renovations included addition of a change
machine, telephone, schedule rack, snack area, and seating. DVARP
congratulates RRTA for this achievement.
November was the 18th year RRTA participated in the Toys for Tots
program. RRTA accepted donation of a toy as the base fare from November
1 through 21.
Cyclists Aggressive in Anti-Car Protests
A group called Bicycle Action Movement held several demonstrations
recently, to call attention to the dangerous conditions cyclists face on
Philadelphia streets. State and City officials have been very slow to
recognize cycling as a useful transportation alternative, and to
implement sections of the ISTEA law which mandate planning for bicycle
routes as part of the overall intermodal transportation planning
process.
One recent example of the car-only attitude was the Walnut Street
Bridge reconstruction, which failed to include a bike lane or shoulder
for safe biking. Cyclists held a "die-in" there when the bridge opened:
the first such protest here. More recent demonstrations have blocked
car traffic around City Hall and at other locations in Center City. The
protests acheived their goal of publicizing cyclists' problems, but
there is a long way to go before drivers and PennDOT share the road.
While the Delaware Valley Bicycle Coalition was not affiliated with
the demonstrations; it is sympathetic with the protestors' objective.
DVBC President Noel Weyrich said he would "support any activity that
underlines to City officials that they are not doing nearly enough for
bicyclists."
NJT Ridership Up 4%
The Newark Star-Ledger reports that ridership on NJ Transit's buses
and trains has grown almost 4 percent over the last 6 months. Rail
ridership increased 3.5% for the period. NJT Executive Director Shirley
DeLibero attributes the increase to employment gains in the region,
improved service, television advertising and the steady fares. NJT
registered a 1.7% increase last year. The numbers for specific lines
are as follows:
(April-June '93 Vs. April-June '92)
Northeast Corridor +3.5%
N. Jersey Coast Line +7.8%
Raritan Valley Line +6.9%
Morris & Essex Line +2.4%
Main-Bergen Line +1.4%
Boonton Line +0.5%
Pascack Valley Line -7.0%
Atlantic City Line +1.4%
TOTAL +3.5%
NEC Station to serve Newark Airport
NJT has hired architects to begin design of a new Northeast Corridor
station which will serve Newark International Airport according to the
Star-Ledger. The paper said that current plans call for trains to make
stops at the new station every 15 minutes. The station will be linked
to the airport via a one mile extension of the airport monorail system
now under construction. The paper said the new station and monorail
extension are expected to cost about $157 million.
SEPTA Sleeps, New Jersey Acts
The Star-Ledger reports that New Jersey Transit unveiled a $7 million
experimental program to add 41 bus and rail services for suburban office
parks, malls and industrial parks not now well served by transit. In
addition new park and ride facilities will be constructed in Woodbury-
Avondale area and at the Vince Lombardi Service area in the NJ Turnpike.
Also routes would add evening and weekend service and "reverse commute"
service will be expanded in certain bus routes.
DVARP Hits West Trenton Study
A DVARP response to an NJ Transit study claiming that restoration of
West Trenton-Bound Brook-Newark service would not be viable identified
several benefits missed in the NJT document. While the original study
said that riders would be diverted from the Northeast Corridor line, the
new service was not credited for NJT cost savings or reduced traffic
gridlock which would result.
The study also assumed a very inefficient operation, with as much
deadhead as revenue mileage. If DVARP's proposal to run the trains into
Pennsylvania were adopted, the trains would pick up more passengers who
would pay more money to ride. Jenkintown alone boarded 39 percent of
the passengers of the old Crusader.
Garden State Notes
@New Jersey Transit continues to try to make its train schedules more
user-friendly. New-look schedules were published for some of the
Hoboken Division lines.
@Phila. Extension Brings AC Rider Boost
Ridership on the NJ Transit Atlantic City Rail line was up over 20
percent recently, thanks to the extension of service to 30th Street.
Fare revenue increased even more.
@NJT revised some South Jersey bus schedules November 6.
A Bad Idea is Catching
Once transit managers in other parts of North America saw SEPTA
steamroll its customers with the RailWorksr service shutdown, they got
the idea they could do likewise in their own cities. The latest to
consider carrying out all-important construction projects without the
needless bother of serving customers is the Chicago Transit Authority,
which would close the entire Lake-Englewood-Jackson Park El for two
years.
1994 TIP Process Underway
The DVRPC is about to begin developing the FY95-2000 TIP. As part of
the preparation process DVRPC is soliciting comments on last year's TIP
development process and the types of projects selected for inclusion in
the TIP. Copies of last year's TIP have been distributed to 22 libraries
for public review. Written comments will be accepted through January 15,
1994.
DVRPC Seeks Comments on Process
For evaluation of the development process of the regionwide
Transportation Improvement Program, the Delaware Valley Regional
Planning Commission is requesting your views on the planning process.
Did you think your voice was effectively heard? Did the projects DVRPC
recommended fulfill the goals of furthering economic and community
growth while reducing negative impacts like air pollution and traffic
congestion? Send your suggestions to DVRPC, The Bourse, 21 South 5th
St., Philadelphia, 19106-2582.
FTA & FHWA Workshops
The Federal Transit Administration and Federal Highway Administration
will hold a series of regional outreach meetings/workshops on
metropolitan planning, statewide planning regulations, management
systems, and CAA air quality conformity regulations.
Staff from the Federal agencies will brief meeting attendees about
the new regulations and answer questions on their implementation. While
members of metropolitan planning organizations are the target audience,
the public is welcome to participate.
This is an opportunity for you to learn about and perhaps shape the
planning process. Workshops will be held in New Brunswick and
Washington: see page 14 for dates. Information is available from the
National Transit Institute at 908-932-1706.