Crossing Broad
Listen, if someone in this city wants to tackle traffic down at the Sports Complex, I’m all ears. Other than flying cars or building an entirely new extension of 95 that is only open for people going in and out of the stadiums, I don’t think it’s necessarily attainable without four different teams, 15 different organizations, and local government on board, and when will that ever happen?
Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia – step right up! Lets hear what you have for us in a weekend story from Ariana Perez-Castells at the Inquirer:
Christopher Franklin, who is also the CEO of Essential Utilities, and succeeds Independence Health Group’s Gregory E. Deavens as board chair, highlighted three areas that need improvement, including the traffic problem in South Philly.
The Chamber is focused on a short-term plan to improve the traffic in the area that includes computerized traffic signals, improved signage, upgraded ramps, and “better training [for]traffic personnel to support the Philadelphia Police Department,” (Franklin) said.
The other two areas of focus are making the airport better and funding SEPTA, but for the sports complex, could it be that easy? A couple computerized traffic signals here, some new and improved signage there, more ramps and training and we can solve this mess? The “more ramps” option is the only one that piqued my interest. Other than that, you’re going to need some better solutions. You ever seen an Eagles fan after a game? They don’t care if the light is red, green, or purple. Everyone is in it for themselves. If they have to block traffic to get on 76 just so they can sit in more traffic they will. If they want to cut someone off so they can get a car-length ahead they will! It’s a free-for-all down there and at this point you kind of just have to throw your hands up and deal with the cards you were dealt. People are fighting with traffic cops. Cops are yelling at citizens. It’s nuts down there after a game. Luckily I still live in the city so my commute is 30 minutes from the stadiums rather than 90 to the suburbs. If it was reversed I don’t know how many games I’d hit a year. Sure, you could take the train. I grew up taking Lansdale/Doylestown line to Fern Rock and jumping on the BSL. It’s still a couple hours each way and you have to rely on the unreliable SEPTA at the end of the day. There’s no perfect solution other than living off of Broad and Oregon or having one of those fancy helicopters Michael Rubin used to fly in. Other than that, you’re shit out of luck and I don’t see it getting much better.
Now add the gigantic mixed-use facility Comcast plans on deploying with the Sixers and Phillies and traffic patterns will again be changing. Look at this thing:
This is just an early rendering, but if you tailgate...
