PHILADELPHIA | 30th Street Station District | 1,200 FT - 180 FT | 85 - 12 FLOORS

[phishtown]

This article has some renders, looks nice. https://philly.curbed.com/2018/12/7/...ay-improvement

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by Boku

It's nearly 2019 and you're complaining about a $37 million upgrade to be completed "by 2020."

My complaints start with a very unclear and poorly written article, which makes it hard to impossible to understand the nature of the upgrades. Plus, sure any upgrade is good, but I see nothing wrong with commenting on or are 'we the people' getting our monies worth. And until we know what's being done it's hard to know if that money is well spent.
Some examples about the article----is all this $37M new money? Does the mentioned upgrades include that work presently being done to the station? Do these upgrades make provisions for a underground connection(the tunnel) to 30th St. Station to be smoothly added in the (hopefully near) future?
Lastly it mentions platform widening, and I'd like to know how that might be done---SEPTA's subway station at track level is a center platform, meaning there are tracks on both sides of the platform, next to those subway tracks are the trolley tracks, and there are steel columns between the tracks, so unless the whole complex is going to be re-engineered and rebuilt from Market St. right down to the track level the only possible platform that might be widened is the trolley platform, which is not needed. The trolley platforms are very long, with room for 3 or 4 trolleys, but today's safety requirements only allow one trolley at the station at a time.
I want to trust SEPTA that it is spending it's funds wisely and carefully, but when SEPTA spends nearly $500M!!! on its Key Card fare system that uses ATM ticket units that cost nearly $100K each which means there aren't many around instead of working with a off the shelf system that uses a regular ATM format (that cost only $5K) and every other big project they tackle, and there are MANY needs, seems to end up with similar problems, its hard for me to get too excited. We all want the State to put more tax dollars into SEPTA but when the State House hears about the way SEPTA spends money, compared to Pittsburgh, it doesn't help our case that more State support needs to sent in this direction.
But, it's better then not getting the money!

[Urbanthusiat]

The new headhouse looks great. The one there currently is an abomination. This will go great with the new park. The transformation is beginning! Reopening the tunnel will be incredibly helpful.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Boku

It's nearly 2019 and you're complaining about a $37 million upgrade to be completed "by 2020."

Yep, that's potentially 24 months from end to end. 2 years doesn't sound fast to me for something of this scale and the amount of money committed to it. You may think, oh, Jan 1 2019...in 12 months, Jan 1 2020...project complete. Dollars to doughnut that's nowhere near reality. Look outside of the US and you will see the pace of reliable and efficient construction projects of almost any scale and type. Over-budget and not meeting construction deadlines is something that we should not be proud of, but it's the unfortunately reality. CTC is a homegrown example.

[mcgrath618]

I think the fact that Schuylkill Yards being included in all of these project renderings is a VERY good sign. A lot of articles as of late have been talking about when it'll happen, not if. I really hope we get at least one building started in 2019.

[Busy Bee]

This is fairly nitpicky, but why does Septa insist on spelling out its' name like that in signage? It isn't necessary. The S yin-yang logo is universally recognizable and has been for decades. Do you see any other transit system feeling the need to go beyond the use of a universally recognized brand symbol/logo to identify their stations like that? I can't think of any. Otherwise the headhouse looks pretty good, but that's likely only because Septa didn't design it, a qualified talented architecture firm did. Septa is clearly pretty clueless about design and style if left to their own devices. Just look at their vehicles. signage and maps. SEPTA spelled out in all-caps Helvetica on the new EMU and ACS-64 loco. good heavens.

[kingtut]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

This is fairly nitpicky, but why does Septa insist on spelling out its' name like that in signage? It isn't necessary. The S yin-yang logo is universally recognizable and has been for decades. Do you see any other transit system feeling the need to go beyond the use of a universally recognized brand symbol/logo to identify their stations like that? I can't think of any. Otherwise the headhouse looks pretty good, but that's likely only because Septa didn't design it, a qualified talented architecture firm did. Septa is clearly pretty clueless about design and style if left to their own devices. Just look at their vehicles. signage and maps. SEPTA spelled out in all-caps Helvetica on the new EMU and ACS-64 loco. good heavens.

Yes I agree 100% must conform and that red , white and blue must go .

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

This is fairly nitpicky, but why does Septa insist on spelling out its' name like that in signage? It isn't necessary. The S yin-yang logo is universally recognizable and has been for decades. Do you see any other transit system feeling the need to go beyond the use of a universally recognized brand symbol/logo to identify their stations like that? I can't think of any. Otherwise the headhouse looks pretty good, but that's likely only because Septa didn't design it, a qualified talented architecture firm did. Septa is clearly pretty clueless about design and style if left to their own devices. Just look at their vehicles. signage and maps. SEPTA spelled out in all-caps Helvetica on the new EMU and ACS-64 loco. good heavens.

I don't think it necessarily takes away from the headhouse design. The logo might not be known to tourists and visitors, and as a general rule of signage - assume the audience needs everything spelled out for them clearly. I can also see why Septa might want to be explicit about distinguishing itself from Amtrak at this location, to make it clear that the headhouse is for Septa and the station is for Amtrak. Again, mostly for tourist and visitors.

[Busy Bee]

Originally Posted by kingtut

Yes I agree 100% must conform and that red , white and blue must go .

Actually you know past Septa color schemes were nice like the red and gold, but the current red, white and blue actually doesn't bother me. Being that Philly in central to the history of the nation I think the patriotic colors are actually kind of appropriate. I just wish they would execute it better. Why are like 95% of the bus and trolley bodies painted blank white? Why do they insist on using that hideous red to blue gradient thing? I'm not saying other American cities are all that much better though.

[mcgrath618]

I personally love the look of the RWB on SEPTA trains. I agree that it's a bit overkill to have the word "SEPTA" written next to it on the new Sprinters, but here it makes sense because (as stated by Urban) this is mostly for tourists.

[kingtut]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Actually you know past Septa color schemes were nice like the red and gold, but the current red, white and blue actually doesn't bother me. Being that Philly in central to the history of the nation I think the patriotic colors are actually kind of appropriate. I just wish they would execute it better. Why are like 95% of the bus and trolley bodies painted blank white? Why do they insist on using that hideous red to blue gradient thing? I'm not saying other American cities are all that much better though.

I was just attempting to be facetious I think the red white and blue is very appropriate since Philadelphia is the cradle of liberty

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Is there a public bid site for this project and a scope of work for the project. I like to see it. Also, you may of misinterpreted what I said. I'm not frustrated by public/private funding for the project-I'm actually a big believer that more federal funding is needed to repair our infrastructure, but the timeline to get the project completed is my only frustration.

There is a site for the overall 30th St Station District Plan. I'm not clear on how far the work vaguely outlined in the philly.com article goes. It may just be an early phase of the eventual new underground entry to Amtrak 30th St Station, at least that's the gist I get from reading the document from earlier this year.

http://www.phillydistrict30.com/project-documents

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

There is a site for the overall 30th St Station District Plan. I'm not clear on how far the work vaguely outlined in the philly.com article goes. It may just be an early phase of the eventual new underground entry to Amtrak 30th St Station, at least that's the gist I get from reading the document from earlier this year.

http://www.phillydistrict30.com/project-documents

Thanks. I will take a looksee when I get a chance. Maybe they will put current and ongoing work under the tab for "current projects."

[mcgrath618]

My apologies for the bump with no new real info, but watching the video in the OP, it looks like part of this plan is for a new "transit line" from 30th St. Station to up around the zoo. Is it a trolley? A subway/el? A bus line? Can anyone offer clarification?

[Nova08]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

My apologies for the bump with no new real info, but watching the video in the OP, it looks like part of this plan is for a new "transit line" from 30th St. Station to up around the zoo. Is it a trolley? A subway/el? A bus line? Can anyone offer clarification?

My best guess would be a trolley. The general direction they take it would allow it to tie into either the Girard line or the Overbrook line. The Overbrook line already has the connection to 30th st so I suppose the Girard line.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

My apologies for the bump with no new real info, but watching the video in the OP, it looks like part of this plan is for a new "transit line" from 30th St. Station to up around the zoo. Is it a trolley? A subway/el? A bus line? Can anyone offer clarification?

OP?
video?

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by City Wide

OP?
video?

The Original Post. There's a link provided with a video on the phases and related items.

[mcgrath618]

So I found this neat VR thing that can clear up some confusion:
https://app.insitevr.com/view/4Jx5I0oVZZ#7
As it turns out, the gold building in the Schuylkill Yards and Cira Center II do NOT occupy the same parcel. The plan is apparently to cap the rail yard right next to the Bulletin Building for Cira Center II, whereas the gold building is going on the parking lot nearby.
These renderings are also REALLY cool.

[mcgrath618]

Solari Board may be returning...

I think that this is definitely worth a thread bump:

It’s at the Museum on an interim basis, and will be displayed here until the developer considers if it can incorporate the board in redevelopment plans for Gray 30th Street Station. Because it is on loan, the Solari board will not be operational, so as not to risk damaging it in any way. Instead, it will be preserved just as it looked when it flipped for the last time at Gray 30th Street Station on January 26, 2019, its final day of operation.

https://rrmuseumpa.org/historic-sola...rd-on-exhibit/

Looks like those renderings showing a flippy board weren’t just for show!

[SEFTA]

I don't know if this was posted before. I haven't seen it before

Skyline+View+from+Center+City