Philadelphia, PA—A study released today by the Pennsylvania Public
Interest Research Group (PennPIRG) shows the benefits of boosting
transit funding for the Philadelphia metro area, and the importance of
giving commuters more alternatives to driving during a time of soaring
gas prices and increasing traffic congestion. In Philadelphia, the
average rush hour traveler now loses 52% more of their time to
congestion each yea, according to the study, while increased
congestion, combined with rising gas prices, cost drivers more than $2
billion in 2005.
Rising gas costs have been a drag on the
economy, and PennPIRG’s analysis shows how the average driver would
have spent their entire $1500 Federal tax rebate on paying the
increased cost of gas by the middle of this summer.
The study
also makes the case for boosting Federal funding for SEPTA expansions,
and specifically touts the benefits of extending Metro up Roosevelt
Blvd. One quarter of Northeast Philadelphia residents don’t own a car
and rely on the bus system for travel needs. The combination of dense
housing, traffic problems, and poor transit alternatives makes
Roosevelt Boulevard an optimal place for investment in a major transit
project. After a four-year, $1.4 million study of the transportation
problems of Northeast Philadelphia and Roosevelt Boulevard and the
potential solutions, an expansion of SEPTA’s subway system into the
corridor was recommended. Because the area is well-suited to such a
transit improvement, ridership would be expected to rival
Philadelphia’s other major subway lines at 124,500 daily boardings,
replacing 83,300 daily car trips, and saving 12,900 hours of wasted
time each day from reduced congestion and faster travel.
Read the report here.
