Pro & con opinions from the Inquirer - https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commen ... 90821.html
Here are some snippets from both sides...
Pro---
Here are some snippets from both sides...
Pro---
But aren’t trolleys difficult to board with a stroller or wheelchair? How do they get around a double-parked car? Aren’t tracks dangerous to cyclists? Isn’t the infrastructure prohibitively expensive?Con---
Good things cost money, but because a trolley life cycle can be four times that of a bus, some audits suggest overall costs of trolley operation can be lower than for buses. Wide doors, low floors, and curbside design make boarding ADA-compliant and comfortable for everybody. These are the modern vehicles that glide through Houston, Phoenix, Casablanca, and Vienna.
Some of the world’s best walking and bicycling cities are also great tram cities — think Portland or Amsterdam — not only because they’re working on track inserts to improve cyclist safety, but because they’ve tamed vehicles and carefully planned streets that do the most good for the most people.
Why install rails and subsequent overhead wire when a bus will do the trick? A bus can be electric, extended to have greater capacity, and prioritized on our roads through “bus rapid transit” lanes that separate them from other auto-prioritized lanes (and even better if it’s a car-free transit mall instead). They’re easier to modify if a route needs to be changed to accommodate more or less ridership in certain areas.
And critically, buses have a better level of accessibility for people in wheelchairs or using other mobility assist devices. Strollers and luggage fit more readily, and the ride above ground provides a connection with the city at large.
~Alex Charyna: SEPTA (and PATCO) Forum Moderator
“Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous 16-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.”
― Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon
“Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous 16-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time.”
― Neal Stephenson, Cryptonomicon
