SEPTA Paving over Route 23 trolley tracks

With the trolley rails rising and the Belgian-block street sinking, driving on Germantown Avenue north of Gowen Avenue is an adventure, particularly on a wet or icy day.

To fix the dangerous stretch of road, SEPTA is scheduled to begin paving the roadway today, covering the historic Belgian block and the trolley rails, which haven't been used since about 1992.

Yesterday, that plan touched off a demonstration on the avenue and a court hearing - both aimed at stopping SEPTA in its tracks. Activists argued that SEPTA is destroying any hope of returning the Route 23 trolley to service and covering over historic infrastructure.

Instead, Common Pleas Judge Gary Glazer sided with the transit agency and denied a neighborhood coalition's attempts to halt the work.

Phillynews.com

It's about time. While I would rather see the Belgian block-trolley track ROW interface repaired than paved over, I would rather see it paved over than left the way it is. Hitting those potholes in your car is bad for you car, and swerving to avoid them is dangerous.

The TOS for this board prohibit me from expressing my true feelings.

Shouldn't have to be a choice between paving over the tracks and simply leaving the potholes. Another broken promise, just like the 56. When are these politicians going to be held accountable, I would like to know...?

I guess we will never see another trolley on Germantown Ave. again. SEPTA must be proud of itself. Can anyone say 'BUS COMPANY'? Although driving on Germantown Ave. is like trying to navigate craters on the moon's surface, covering over the rails is just another excuse for SEPTA not to restore trolley service there. I'm truly not suprised at all, typical SEPTA.

Shy of an act of God, the 23 will never return. Might as well pave it. Wonder if the wires will go while they're at it, or if it will be done like the western half of the 56.

Saturday SEPTA ran a "shoppers special" from Warminster to CC, which was basically a normal train only decorated with ballons and passengers were given gift bags. What I find amazing is in the gift bag (designed for kids), was a coloring sheet featuring a PCC in front of City Hall with Ben Franklin.

Guess what route was displayed in the drawing-----ROUTE 23!!!!!!!

Do they like rubbing our noses in it or what?

what a horrible waste of infrastructure

SEPTA is an embarrasment, i guess that's not really news though

at least the 15 is running

Irish Chieftain wrote:Shouldn't have to be a choice between paving over the tracks and simply leaving the potholes. Another broken promise, just like the 56. When are these politicians going to be held accountable, I would like to know...?

Are you STUPID? This is Philadelphia, where politicians are NEVER, EVER held accountable for their actions or inactions.

Another thing, if you're not part of a group that these people pander to [minorities, elderly, cops, union members], then your vote is as valuable as dog turds on the sidewalks.

Here's the question of the day:

Someone (probablly the city) recently repaved 11th Street from around Girard to Spring Garden. The street was paved without damaging the tracks, in fact they even paved between the rails. Its like the trolley is ready to go there. So why can't this be done in the area in question instead of just paving the tracks over completely?

Bear in mind, other portions of the 23 have already been paved over, so its not like the damage hasn't been done yet. The line is inaccessible North of Cumberland, this just expands the problem.

I drove over this section earlier in the week...thank god they finally paved it! It really was just one big accident waiting to happen or rather it was accident that most likely did happen, the question is just whose car was the victim.

I hate the idea of a bus or trolley running directly parallel to two regional rail ROWs that are simply mismanaged. The bus is a sad sight on Germantown Ave, getting stuck behind double parked cars, watching it weave around traffic. The concept of a trolley back on that route seems to ignore the current reality: PPA and SEPTA don't work to make street running trolleys very attractive. To be honest both parties have many other problems they need to deal with...

It is sad that Philly can't see the advatage of trolleys, lines 23 & 56 should come back. Just like my dumb ass city....first the big dig promised the arborway, then the DEP said it had to be reinstated, then some how it gets canned... I hope Philly atleast brings back those trolley bus routes.

aline1969 wrote:It is sad that Philly can't see the advatage of trolleys, lines 23 & 56 should come back. Just like my dumb ass city....first the big dig promised the arborway, then the DEP said it had to be reinstated, then some how it gets canned... I hope Philly atleast brings back those trolley bus routes.

It seems that SEPTA and the MBTA are cut from the same incompetent cloth.

Mdlbigcat wrote:

aline1969 wrote:It is sad that Philly can't see the advatage of trolleys, lines 23 & 56 should come back. Just like my dumb ass city....first the big dig promised the arborway, then the DEP said it had to be reinstated, then some how it gets canned... I hope Philly atleast brings back those trolley bus routes.

It seems that SEPTA and the MBTA are cut from the same incompetent cloth.

Its downright alarming at times...

It is sad that Philly can't see the advatage of trolleys

I'd have to debate its advantages after seeing how well the 15 was put together. Trolleys are nice if you're watching them roll by (railfans), they're suboptimal if your a passenger.