TWO TRANSIT STORIES

I found it interesting that the Inquirer ran these two articles on the same day: "A Dark Corridor Called Market St" and "It Could End Up A Duel of Transit Lines." One is about how poorly planned the Market Elevated reconstruction has been, with devastating effects on West Philadelphia where I live. The other is about preliminary plans for new lines between Philadelphia and New Jersey, serving on the Philadelphia side promising waterfront space.

One project largely completed, and one perhaps on its way; one in a relatively poor part of town, and one crossing more affluent areas. The Market Elevated reconstruction is disappointing because hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent, with very little concern for community vitality during construction - crime has been rampant and businesses decimated as a result of the disruption - and neighborhood aesthetics in terms of the finished product. Here's hoping the other project takes these things into consideration, and that future projects in residential neighborhoods do the same, no matter how rich or poor are the people that are affected.