The Hub 12/21/18
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up to date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
PlanPhilly: SEPTA’s 30th Street Station getting $37M remake with underground connection to Drexel Square – The 30th Street Station subway stop serves 25,000 riders daily, making it one of SEPTA’s most used hubs. The underground counterpart to Amtrak’s grand 30th Street Station is scheduled to receive quite the face lift. The station feels damp, dark, and cramped right now, but the renovations promise an open, well lit station. Construction should start on the transit hub in late 2019.
CNBC: Elon Musk unveils Boring Company tunnel, promising a new era in high-speed transportation – The Boring Company has opened a 1.14 mile long demonstration tunnel in Hawthorne, California. With a price tag of about $10 million, Elon Musk is touting this model as a solution to his pet peeve of traffic. Tesla SUV’s are guided by alignment wheels and travel through the tunnel at about 50mph. While technically operational, test riders can expect a bumpy ride as the inside of the tunnel remains unfinished.
Mobility Lab: Chicago Transit’s website redesign offers blueprint for improving rider experience – The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) listened to its riders and rehauled their website with the average user in mind. A trip planning tool and real time updates are central to the new website. A transit agencies website is much more than an online presence. For website users, the accuracy and accessibility of information affects mobility in the real world.
Next City: Massachusetts Commission Sets Ambitious Climate, Transportation Goals – The Choices for Stewardship Commission was tasked by the state government to make recommendations for long term transit modernization and CO2 reduction. 18 recommendations were made in all, including prioritizing transit, reducing personal car ownership, and focusing design on moving people not cars. The report is meant to be a big picture view and does not advocate for specific projects.
City Lab: Oslo Metro Taps Zaha Hadid Architects for Its Expansion – Celebrated architecture firm Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) will design two stations for Oslo’s new, six-station Metro line. The designs are futuristic and prioritize Oslo’s car free ambitions. One station will feature a bike lane and walkway over the roof.
Image Source: City Lab
