Light rail or high-speed bus lines, SEPTA says, could be installed along Roosevelt Boulevard. The Norristown High Speed Line, which departs from 69th Street Station, could be extended to King of Prussia. A light-rail line is envisioned running from City Hall to the Delaware River waterfront, then along the river from Pier 70 in South Philly to Girard Avenue. And high-speed buses or light rail could run through the abandoned Reading Viaduct, connecting Center City to the Art Museum, Fairmount Park and the Philadelphia Zoo — perhaps going all the way to the Mann Center.
All this could complement a high-speed Amtrak line from D.C. to Boston, with speeds up to 220 miles per hour — bringing an estimated 10.5 million people within an hour of Philadelphia.
This could mean, in short, jobs created, economy stimulated and people’s lives made remarkably easier. The austerity regime, however, dissents, crying socialism and railing against another handout to those people in cities. Without the political will from local, state and national elected officials, SEPTA won’t ever get back on track.
