On November 21st and 22^nd the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PenDot) held meetings in Northwest Philadelphia purportedly to discuss and inform the affected communities about its upcoming plans for the long-overdue repairs to two sections of Germantown Avenue .  The choice of these dates, during one of the busiest weeks of the year for most families; one when the difficulty of attending is much higher than average leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday on the 24^th, should not go unnoticed.  This is a well-worn political tactic when a public body or government entity wants to get something done with as little input from the affected as possible. 

 

Despite the announced fact that the federal government is paying 80% of the estimated project cost and the state 20%, I do not believe one representative of our City, State or Federal elected officials attended the Mt. Airy/Chestnut Hill meeting and I am told only one individual representing the 8^th Council District Office was present at the Germantown meeting.  Naturally, they have their family holiday priorities as well.

 

The short section of roadway at the extreme northern end of Mt. Airy connecting to Chestnut Hill at Creshiem Valley Road was to be discussed at the Cancer Center on Mermaid Lane on the 22^nd, but one wonders how much advance advertising there had been in the communities at large.  However, a significant turnout that included near neighbors, community focused organizations and impacted businessmen were in attendance and they were already informed on the essential details.  Two individuals from PenDot, one apparently from engineering and one from public relations gave the presentation and took questions.  No one from that organization with any higher level decision making authority was in attendance.

 

The serpentine section of Germantown Avenue from Gowen Avenue to Creshiem Valley Road has been the poster example of neglect and irresponsible maintenance management from both SEPTA and PenDot for the last 15 years.  From the late 1970s through the mid-1980s all of Germantown Avenue from Wayne Junction to the top of Chestnut Hill was substantially rebuilt with new trolley tracks, road surface and related upgrades.  Two segments, one short section in Germantown , ( Church Lane to Ashmead) and the above-mentioned Mt. Airy portion were left in the traditional granite block from curb to curb, while the rest of the roadway was converted to tracks in concrete with block in parking lanes.  Even that work was done with some inconsistency and different contractors over the 7-8 year time frame.  The early roadway failures on some of this work, particularly the Chestnut Hill portion, is not lost on those who want valid answers on how these final sections are to be repaired. 

 

Before commenting on the meeting and explanations it is important to understand that the responsibility for maintenance of a roadway with streetcar tracks is that of SEPTA for the portion of the highway the tracks occupy; this applies to whether or not trolleys are currently running on that highway on a regular, irregular basis, or not at all. The portion from the tracks to the curb is the responsibility of the city, state, or federal entity which claims the roadway.  Having lived in this neighborhood most of my life and traveled that section many times a week, I can state without hesitation that the maintenance of that highway was among the worst in my experience for an artery with as much regular through and local traffic demands on it.  Trolleys stopped regular service in 1993, but weekend, excursion and historical tours continued for many years thereafter.  I believe it is safe to say that not one segment of rail or its supporting roadbed was serviced after 1993 except when large segments of track actually broke off, and that PenDot did nothing to correct the irregular road surface, sinking granite blocks, and the like, except emergency patches in asphalt that frequently only added to the roughness of the trip.  Accidents on this section became frequent, partially because of the driving habits of some residents (see recent reports in the Chestnut Hill Local on traffic in general), partially because of the irregular roadway, and the fact that traffic controls in this area do not meet the needs of a section with sharp curves, downhill travel, and a school zone. The traffic controls are another area where PenDot could have easily implemented remedies years ago.

 

The film presentation by the PenDot officials at the meeting could not have been more shallow, or better designed to keep the spotlight off the years of negligence that led to the emergency partial paving of this section of highway last year.  We were treated to photo after photo of accidents, some closeups of the road condition (no mention of how long it had been that way) and then a short overview of how it will look when their proposed project is completed.  A review of the detours and complete shutdown of this vital artery were also outlined.  The shortsighted approach, second-rate engineering, and lack of concern for travel and commerce should outrage local residents and businessmen alike.

 

With some personal knowledge of the issues involved, I asked to be recognized first and made a couple of points that then resounded through many of those in attendance.  First, I conveyed my outrage at how long the responsible authorities let this road deteriorate.  Incredibly, their defense was that:  “PenDot and SEPTA have been arguing for 10 years over who was responsible for the work”!!  - - and that is direct quote.  The law is clear, the responsibility is there, and their excuse is that it took us this long to argue it out.  Your tax dollars are at work keeping those lawyers and bureaucrats at the table.

 

 

Part of their outline was that the repair of this section was to provide “consistency” with the upgraded segments on either side done in previous years.  This meant the use of concrete in the track section and block on the sides of the highway.  However, when I asked what type of rail was to be used, they admitted that it would not be consistent with the girder rail (read trolley rail) used in all of the other sections, but would be “T” rail or light railroad track which is cheaper and considered substandard for street operation (particularly on curves), and which SEPTA has only recently been slipping in on repair work when they can get away with it. Girder rail serves street operations better for many reasons, not the least of which is present in Philadelphia where our trolley gauge is 5’21/2”, a full 6 inches wider than railroad which can allow auto tires to be “trapped” inside the rails if the roadway is not perfectly matched with the rails.  Girder rail, with a flat flange on both sides, goes a long way in preventing this condition.  Girder rail is used worldwide for trolley operations and is readily available.

 

While there are many aspects of this plan that need community input and review, none supersedes the prospect of closing down the street entirely to through traffic for months at a time.  I raised this point, along with others, spelling out that the topography and roadway network in this particular area makes it extremely difficult to get to parallel highways in order to make the trip from Mt Airy to Chestnut Hill.  At the very least this project should be done in two halves (one track and one shoulder) with bi-directional traffic never interrupted.  Of course this is more costly to the project, but there seems little concern as PenDot is more concerned with short run costs and convenience to contractors than closing the most vital artery in the Northwest.

 

These concerns and several others were amplified loudly by those in attendance; as they should have been.  The absence of our elected officials or their direct representatives only tells us one thing - - they consider it a “done deal” or “public be damned” to use a historical phrase.  When these concerns were repeated to the PenDot presenters the answer we got was along the lines of:  ‘Look, we are spending $16 million for this project including new sewer, gas and related work.  We are “giving” this neighborhood more than most get, we could just blacktop and do it a lot cheaper’  They neglected their responsibility for years and now that they are spending our tax dollars here they see it as favor.

 

The cost of 15 years of neglect is lost on these folks, and probably more so on those who make the decisions further up the line.  Although they promised to take our recommendations back, much more is needed if a sensible approach to engineering, safety and longevity is to be primary here. Call and write your public officials at all levels.  That is the only way practicality trumps bureaucracy. A unified effort works best.  I will be glad to lead the charge.

 

Once you dig this highway up, you want to do the best job with the best materials possible. Past history shows public projects can be done without full shutdown.   Hopefully, you only do this once every 70-75 years.  The last time was 1938.

 

Jim Foster

Mt. Airy

215-438-4330