Ben S
@bensh3.bsky.social
1.5K followers 740 following 2.9K posts
Transit planning & geospatial analysis Ed Bacon fan | 平均地权 upholder | Philadelphia maneto Posts are mine only and don't reflect anyone else
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bensh3.bsky.social
I hear you, but what if we shamelessly pursued more tax-break offices instead
bsky.app/profile/bens...
bensh3.bsky.social
Camden's 500k sq ft office high-rise at Walter Rand TC now has a conceptual rendering? Wish them the best of luck but yet another example of pursuing corporate white whales with ludicrous tax breaks instead of quality mixed-use infill
re-nj.com/aiming-high-...
bensh3.bsky.social
Girard Ave is fully part of Trolley Mod which hasn't been cut as of now
bensh3.bsky.social
No, it's lost data but buses replace trolleys to maintain frequencies
bensh3.bsky.social
You get a TIF district, you get a TIF district...
bensh3.bsky.social
The trolleys are being refurbished with literal spare change, but the corridor itself has led ridership recovery across the system, and trolleys are cheaper than articulated buses to increase capacity
bensh3.bsky.social
Have to factor in Obama streetcars and historical apathy on bike infrastructure. TIGER has always been heavily subject to lobbying and FTA CIG exists too
bensh3.bsky.social
Politicians like Lozada don't care about easy access to pharmacies (even in the wake of Rite Aid closing) simply because they just drive to get there. I don't know what it will take for voters to see it
jblumgart.bsky.social
As City Council struggles to confront skill games, fake weed, and kratom stores--which are regulated (or not) rom Harrisburg and D.C.--local legislators are increasingly using broad brush tools that effect other small businesses too: www.inquirer.com/real-estate/...
New bill would ban new convenience stores and pharmacies from opening in Kensington
The new zoning restrictions on new pharmacies and convenience stores come in the wake of a curfew bill that sought to crack down on "nuisance businesses."
www.inquirer.com
Reposted by Ben S
cayimby.bsky.social
[VICTORY ALERT] Governor Newsom has signed SB 79, which will make it legal to build multi-family housing near high quality transit!

Our statement:
cayimby.org/news-events/...
cayimby.org
Reposted by Ben S
floorarearatio.bsky.social
261 residential units (78 rent stabilized) become 0 residential units, in Crown Heights.
Reposted by Ben S
itdp-hq.bsky.social
Once plagued by congestion and pollution, #Jinan has become a model for sustainable urban mobility. With ITDP China’s support, the city launched a trolleybus system that integrates seamlessly with its #BRT network, working to cut emissions and improve service.

🌏 Read more: itdp.org/2025/10/07/l...
Lessons from Jinan, China’s Electric Transformation
In recent years, China has emerged as a global leader in public transport electrification. From megacities like Shenzhen and Beijing to provincial capitals, the rapid expansion of electric bus fleets…
itdp.org
bensh3.bsky.social
An excellent adaptive reuse project in Old City is at risk of getting denied even after 3 rounds of revisions because the Historical Commission puts NIMBYism on a higher pedestal than saving buildings. Tune in now and give a comment if you can
www.phila.gov/media/202510...
bensh3.bsky.social
If you think about it, it's unbelievably frustrating that the 2nd-poorest big city in the US authorized $800M in bond money for housing and the politicians managing it are basically oblivious to very obvious success stories in peer cities
bensh3.bsky.social
"If we get this right, a new revolving loan fund could become a feeder for PHA’s widely-celebrated acquisition strategy, creating a steady pipeline of new buildings for them to buy, and a new source of revenue to maintain their scattered site portfolio."
Reposted by Ben S
Reposted by Ben S
awildschild.bsky.social
So anyway the Blue Jays are America's team
bensh3.bsky.social
No, and no (self-funded through PennDOT and bonds)
Reposted by Ben S
ryandeto.bsky.social
NEW - The feds are seeking Pittsburgh office space for an unspecified law enforcement agency expansion in the region. Reporting from WaPo and NPR indicate that ICE is behind the request as part of a 10,000 officer nationwide expansion www.axios.com/local/pittsb...
Feds quietly plan Pittsburgh office for unspecified law enforcement
NPR and the Washington Post both reported last month that the office space request is being made on behalf of ICE.
www.axios.com
bensh3.bsky.social
1) Who is the vendor?
2) This FAQ is outdated as SEPTA has disabled the Mastercard debit feature
3) Did PATCO ever reach out to SEPTA to ask about interoperability?
bensh3.bsky.social
If Europe perceptions aren't nuanced, Asia is like looking at the tip of the iceberg forever
Reposted by Ben S
ndhapple.bsky.social
Model station designs for both cut and cover and mined! It favors mined-twin tubed stations (a la Crossrail) because of reduced excavation size. The US/MTA habit of mining boxes underground is likely the most expensive way to build a subway station.

Pdf pgs 55 and 56.
Model cut and cover schematic Model mined twin-tubed subway station
bensh3.bsky.social
I'll just note that Philly was able to thread the 4-track Center City Commuter tunnel between subsurface concourses and the Broad Street subway through cut-and-cover & underpinning. Pure ingenuity and risk-taking that paid off