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
Instead of people, Philly pioneers the concept of colocating libraries with cars
bensh3.bsky.social
What I heard was that the signals are timed for 15MPH bus speeds, but out of safety concerns buses are limited to 10MPH so they always miss the green
bensh3.bsky.social
If Rocky is staying on the steps to get people inside, then why did the museum spend millions to move their main entrance to ground level??? (The statue's original location was easier to find the entrance too)
bensh3.bsky.social
Step one is we need more creative people in the Rebuild/Capital Projects office, who are adamant on overseeing design/construction one facility at a time resulting in cancellation of over half of all sites!
bensh3.bsky.social
Great example in Jersey City of a new library branch going into a first floor commercial space as part of a community benefits agreement
www.jerseycitynj.gov/news/mayorje...
bsky.app/profile/3und...
3underscores.bsky.social
New library opened in the Lafayette section of JC
bensh3.bsky.social
This in no way absolves what happened here, but I will note that older trails like the Schuylkill River Trail have extremely narrow pinch points and widths that don't meet modern expectations of travel at variable speeds. Car ROWs get regularly widened but trails are ignored
Reposted by Ben S
stephenjacobsmith.com
I can't stop thinking about this. We're pursuing zero fire risk in multifam, while tolerating much more in single-fam. People respond by building and living in single-fam, where they're exposed to not only one of the highest fire death risks in the developed world, but also TONS more car crash risk
ebwhamilton.bsky.social
Love this new report on buildings' relative fire safety from @alexhrwtz.bsky.social and Pew colleagues.

www.pew.org/en/research-...
Reposted by Ben S
islandpress.bsky.social
📚 A new chapter begins! Island Press will be joining @princetonupress.bsky.social in 2026 — uniting two mission-driven publishers dedicated to shaping a better planet.

Learn more about this historic collaboration: islandpress.org/PUP
bensh3.bsky.social
Is lack of ventilation in the current tunnel a problem, or does the piston effect suffice?
bensh3.bsky.social
It absolutely was but 1) failure to disentangle Keystone Corridor pax/freight towards Enola resulted in Lehigh Valley freight saturation, 2) lack of govt policy to share and allocate electric power between Amtrak and Conrail was a missed opportunity
Reposted by Ben S
awildschild.bsky.social
SEPTA put out an EOI for short-term/weekend uses for underutilized parking lots and properties as part of the transit oriented communities program
bensh3.bsky.social
Amtrak didn't have any ability to carry moneymaking freight but was federally charged to pursue profitability, resulting in this perverse outcome. Not what a "socialist" rail policy would likely set up (cc @a320lga.bsky.social)
bensh3.bsky.social
While the D&L is a great PA-side link, there isn't a great place to land a path on the NJ side. Burlington County should commit to make these connections into the distribution centers
bensh3.bsky.social
lol by that theory thousands of people should have fallen in SEPTA tracks by now
bensh3.bsky.social
The semi-regular reapplication of zoning permits to prop up land value. I'll believe it when I see it
bensh3.bsky.social
The Northeast Corridor Commission was supposed to be this, but in practice...(not going to express honest opinions here)
bensh3.bsky.social
What do those conductors do?
bensh3.bsky.social
Most agencies prefer to keep internal bickering hidden from the public as a good-faith effort (and because Amtrak controls their rent)
Reposted by Ben S
craigcalcaterra.bsky.social
Rob Thompson watches Dave Roberts fuck up and, not wanting to be outdone as a fuckup, calls for a bunt with a man on second and no one out. Jesus H. Christ.
bensh3.bsky.social
An express bus West Chester-Paoli timed with SEPTA probably beats the 104+L though
bensh3.bsky.social
By not needing to fumble with manual trapdoors at stations that switch level
bensh3.bsky.social
They would be forced to give a response had the Democrats held out for transit funding. Now GOP doesn't need to say a word