If you've never seen any of the great coverage coming out of PlanPhilly.com, then I suggest you head over there and start digging in (as soon as you're done with this blog post). PlanPhilly starts with the basic assumption that good, thoughtful planning and design with an eye towards sustainability and lessening our impact on the world are desirable outcomes that policymakers should be aiming towards. From that basic assumption, PlanPhilly provides coverage of all of the latest news in city and regional planning, design, and policy as well as offering a way for other people who are interested in these topics to convene and have some say in the built environment of their neighborhoods and the city.
I bring this up because of some recent coverage of one of the good ways that our money is being used by the state:
The 46th St. station is the focus of one of two transit-oriented development projects in Philadelphia that has received Transit Revitalization Investment District funds from the state to develop a TRID planning study.
The state funding comes at a time when the reconstruction of the El in West Philly and the station face lifts are on the verge of completion. Setting aside for a moment the amount of taxpayer money that was spent on that reconstruction, the delays in the project and the cost to local businesses in the area, that portion of the Market-Frankford line is poised to become a real asset to its surrounding neighborhood. The are below the El will be more open and well-lit and the stations more accessible and safer.
The state and city planners realize this and want to figure out how to leverage that asset into making the areas surrounding the stations more walkable, livable and economically vibrant. At the same time, the TRID process acknowledges that the most important opinions about the future of a neighborhood come from the residents of that neighborhood themselves. These kinds of things can not be done from on high.
From the meeting as reported by PlanPhilly:
Following the presentation, the audience broke up into smaller groups to give their feedback and prioritize those possibilities mentioned by the planners. Many in attendance seemed pleased with the overall direction of the plan, but voiced their concerns about some of the specifics. Lilian, a longtime neighborhood resident, was concerned about the possibility of rising property taxes as a result of new development, even though those funds would be specifically targeted for the TRID. She also addressed the issue of safety in accessing the station and said that she rides the bus instead, specifically because of concerns about crime and poor lighting.
So there's the balance that needs to be reached. Everyone wants a clean, well-lit, safe, walkable, crime-free neighborhood. The planning process for the area surrounding the 46th Street Station (Pine to Brown, 41st to 51st) seeks to do that in an area that has traditionally seen more than its fair share of dark, trash-strewn, crime-ridden streets. Many of the residents of that area have essentially put up with this in a sort of devil's bargain that in exchange their property taxes would be low. The government, whether it's the state government who is funding this TRID study or the city government with the most direct jurisdiction, needs to make sure that the residents who didn't flee aren't forced out before they get to enjoy the fruits of this process.
It would be a shame if our money went to something with such good intentions as this TRID study only to end up creating hardships for the folks who held down the fort until the reinforcements could come in.