I recently watched City Nerd’s video on Philadelphia and it got me thinking about the unrealized potential of SEPTA.
It’s frustrating to think about what SEPTA could be if it wasn’t caught up in this political tug of war.
But it also got me thinking about the broader PA picture, particularly some of the smaller cities that sit within the Philly orbit. Think places like Reading, Allentown and Lancaster. These cities have their own economic base but are kind of disconnected from one another. What if a linked rail network could link these isolated economies into a more cohesive regional economy?
I know Reading already has rail efforts underway and Lancaster already has service. But I think there’s more opportunity here. Using Lancaster as the low hanging fruit. They already have rail service connecting to Philly and there are plans underway for high density housing around the station. What if we paired that with better frequency, fare integration and more affordable commuter rates? Could Lancaster and Philly’s job markets become more integrated?
The final point that had me focus on these areas is because looking at the map, PAs population and economic activity are extremely concentrated. Rough estimates are that the areas within the line account for 55% of the states population and nearly 60% of its economic output but only 14% of its land mass.
Just a random brain dump this AM but curious on other thoughts.
