Title
Authorizing City Council’s Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold public hearings to address the South Philadelphia waterfront’s critical infrastructure needs and traffic congestion as a result of current and proposed development activity.
Body
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has experienced a significant amount of planning and development activity along the South Philadelphia waterfront over the last ten years, from Penn’s Landing to the Philadelphia Naval Business Center; and
WHEREAS, Some of the various projects and proposals include the Philadelphia Naval Business Center Master Plan, the DRPA Mustin Field Intermodal Facility, the expansion of the Greenwich Intermodal Facility, the relocation of the Food Distribution Center, the new Columbus Commons and Ikea retail facility, the use of Packer Terminal as a Strategic Military Port servicing U.S. military needs, the extension of Columbus Boulevard from adjacent to Packer Terminal into the PNBC area, and doubling the size of the Packer Marine Terminal into a new facility, as well as the possibility of a stand-alone slots casino coming to the near vicinity; and
WHEREAS, These various projects and proposals involve the same general neighborhoods but many different stakeholders, including the City Planning Commission, CSX, Norfolk Southern, SEPTA, PIDC, DRPA, PRPA, PENNDOT, the military, the immediate neighbors, and the public; and
WHEREAS, While the stakeholder interests are varied, their transportation and mobility needs have not been collectively evaluated, and without timely recognition of these needs, the future success of several initiatives may be jeopardized, and so a focused evaluation of transportation improvement needs is required on a priority basis to ensure that the City, Commonwealth and participating agencies can capitalize on acquisition of critical federal funding going forward; and
WHEREAS, Based on the development of a Master Traffic Plan for the entire area, the City may realize the benefit of a new interchange for I-95 and the Walt Whitman Bridge Corridor in order to make the seaport more competitive; a significantly upgraded interchange for I-95 and Broad Street for greater access into PNBC; modification to the Front Street I-95 ramps to limit truck traffic in the neighborhood area; direct I-95 access ramps into the Packer Terminal; a new extension of the Broad Street Subway to the Philadelphia Naval Business Center; and a new extension of the Broad Street Line into South Jersey; and
WHEREAS, An evaluation of how the overall existing transportation system functions and can be improved could stimulate a healthy business environment for growth and employment stability in that South Philadelphia vicinity, and City Council should conduct hearings to explore these issues and determine potential support from all stakeholders involved; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That authority be given to the Committee on Transportation and Public Utilities to hold public hearings to address the South Philadelphia waterfront’s critical infrastructure needs and traffic congestion as a result of current and proposed development activity.
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