Major Investment Study / Draft Environmental Impact Statement
4. Transportation and Traffic Impacts
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4.4 OTHER IMPACTS
4.4.1 IMPACTS ON PRIVATE TRANSIT OPERATIONS
Two private operators provide regularly scheduled intercity
bus service between Philadelphia and Reading: Capitol Trailways and Carl
R. Bieber Tourways. Both of these services serve the bus terminal adjacent
to the Market East Station in Philadelphia. There is a possibility that
they will also serve the ITF Station in Reading.
Capitol Trailways operates four daily round trips
in the corridor that continue through service to and from Pottsville, north
of Reading. Scheduled running time between Philadelphia and Reading is
more than 1 hour 45 minutes. In addition, a non-stop Reading-Philadelphia
express operates on Fridays and Sundays. Express running times vary between
1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 40 minutes. Intermediate stops include King
of Prussia, Pottstown, and Douglassville. The SVM TSM and build alternatives
will offer much more frequent and, in the case of the build alternatives,
mostly faster service in the corridor between Philadelphia and Reading,
and will likely draw most riders from the private service, except perhaps
those traveling through beyond Reading. If Capitol Trailways serves the
BARTA ITF, easy transfers there could allow travelers to and from points
beyond Reading to use the SVM between Philadelphia and Reading and the
bus beyond. This might lead the bus service to be restructured as a feeder
service between Reading and Pottsville, possibly with increased frequencies.
Carl R. Bieber Tourways operates up to 4 round trips
between Reading and Philadelphia indirectly via Allentown without any intermediate
stops common to the SVM. With running times of 3 hours or more, the service
is less attractive than Capitol Trailways. Any Reading-Philadelphia riders
on the Bieber runs would likely switch to the SVM.
If Capitol Trailways and Carl R. Bieber Tourways
bus routes serve the BARTA ITF, convenient transfers to and from the frequent
SVM service will provide more attractive travel opportunities to and from
destinations on bus routes beyond Reading including points between Reading
and Harrisburg, Reading and Pottsville, and Reading and Kutztown/Allentown.
This may increase ridership on those lines, and possibly make up for any
lost business between Philadelphia and Reading.
4.4.2 IMPACTS ON BIKEWAYS AND MAJOR PEDESTRIAN WAYS
Safe and adequate access for bicycles and pedestrians
is critical if the build alternative is to serve as a focal point of a
multi-modal regional transportation system. The SVM contains several opportunities
to connect to regional bikeway and multi-use trail systems. Bikeway and
multi-use trail connections are possible at or near the proposed stations
of Port Kennedy, Oaks, Phoenixville, and Norristown as well as at existing
stations between Norristown and Wissahickon. The existing trail between
Philadelphia and Valley Forge has only one grade crossing of the SVM Alignment.
It is located at Shawmont Avenue. All of the alternatives except TSM will
result in an increased train frequency at this location. Modifications
to the crossing protection devices may be needed to enhance the protection
of pedestrians and bicyclists.
4.4.3 CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS
The implementation of a build alternative will involve
construction impacts that will affect traffic circulation and freight rail
operations. Detailed descriptions of construction impacts will be documented
during the Preliminary Engineering Phase and the preparation of the Final
Environmental Impact Statement. Additional discussion on construction impacts
can be found in sections 3.1.6 and 5.17.
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