Philadelphia city transportation planners, PennDOT, and SEPTA are asking residents to help them decide how to revamp Roosevelt Boulevard and SEPTA service on its corridor, writes Thomas Fitzgerald for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Over the past two years, a proposal to build a Roosevelt Boulevard subway has gained some backing from business and political leaders in Northeast Philadelphia. It is one of the options being considered for the 12-mile super roadway.

“This is a project that affects one in three Philadelphians,” said Matt Wysong, coordinator of the Roosevelt Boulevard Program at the city’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS).

Jay Arzu, a chief advocated for the proposed subway, said that Northeast Philadelphians “deserve a one-seat ride” to Center City.

He also noted that unlike a light rail line or enhanced Bus Rapid Transit system, a subway connected to the Broad Street Line would neither conflict with surface traffic nor require a transfer.

The idea is also to rebuild a greener, easier-to-navigate, and safer roadway that also better connects the Northeast to the rest of the city via transit.

The goal is to choose one preferred alternative and ideally have the changes in place by 2040.

Read more about potential plans for Roosevelt Boulevard in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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