New “Cultural Corridor Line” Would Speed Philadelphians Between City’s Top Attractions

The bright bloggers at the Philadelphia Planning Department offer a preview of the “Cultural Corridor Line,” a “rapid bus line” that would transfer passengers speedily between the Delaware Waterfront, past the Barnes and Philadelphia Art Museum, all the way to the Mann Music Center. The line is being proposed as part of the full Central District Plan scheduled for release on Tuesday.

The planners write:

The Cultural Corridor Line will not only connect important attractions, but its service will fill an important transit function – bringing rapid service to the northwestern Center City for the first time (the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Logan Square and Fairmount neighborhoods). To do this, the line will utilize the old railroad cut called the City Branch which lies largely below-grade from Broad Street west/northwest between Callowhill and Hamilton Streets then under Pennsylvania Avenue and along Fairmount Park near Kelly Drive.

By operating below the city streets in the City Branch, the buses can make-up any time lost when at street level – making “rapid” more than just a dream. Running in the tunnel will also mean that closures of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway won’t interfere with operations. No matter what event is happening at Eakins Oval, the transit line can run without any delays or reroutings.

The blog doesn’t say when say when the line would be up and running, though the Central District Plan is titled Philadelphia2035, suggesting it could awhile. But it sounds neat.