Lawmakers Speak Out On Renewed Push To Bring Broad Street Line To Navy Yard
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For decades, there have been studies about extending the Broad Street Line into the Navy Yard.
With development booming at that site, there's renewed pressure on moving from 'planning' to 'doing.'
Nearly a dozen lawmakers and other officials spoke in favor of the project in South Philadelphia this morning.
"I'm coming back again only when I ride a SEPTA train."
Congressman Bob Brady says enough with the research, bringing the subway another mile and a half from the sports complex makes sense.
To get it done?
"You need a bully. And I mean that very favorably... who do you call? You call John Dougherty."
There are around 150 companies and 13,000 people who clock in at the Navy Yard -- and Senators Pat Toomey and Bob Casey note so much more room for opportunity.
Toomey: 'But part of that growth depends on good, solid, reliable, convenient transportation.'
Casey: 'We're grateful for the work that's been done to date, but we've got to finish the job.'
Count Congressman Brady among those frustrated by the years of 'feasibility' planning.
"I'm tired of doing studies after studies and putting money toward study after study... for anyone who doesn't think we need an expansion, stay around here until 4 or 430 and see how long it takes you to get out of here."
But if you want more jobs, the local electrical workers union boss says, a Broad Street Line stop here is necessary.
John Grady with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation has the numbers.
"We project that a subway extension would drive employment from 20,000-30,000 to well in excess of 40,000 people."
The price tag: upwards of $370 million. SEPTA planners have another year left on their feasibility study of the extension.
