How could proposed new Philadelphia 76ers arena affect traffic and parking? Here are 3 things to know.
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Now that Philadelphia leaders have released the independent research into the possible impacts of the proposed 76ers arena — which would be called 76 Place — planned for Market East in Center City, details about how the project could affect residents and businesses are coming into focus.
Will adding an arena that draws thousands to Center City for Sixers games, concerts and other events snarl traffic and overwhelm parking garages? Here are three key findings from the traffic and transportation report.
1. Public transportation will be key
The magic number in the transportation report is 40%. According to researchers, traffic will be manageable if no more than 40% of attendees drive their cars to events — and those cars carry an average of 2.5 people each. The analysis assumes 40% of attendees will drive, 40% will take public transportation, 10% will use services like Uber and Lyft and the rest will walk or take another method of transportation, a mix researchers say would be OK for parking and traffic in the area.
Getting to 40% of attendees on public transportation is "not a foregone conclusion" but is possible if some strategies are in place, the report says. Those strategies include adding a free transit pass to every ticket and even limiting street parking in some areas to make driving less desirable for those headed to the arena.
More than 41% of attendees driving would "have significant impacts on delays and queue lengths at key intersections," the report says.
"Even marginal increases in auto trips [above 40%] … would result in gridlock at critical intersections," a memo from Michael A. Carroll, deputy managing director of the Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, accompanying the report says.
2. If more than 40% of people drive to events, parking could become a problem
Researchers estimate 3,470 parking spaces would be needed for the arena and the attached residences. About 3,561 spots are available in 21 Center City garages under current use patterns, the report says.
The report also suggests current three-hour street parking zones in Chinatown change to two-hour limits, including on Sundays, and parking apps should not allow that time to be extended, to prevent people headed to the arena from parking there.
Additional accessible parking spots will also be needed near the arena, the report says.
Some other recommendations include having shuttles for parking lots that are farther than a 15-minute walk away, defining parking zones to avoid intruding on residential areas and ensuring there is information on the arena website about parking.
Parkway Corporation is working with 76 Place to add a pre-paid parking option to tickets, the report says, which could help distribute cars among the garages.
3. The arena would likely have "minimal impact" on I-676 traffic, researchers claim
The arena traffic would not "have a significant impact on traffic conditions along the merge, diverge, segment and weaving study areas," according to the analysis. In other words, researchers say the traffic during peak times in 2031 would be similar whether the arena is built or not.
The report, which looked at I-676 between Broad Street and 12th Street and several of the ramps near the proposed arena site, acknowledged that there is "existing congestion" in the area.
The report recommends additional traffic cameras and officers for the intersection where the I-676 westbound ramp meets Callowhill and 3rd streets. Researchers also acknowledge that their analysis does not consider "downstream intersections" — other intersections with traffic lights that could be affected by the traffic.
The report also recommends the arena include plenty of bike parking, including Indego bike share docks. A "bottomless corral" for Indego bikes should be considered, the researchers write.
The transportation report was compiled by Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson, a consulting firm.
The other three reports released Monday, compiled by independent consultants but funded by 76 DevCo, cover the potential economic impact, community impact and design of the proposed arena.
The proposed arena could also hurt small businesses in Chinatown, which is just north of the proposed site, and indirectly displace residents because of rising costs, the community impact report says. Meanwhile, the project could generate $1.9 billion in new economic activity, $390 million in new state, city and school district taxes and 710 new jobs, according to the economic report.
A decision on whether to move forward with the proposal is likely to come from city leaders this fall, City Councilmember Mark Squilla, who represents the area where it would be, said Monday.
