The Pope's Visit to Philadelphia - Impact on Traffic

[Duke87]

How much of a boost could it possibly be if everyone is going to have to take Monday morning (and many Friday evening or Saturday/Sunday) off due to the closures?  The city is being very shortsighted by shutting everything down; unfortunately, it will be the average citizens who have to pay for it with their disrupted lives, while the officials who came up with the idea get off scot free.

Truth. This event should be happening in an open field somewhere a la Woodstock, not in the middle of a major city downtown.

[empirestate]

Is there a parallel thread for the NYC leg of his visit, or are we just thoroughly accustomed to this sort of thing up here?

(Also, I've always wondered what it's like to be a person of such importance that normal traffic concerns don't apply when visiting major cities.)

[odditude]

Is there a parallel thread for the NYC leg of his visit, or are we just thoroughly accustomed to this sort of thing up here?

(Also, I've always wondered what it's like to be a person of such importance that normal traffic concerns don't apply when visiting major cities.)

he's going to be in a ticketed arena in NYC, not in an open park like in Philly. the rules are slightly different.

[KEVIN_224]

Actually, I think the Pope is supposed to be in Central Park, too.

[Big John]

Actually, I think the Pope is supposed to be in Central Park, too.

yes.

US itinerary: http://6abc.com/religion/pope-francis-itinerary-for-visit-to-philadelphia/988773/

[empirestate]

Is there a parallel thread for the NYC leg of his visit, or are we just thoroughly accustomed to this sort of thing up here?

(Also, I've always wondered what it's like to be a person of such importance that normal traffic concerns don't apply when visiting major cities.)

he's going to be in a ticketed arena in NYC, not in an open park like in Philly. the rules are slightly different.

Sorry, which rules do you mean?


iPhone

[bzakharin]

Did the fact that the Philly appearances are now ticketed too change anything?
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Pope-Ticket-Questions-Answered-Philadelphia-324143041.html

[Alps]

Christie orders state of emergency ahead of Pope's visit:

http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/09/christie_orders_state_of_emergency_ahead_of_popes.html

I can't remember another instance where this power was invoked for a non-life-threatening situation.

It could be life threatening. A lot of old people are going to be walking several miles. All sorts of traffic unfamiliar with the area will try to find residential cut-throughs where there are children and just people in general.

Is there a parallel thread for the NYC leg of his visit, or are we just thoroughly accustomed to this sort of thing up here?

(Also, I've always wondered what it's like to be a person of such importance that normal traffic concerns don't apply when visiting major cities.)

The alerts up here say "major events in NYC next week - expect delays." NYC is so huge with so many huge events all the time that this can just be handled by a little extra warning.

[MASTERNC]

From what I can see, the PA Turnpike has VMS messages about the Philly events as far west as Pittsburgh (though some of the messages face westbound traffic way outside the area).  Maryland also has messages along I-95 (per the CHART system).

[The Nature Boy]

Weird that Boston is getting the snub here. New England is the most Catholic region of the country.

I suspect it has something to do with the abuse scandal, right?

[Pete from Boston]

Weird that Boston is getting the snub here. New England is the most Catholic region of the country.

I suspect it has something to do with the abuse scandal, right?

I didn't consider that.  Is the idea that the pope is trying to avoid confronting that scandal?

[MASTERNC]

Weird that Boston is getting the snub here. New England is the most Catholic region of the country.

I suspect it has something to do with the abuse scandal, right?

I forget if Philly bid for the World Meeting of Families (like the Olympics), but New York and Washington were picked because of their political significance (the former for the UN, the latter as the seat of one of the world's most powerful governments).

[Mapmikey]

DC is only closing some streets way downtown, it would appear.  Wonder if Phila. is doing so much because it is a weekend...?

The VMSs in the DC area just say use Metro.  Feds are being asked to telework if they can but plenty of folks will still have to go to work.

NYC VMSs I saw yesterday also just said use mass transit...

Mike

[1995hoo]

I'm somewhat concerned about this Wednesday in DC in terms of getting to Reagan Airport for an 11:00 flight. While we don't have to go into the city, I don't know how long the backups will be at the bridges due to people who are baffled when their usual routes are closed. Ms1995hoo is pretty adamant about not taking the Metro to the airport with luggage, though if it gets really bad I may just tell her to deal with it. More likely we'll just go extra early. I'd rather be bored sitting around the terminal for a few hours (even Terminal A at Reagan) than missing our flight.

[jeffandnicole]

DC is only closing some streets way downtown, it would appear.  Wonder if Phila. is doing so much because it is a weekend...?

The busy Ben Franklin Parkway (not to be confused with the Ben Franklin Bridge) is already shut down, and will remain closed all week.

Many roads will start to be closed later this week, and will remain closed Friday evening thru Monday around noontime.

Cars parked within a certain primiter have started to be towed, with the goal to tow all vehicles in that perimeter area by Wednesday.

So...suffice to say, it's not just because it's a weekend.  It's really 9 or 10 days, including 6 weekdays, where traffic and parking will be affected.

[Zeffy]

I wonder if the traffic will be as bad as the shitshow yesterday it took to park for the Eagles game.. we got off I-95 and spent an hour and a half to find a parking spot, so we missed the first 4 minutes of the first quarter. After the Eagles unfortunately lost (by sucking miserably), getting out took another hour and a half. I don't think I've actually sat in traffic where I moved maybe 700 feet in 45 minutes. If that's the kind of shit the Pope's visit will bring, then no thank you. 

[jeffandnicole]

I wonder if the traffic will be as bad as the shitshow yesterday it took to park for the Eagles game.. we got off I-95 and spent an hour and a half to find a parking spot, so we missed the first 4 minutes of the first quarter. After the Eagles unfortunately lost (by sucking miserably), getting out took another hour and a half. I don't think I've actually sat in traffic where I moved maybe 700 feet in 45 minutes. If that's the kind of shit the Pope's visit will bring, then no thank you. 

You were there?  Damn!  I was there.  Got there at 9am, and the gates don't even open until 9:25am!

Here's the deal: You have 69,000 people arriving for a game.  The later you arrive, the more likely you're going to be caught in very heavy traffic with everyone else arriving later.  Leaving is the same deal - eventually, most people are going to be getting on the highway.  Same thing...unless the roads are widened to handle that amount of traffic for just a few days a year, there's going to be congestion, and lots of it. 

A lot of it has to do with familiarity of the parking lots and parking flow as well. 

Shame I didn't know you were coming.  I would've told you the lot I park in, and the reason I park in that lot.  It takes me about 10 - 15 minutes to exit and be on the Walt Whitman Bridge.

[Pete from Boston]

I wonder if the traffic will be as bad as the shitshow yesterday it took to park for the Eagles game.. we got off I-95 and spent an hour and a half to find a parking spot, so we missed the first 4 minutes of the first quarter. After the Eagles unfortunately lost (by sucking miserably), getting out took another hour and a half. I don't think I've actually sat in traffic where I moved maybe 700 feet in 45 minutes. If that's the kind of shit the Pope's visit will bring, then no thank you.

Don't worry, the Pope will do better than the Eagles.

[1995hoo]

I wonder if the traffic will be as bad as the shitshow yesterday it took to park for the Eagles game.. we got off I-95 and spent an hour and a half to find a parking spot, so we missed the first 4 minutes of the first quarter. After the Eagles unfortunately lost (by sucking miserably), getting out took another hour and a half. I don't think I've actually sat in traffic where I moved maybe 700 feet in 45 minutes. If that's the kind of shit the Pope's visit will bring, then no thank you. 

Back in 2001 it took me four hours to go about five miles on I-95 near PHL Airport during a snowstorm.

[PHLBOS]

I forget if Philly bid for the World Meeting of Families (like the Olympics),

Philadelphia was indeed selected (or won a bid) to host the World Meeting of Families; that's why the Papal visit includes Philly in its overall itinerary.

[The Nature Boy]

Weird that Boston is getting the snub here. New England is the most Catholic region of the country.

I suspect it has something to do with the abuse scandal, right?

I didn't consider that.  Is the idea that the pope is trying to avoid confronting that scandal?

I would assume that the Church would want to avoid reigniting the negative publicity.

[Alps]

DC is only closing some streets way downtown, it would appear.  Wonder if Phila. is doing so much because it is a weekend...?

The busy Ben Franklin Parkway (not to be confused with the Ben Franklin Bridge) is already shut down, and will remain closed all week.

Many roads will start to be closed later this week, and will remain closed Friday evening thru Monday around noontime.

Cars parked within a certain primiter have started to be towed, with the goal to tow all vehicles in that perimeter area by Wednesday.

So...suffice to say, it's not just because it's a weekend.  It's really 9 or 10 days, including 6 weekdays, where traffic and parking will be affected.

My understanding was that cars were allowed within the perimeter, but that once they leave they can't get back in. (As opposed to being towed.)

[ixnay]

DC is only closing some streets way downtown, it would appear.  Wonder if Phila. is doing so much because it is a weekend...?

The busy Ben Franklin Parkway (not to be confused with the Ben Franklin Bridge) is already shut down, and will remain closed all week.

Many roads will start to be closed later this week, and will remain closed Friday evening thru Monday around noontime.

Cars parked within a certain primiter have started to be towed, with the goal to tow all vehicles in that perimeter area by Wednesday.

So...suffice to say, it's not just because it's a weekend.  It's really 9 or 10 days, including 6 weekdays, where traffic and parking will be affected.

This link has a couple of maps with the affected perimeters...

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/326569441.html

Here's another link...

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pope/Getting_downtown_to_see_the_Pope.html#countdown

ixnay

[jeffandnicole]

DC is only closing some streets way downtown, it would appear.  Wonder if Phila. is doing so much because it is a weekend...?

The busy Ben Franklin Parkway (not to be confused with the Ben Franklin Bridge) is already shut down, and will remain closed all week.

Many roads will start to be closed later this week, and will remain closed Friday evening thru Monday around noontime.

Cars parked within a certain primiter have started to be towed, with the goal to tow all vehicles in that perimeter area by Wednesday.

So...suffice to say, it's not just because it's a weekend.  It's really 9 or 10 days, including 6 weekdays, where traffic and parking will be affected.

My understanding was that cars were allowed within the perimeter, but that once they leave they can't get back in. (As opposed to being towed.)

That was probably true two weeks ago. The towing of vehicles was a recent addition to the madness. But if a vehicle wasn't affected by the towing and is still within the no-entering zone, then what you said still applies.

[jeffandnicole]

Various VMS signage regarding the Pope in Philly on 295 in NJ. Every VMS sign, regardless if it's permanent, temporary and part of the 295/76/42 project, or temporary just for the Pope's visit, had the various following messages: (actually, there was one that was referring to a ramp closure Tuesday night. For some reason, it only used lower case letters):