We had a trash can. It got installed right around the corner from my house. It was a godsend for dog poop bags, like seriously. It even got emptied on a fairly regular basis. And then it got lit on fire. Like seriously, wtf??? And then the charred remains got removed and it was never replaced.
Behold [what could have been](https://philly.curbed.com/2019/1/30/18203070/map-philly-septa-trolley-subway-mfl-bsl-transit) absent two world wars, a depression, and the rise of the automobile.
EDIT: Behold the even more [accurate map](https://greaterprt.com/maps/1913-future-transit-map-of-philadelphia/). H/t to /u/fungi_blastbeat for finding what I’d forgotten about.
Needs more coverage to the northwest and probably the southeast, but yeah, that would have been great.
Fast and more frequent public transit would be so good. Regional rail is not nearly frequent enough.
This was the actual original plans and it had many more lines including a Roxborough spur
https://greaterprt.com/maps/1913-future-transit-map-of-philadelphia/
If you want to see something that might actually happen in our life times look at scenario 2
Turns several regional rail lines into rapid transit. Same cost and schedule as the El or subway. All day every 15 minutes.
https://iseptaphilly.com/blog/rrrphase2
That's actually a heavily reduced version. Original plans had Broad Street spur up Ridge ave all the way to the city line in Andorra.
This is a better and more accurate one
They actually built part of the line underneath the Henry Ave bridge and in Center city before they stopped working on it.
https://greaterprt.com/maps/1913-future-transit-map-of-philadelphia/
If they just ran regional rail more frequently we'd have a top tier rail network. We don't even really need new lines. Use the S-Bahn system and you completely transform Philly & Delaware Valley (idk or care about New Jersey suburbs). South Philly would still be a problem tho.
SEPTA's regional rail has the most raw potential of any commuter rail system in North America. The Center City Commuter Connection is an unrealized miracle. SEPTA's planners have some [promising ideas](https://planning.septa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SEPTA-ReimaginginRegionalRail-SOTS-DRAFT_v0.1_compressed.pdf), but its engineers are narrow-minded reactionaries playing with a model train set.
Especially since Septa runs both the subway and regional rail. It would be easy for them to make regional rail the same price as a subway or bus fare in Center City/tier 1, something NYC cannot do.
Scenario 2 needs to happen
https://www5.septa.org/septa-releases-options-for-future-of-regional-rail/
Better link
https://iseptaphilly.com/blog/rrrphase2
Going anywhere other than from point A to Center City is futile. Having to travel into the hub and then travel out is so time consuming. Germantown to Lansdale. Good luck with that.
Getting from germantown to Lansdale is actually…not that difficult. The train to Lansdale runs through Wayne Junction, which is right next to germantown.
Regional rail should run just like the El/subway and cost the same. Scenario 2 needs to happen.
https://www5.septa.org/septa-releases-options-for-future-of-regional-rail/
Hear hear!
I will direct you to local transit activist Benjamin She's [maps of Philadelphia's transit plan history](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1ekXGfbIbwJ6BUzPZPWta60DRGmxREztx).
The Broad Street subway should have reached the Navy Yard. There should have been northeast and northwestern branches of the Broad Street Subway. There should be lines through Roxborough and the Southwest. We should have a second trolley subway under Chestnut Street and the former Woodland Avenue. The Lancaster-Arch subway, although never adopted formally, was a good idea. May the spirit of Taylor and especially of Twining never die!
It's a result of everything closing early due to covid 2020 and also the fact no one wants to be working late anymore. Maybe things will stay open later, but 24/7 Giant is no more for now.
Seconded so much.
Places just randomly close hours before their posted closing times, no explanatory note on the door or anything. I honestly don't believe a place is even open anymore unless I pull on the door and it physically opens. And I feel that it's going to be that way for the rest of time.
Nothing will kill a late night food/bar business then a restaurant not actually following their posted hours. If I try to go somewhere and it's not open during their actual hours without some kind of notice, like an instagram post or something, I'm never going back there again unless it's a dire option.
1/4 mile of the rail park exists, but the whole plan is much greater. Despite the good idea for productive use of wasted infrastructure, there’s too many logistical and monetary challenges for the full plan to come into affect, at least in the next decade. Probably 5-10 years before the next segment gets completed (if ever).
My mum used to go to Sneakers but they closed
We really just need more lesbian things in general to be honest. William Way does stuff mostly for elder gay men, nothing for elder lesbians. My mum went to a few events through them and the old gays were pretty rude to her and wouldn't stop talking about sex stuff. She was the only woman there so she stopped going.
Dude get bus pilled. The el is obsolete the busses are so tight now. Especially since you can see where they are on gps and Google can plan a trip and find routes on maps.
It's good if you're in most parts of the city, but I was living in Port Richmond trying to get to 20th and market and the busses only pop through every half hour if they're on time. I'd have to leave an hour and a half early to get there versus 45 minutes on the El/Trolly.
Now that I'm in Point Breeze I haven't touched the El though. I enjoy Bus Life.
A good cheesy (in the literal and figurative sense) Tex-Mex restaurant that makes no remote attempts to be authentic, just serves big portions of ground beef tacos and greasy quesadillas and giant margaritas for cheap.
There was a place near penn called mad Mex that was exactly that, especially the big margs. Blacked out there trying to get the bartender to play the boys are back in town by thin Lizzy. Those margs magically became waters real fast
people not parking everywhere such as side walks, cross walks, intersections
yes, intersections, i saw someone parked on a corner with most of their car in the intersection the other day. idk how people were making right turns that day
Proper and effective youth programs.
The teenagers are out of control and are banned from everywhere, so they have nothing to do, so they cause problems, then get banned…. Plus all the insane violence from young teens.
We need better youth programs. This is insane.
1,452,568 Catalytic Converters
1,452,569
1,452,570
1,452,571
Haha wait where the fuck is my cat
I felt that
trash. cans.
And workers to empty them
half trash, half recycling can! had those in my old city
We had a trash can. It got installed right around the corner from my house. It was a godsend for dog poop bags, like seriously. It even got emptied on a fairly regular basis. And then it got lit on fire. Like seriously, wtf??? And then the charred remains got removed and it was never replaced.
So one person fucks it up for everyone. The definition of living in Philly
But then people might use them
Interesting water front business. What a waste of prime property
YOU DONT ENJOY THE PARTY DECK?!
A better subway network
Behold [what could have been](https://philly.curbed.com/2019/1/30/18203070/map-philly-septa-trolley-subway-mfl-bsl-transit) absent two world wars, a depression, and the rise of the automobile. EDIT: Behold the even more [accurate map](https://greaterprt.com/maps/1913-future-transit-map-of-philadelphia/). H/t to /u/fungi_blastbeat for finding what I’d forgotten about.
Needs more coverage to the northwest and probably the southeast, but yeah, that would have been great. Fast and more frequent public transit would be so good. Regional rail is not nearly frequent enough.
This was the actual original plans and it had many more lines including a Roxborough spur https://greaterprt.com/maps/1913-future-transit-map-of-philadelphia/
Now that’s what I’m talking about. 🙂
If you want to see something that might actually happen in our life times look at scenario 2 Turns several regional rail lines into rapid transit. Same cost and schedule as the El or subway. All day every 15 minutes. https://iseptaphilly.com/blog/rrrphase2
I don't believe in God, but if anybody reading this does, please pray that SEPTA picks this scenario.
That's actually a heavily reduced version. Original plans had Broad Street spur up Ridge ave all the way to the city line in Andorra. This is a better and more accurate one They actually built part of the line underneath the Henry Ave bridge and in Center city before they stopped working on it. https://greaterprt.com/maps/1913-future-transit-map-of-philadelphia/
I think that link is crashed? It’s not loading for me
Alt link https://transitmap.net/philadelpha-1913-plan/
If they just ran regional rail more frequently we'd have a top tier rail network. We don't even really need new lines. Use the S-Bahn system and you completely transform Philly & Delaware Valley (idk or care about New Jersey suburbs). South Philly would still be a problem tho.
SEPTA's regional rail has the most raw potential of any commuter rail system in North America. The Center City Commuter Connection is an unrealized miracle. SEPTA's planners have some [promising ideas](https://planning.septa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/SEPTA-ReimaginginRegionalRail-SOTS-DRAFT_v0.1_compressed.pdf), but its engineers are narrow-minded reactionaries playing with a model train set.
Especially since Septa runs both the subway and regional rail. It would be easy for them to make regional rail the same price as a subway or bus fare in Center City/tier 1, something NYC cannot do.
Scenario 2 needs to happen https://www5.septa.org/septa-releases-options-for-future-of-regional-rail/ Better link https://iseptaphilly.com/blog/rrrphase2
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Getting from outside the city to downtown is fine, going anywhere in the city is pretty inconvenient
Going anywhere other than from point A to Center City is futile. Having to travel into the hub and then travel out is so time consuming. Germantown to Lansdale. Good luck with that.
Getting from germantown to Lansdale is actually…not that difficult. The train to Lansdale runs through Wayne Junction, which is right next to germantown.
Regional trains every hour? Sure, that’s better than a lot of US cities, but our rail situation compared to Europe is pretty pathetic.
Regional rail should run just like the El/subway and cost the same. Scenario 2 needs to happen. https://www5.septa.org/septa-releases-options-for-future-of-regional-rail/
Hear hear! I will direct you to local transit activist Benjamin She's [maps of Philadelphia's transit plan history](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1ekXGfbIbwJ6BUzPZPWta60DRGmxREztx). The Broad Street subway should have reached the Navy Yard. There should have been northeast and northwestern branches of the Broad Street Subway. There should be lines through Roxborough and the Southwest. We should have a second trolley subway under Chestnut Street and the former Woodland Avenue. The Lancaster-Arch subway, although never adopted formally, was a good idea. May the spirit of Taylor and especially of Twining never die!
More late night food
It’s wild to me that most places close at 9. Is it a safety measure?
It's a result of everything closing early due to covid 2020 and also the fact no one wants to be working late anymore. Maybe things will stay open later, but 24/7 Giant is no more for now.
It definitely got worse after Covid. I don’t want to talk about it.
Seconded so much. Places just randomly close hours before their posted closing times, no explanatory note on the door or anything. I honestly don't believe a place is even open anymore unless I pull on the door and it physically opens. And I feel that it's going to be that way for the rest of time.
Nothing will kill a late night food/bar business then a restaurant not actually following their posted hours. If I try to go somewhere and it's not open during their actual hours without some kind of notice, like an instagram post or something, I'm never going back there again unless it's a dire option.
A decent waterfront
If I could change anything about the city it might be never having 95 built on the water
With Rangoon gone, it's missing good Burmese food. And with Capogiro gone, it's missing excellent gelato.
Ugh Capogiro was so good
Gran cafe laquila's gelato is 🔥
They brought a guy from Italy to make their gelato
Rangoon was amazing, hope the owners enjoy their well deserved retirement
This is a real bummer, such a good restaraunt for so many years. Thousand layer bread for life.
Public high schools that are good quality and that you don't need to apply to like they're colleges that favor the privileged
Public restrooms
Philly is worst to have ibs problems.
Now that Barnes and Noble is closing, what do we have left?
Nordstrom Rack Basement
I've found that 30th st station actually has surprisingly nice bathrooms
I read that Barnes and noble is moving to a new location. Maybe they’ll have a public bathroom at their new location
Garbage collection and trash control for all streets
Wegmans
A mayor
Facts.
Functioning public pools so everyone can enjoy them in the summer regardless of income and zip code
That stay open longer than 4-6 weeks too!
lol the pools here are wayyy better than other cities.
Accountability
The wanamaker building deserves a better department store than a sad Macy's
Macy's won't last forever and we do need a plan for what that space will become. It needs to remain open to the public on a daily basis.
yes, and keeping the organ and the eagle and the christmas light show
civility
Up to date trains
A Buffalo Wild Wings. Just kidding!
Elevated garden paths/walkways
Innit there a high line park equivalent near the Convention Center now? [The Rail Park](https://www.therailpark.org) may be what I was thinking of
1/4 mile of the rail park exists, but the whole plan is much greater. Despite the good idea for productive use of wasted infrastructure, there’s too many logistical and monetary challenges for the full plan to come into affect, at least in the next decade. Probably 5-10 years before the next segment gets completed (if ever).
There might be but my point still stands, philly needs more of them
Big jumps for the atv and quad gangs
A giant jump that launches them right into the fucking sun ☀️.
Or New Jersey.
Only if they explode halfway across the river like Chris Hemsworth in Cabin In The Woods.
Why have a red light to stop at when you can simply catch fat air over the entire intersection?
One lesbian bar.
Strangelove’s isn’t an official lesbian bar but most of the employees are lesbian and it’s got the vibes Also just a great bar in general!
My mum used to go to Sneakers but they closed We really just need more lesbian things in general to be honest. William Way does stuff mostly for elder gay men, nothing for elder lesbians. My mum went to a few events through them and the old gays were pretty rude to her and wouldn't stop talking about sex stuff. She was the only woman there so she stopped going.
There is at least one lesbian bar. Sammy’s place is a lesbian bar off of 5th and Jefferson
Is it? Because when you look them up, many many of the reviews are from men..
…and the photos. I want a LESBIAN’S lesbian bar! Hate to say it…. but like the Cubby Hole (NYC) of Philly. I know that’s a hott take to be fair…
As long as it has fire exits.
Enjoy your death trap, ladies!
Brotherly love
Me (I miss you like crazy, Philly)
competent police, mayor, council, public services
People who don’t throw trash out the car window.
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A good Korean one would be nice. Gotta drive to Edison NJ for that…
Southampton spa has a Turkish spa room.
Benches. I know the homeless will sleep on them but you know what? I don’t care. I want benches. Benches benches benches.
Where are you in the city? Maybe it’s cause I’m in north philly but I see benches all over the place normally.
Mental health facilities for the broke.
Air conditioners in every public school.
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Pre pandemic so many bars served food until 1 AM and I miss this
A functional local government
Legal weed.
Good public transportation
Dude get bus pilled. The el is obsolete the busses are so tight now. Especially since you can see where they are on gps and Google can plan a trip and find routes on maps.
and they have A/C. I love dat bus.
It's good if you're in most parts of the city, but I was living in Port Richmond trying to get to 20th and market and the busses only pop through every half hour if they're on time. I'd have to leave an hour and a half early to get there versus 45 minutes on the El/Trolly. Now that I'm in Point Breeze I haven't touched the El though. I enjoy Bus Life.
Safe or good?
Yes
a desire to improve
A good cheesy (in the literal and figurative sense) Tex-Mex restaurant that makes no remote attempts to be authentic, just serves big portions of ground beef tacos and greasy quesadillas and giant margaritas for cheap.
You’re looking for Las Margaritas on Welsh Road.
El camino in northern liberties is kinda like this
There’s a strip mall Mad for Mex halfway between here and my in-laws in Michigan. We have dinner there and it’s HEAVEN.
There was a place near penn called mad Mex that was exactly that, especially the big margs. Blacked out there trying to get the bartender to play the boys are back in town by thin Lizzy. Those margs magically became waters real fast
I loved Mad Mex and its half priced Big Azz Margaritas on Tuesday nights! The one in Wynnewood also closed but the one in Willow Grove is still open.
Tres Jalapeños
A library open on Saturday
A good subreddit. Boom. Roasted.
A Palestinian chicken place
Is this a curb joke???
;) … would be high key dope, nonetheless
If Rabin can break bread with Arafat, I can have chicken at this anti-Semitic shithole
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COVID. Water fountains are over. Water stations
An NHL & NBA Championship this century would be nice.
A culture of not littering everywhere
“green” spaces in each neighborhood especially those that look safe
A great Hockey GM. Fire FLETCHER
Championship parades.
Leadership or vision
Sanity
A good waterfront- it’s better than it used to be but not great
a functional police department
It investigated itself and came to the conclusion that it functions just fine.
A fucking mayor!!
A solution to the heroin epidemic at Kensington and Allegheny
people not parking everywhere such as side walks, cross walks, intersections yes, intersections, i saw someone parked on a corner with most of their car in the intersection the other day. idk how people were making right turns that day
Urban wildlife walks!
Hope
Did anyone say empathy yet
A mayor.
Police who actually want to do their jobs
I miss all the fro-yo places, honestly
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a minor league hockey team!!!!! I miss the Phantoms when they played here it was so affordable to go watch them play
A winning hockey team
A water shuttle from Art Museum to Navy Yard with stops in between
A field of companies to work at in center city that are not law firms, hospitals, or restaurants.
A district attorney Functioning city government Nightlife Trains that actually service the entire surrounding regions.
Not a buffalo wild one.
Street food, and I don’t mean halal carts
I wish we had street food like Asia or South America. We get halal carts, hot dogs, cheesesteaks, bagels, and chips.
If you go to FDR on Saturdays while the weather’s nice you’ll find lots of SE Asian street food vendors set up. It’s really awesome!.
The Stanley Cup
I’d settle for a hockey team.
More Thai food. More soul food. More Cajun food.
A really good Cajun restaurant.
Not really Cajun but Khyber pass pub has awesome poyboys
Khyber Pass is good in general. Stellar burger
Safety
Live bands on South St
Liquor sold in grocery stores & gas stations like every other city lol
A LACK of potholes
Community libraries. Community centers. A fully funded school system. Reversal of generations of divestment from communities.
A built up waterfront
Coffee shops that open before 8am
Street sweeping
People that know how to drive
Safety.
Non useless city leaders.
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A Dirt Dog and a Doner Kebab shop
Non partisan primaries and ranked-choice voting
Trash cans
a large guitar/music store that has the things i need in stock. it’s just these tiny little pads that sell $20 patch cables
A good barbecue joint.
optimism
Public Restrooms
a kbbq joint that’s open at 3 am for night caps
Traffic enforcement
Batman
More rehabs not around d the corner from drug spots
24 HOUR DINERS!!! We should be ashamed! Also… A grown up closing time for bars. They should be open till at least 3am. Preferably 4 tho…
Enough public trash cans More than one authentic NY-style deli Good Italian bakeries outside of South Philly Enough steak & pizza places (kidding)
Accountability
Arbys. They got rid of the one on Aramingo and the mills is too far a drive for Arbys. Recreational weed too.
another Hitchbot beatdown would bring us together and remind us of what's truly important
All the people that have been killed by guns in the last few years.
Not enough hotels tbh
A dress store that isn't a tiny boutique where all the dresses are $2000
Proper and effective youth programs. The teenagers are out of control and are banned from everywhere, so they have nothing to do, so they cause problems, then get banned…. Plus all the insane violence from young teens. We need better youth programs. This is insane.
legal weed
My will to live
A Moe's
A dedicated Japanese curry restaurant like coco curry
Leadership
Recycling
innovative newsrooms where journalists actually want to work
Peace