Views From a Citizen

8/14/2019 Views From a Citizen

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Photos and Text by Carla J. Zambelli



Introduction

I am sure that Amtrak, Septa and PENNDOTthink they do their best. I believe they can dobetter. In addition to what has been covered

already this evening, I believe these photoswill speak for themselves.

I hope the representatives of Amtrak, Septa,

and PENNDOT take a good long look, and takeback with them the feedback they havereceived and turn problems into solutions.

Thank You



Flooding Which Occurs NOT During a “100 Year Event”,

but fairly regularly due to lack of Amtrak storm water

management – the water rushes off the tracks an onto

our streets and into our storm drains. The water

literally cascades off the tracks like a waterfall.This is Haverford, PA at Booth Lane Underpass



This is a grainy photo but you get the point, right?

The sidewalk and embankment become a waterfall in

places because water coming off of high tracks has no

place to go!



Flooding Which Occurs NOT During a “100 Year Event”,

but fairly regularly due to lack of Amtrak storm water

management – the water rushes off the tracks an onto

our streets and into our storm drains. This is the

public sidewalk Amtrak is responsible for near the“Booth Lane Underpass” in Haverford, PA. The Storm

drain which appears obviously overtaxed is Lower

Merion’s.



Flooding Which Occurs NOT During a “100 Year Event”, but

fairly regularly due to lack of Amtrak storm water management

– the water rushes off the tracks an onto our streets and into

our storm drains – here is something Amtrak is supposed to

keep clear , but doesn’t clean out regularly unless you call

and complain. Again, this is in Haverford adjacent to “BoothLane Underpass”. This culvert leading to a drain was uncovered

after Congressman Gerlach made a personal visit to the

neighborhood a few years ago to check things out.



This is one of the dozens of government issued water bottles

that were filled with urine and left scattered about after

the last time Amtrak came through and did extensive work

(this photo is from 2007). When these workers arrive they are

disrespectful of neighborhood surroundings. They litter, they

are often LOUD in the middle of the night – not just equipmentnoise but human voices and booming music. Add to that the

LIGHTS and well, it’s untenable.



Please note the size of this truck on top of what

was then a brand new municipal storm drain. It’s

not new any longer….



Please note this Amtrak truck and the disregard

for private property. Someone’s flower beds are

underneath this truck



Even if there is legal parking that won’t destroy

private property or block necessary public

sidewalks, the AMTRAK workers often opt to just

leave their trucks wherever they choose. In thiscase in neighbor’s flower beds and blocking a

crucial bit of sidewalk at a busy stop sign.



Amtrak’s Summer Project 2008: Kill Gardens along the R-

5. This one is in Haverford. Heritage plantings were

destroyed. Amtrak sprays with heavy duty systemic

herbicides. They destroyed a lot of gardens this yearalone . Why can’t they do routine, preventative

maintenance? Are these sprays loaded with carcinogens?



Looks like a country lane or abandoned street, doesn’t

it? Nope, this is just the public sidewalk Amtrak is

responsible for along Old Lancaster Road in Haverford

Lower Merion Township. Unless the Township of Lower

Merion cuts the weeds, shovels the snow, or does cleanup, it doesn’t happen. Summer 2008.



Lower Merion Township Had to Prune Dead Branch in left

photo, while Amtrak clear cut healthy trees that were

not in way of anything as in right photo. AMTRAK clear

cut so much my neighbor says she can practically read

the newspapers of people riding the train. Summer 2008



This is what it looks like after Amtrak has

been “gardening”. And please note most of the

debris is just left to rot



What Amtrak Leaves Behind. Photo from 2007



More Weeds. Amtrak property and sidewalk at Booth Lane

Underpass.

Summer 2008



Septa’s Sidewalk Haverford Station – often most

sidewalks are NOT shoveled



When Septa’s contractors plow the parking lot they

leave huge piles of ice and snow to block the path of

pedestrians. This happens every snow storm. The

contractors also do not shovel the sidewalks on both

sides, even though Septa has parking lots and track

access essentially on both sides



PENNDOT,SEPTA,and AMTRAK: this is the Pennswood Road

Bridge that keeps getting pushed back for repair. How

safe is this bridge if school bus drivers avoid it

whenever possible?



PENNDOT Please Fix our Intersections!

Penn Street and Lancaster Ave Bryn Mawr, a scene of

frequent accidents.



PENNDOT Fix Our Intersections – This solution is not

working at Haverford Station Road and Lancaster Avenue.

Can you help us please?



PENNDOT Fix Our Intersections – This solution is not

working at Haverford Station Road and Lancaster Avenue.

Please help us.



PENNDOT Fix Our Intersections – This solution is

not working at Haverford Station Road and

Lancaster Avenue



We need more pedestrian friendly intersections and

crossings so we don’t see this all of the time –

Lancaster Ave, Bryn Mawr near Penn Street Intersection



PENNDOT, How about a solution to break up the daily

NASCAR straight away between Penn Street and Booth Lane

on Lancaster? This is Lancaster Ave in Haverford.

There have been many accidents at almost this exactpoint



PENNDOT Fix this intersection! Accident Montgomery

Avenue

at Pennswood Road. Another intersection of frequent

accidents and issues.



PENNDOT Fix this Intersection Accident Pennswood Road

and Montgomery Avenue. This again, is an intersection

with frequent problems that just signal “timing” alone

is not going to fix.



PENNDOT Fix this Intersection! Cleaning Up After a May

2006 Accident at Haverford Station Road and Lancaster

Ave in Haverford, PA.



PENNDOT Fix This Intersection! Aftermath of accident

at Haverford Station Road and Lancaster Avenue – Sure

looks like a Wrexus



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Views From a Citizen