Dollar-a-day Parking

Does anyone know which stations along the R5 Main Line are dollar a day lots a not strictly permit only. I know Wynnewood has some, what about Rosemont, Bryn Mawr and others.

I think all stations have partial permit parking on the Mainline; only Ardmore has 100% permit parking. With the dollar a day slots, moslty all lots are filled by 7-8:00AM.

I have had some luck parking at: Overbrook, Haverford, Villanova, St. Davids, Devon and Berwyn. Bryn Mawr does have 12 hr meters near the central business district -but you'll pay more then a dollar.

The only garuntee I can give is if you have a handicap plate, plenty of those open during the day -any time.

Depending were you live, the best bet is the Whithford station. PLENTY of spots to choose from.

Go to http://www.septa.org/service/parking.html and open up the map, then click on a station to see how many daily parking spaces there are and what percentage are filled on a typical day.

Thanks. When I have to work in the city, I usually take the Rt100 from ardmore junction to the MFL, but with the shuttle buses I don't feel like deeling with that this week. Therefore I'll take the R5.

It may be too far west compared to Ardmore Jct. but there is a large metered lot at Radnor. It tends to be pretty full by 8:30 - 9:00 like the others, but it's big enough that there are usually some free spaces.

So is it safe to assume that ridership on the R5 (and others, I'm sure) is capped by available parking? If this is true, would this not make parking garages a top priority?

SCB2525 wrote:So is it safe to assume that ridership on the R5 (and others, I'm sure) is capped by available parking?

Definitely.

If this is true, would this not make parking garages a top priority?

It ought to, and SEPTA is moving on some parking expansion projects, but not necessarily as fast as one would like. Garage construction is not cheap, and there are local issues (traffic concerns) too.

The garage projects I'm aware of (Ardmore, Jenkintown, Glenside) are primarily being moved by the county or township rather than SEPTA.

Costly? Sure.
Necessary? Most Certainly.

If this is the main issue as to why ridership cannot grow (on this line especially, considering the fact that it would probably boom with more parking), then it's simply stupid not to make garages or expanded lots a top priority. As SEPTA's highest riden line, it doesn't make sense to half-ass its operation.

Also, which stations are high and which are low platforms? Max possible number of cars per station (how many can it accomidate)?

All platfroms are low except for the inbound platfrom at Throndale. The platfroms along the Mainline used to be very long, but SEPTA cut them back. Most station can handle the 6 car push pulls and I know that all can handel a five car Silverliner train.

Actually, this line is very busy. I ride this line frequently and majority of all trains are full when leaving or approaching center city. SEPTA did add many parking spots at Thorndale and Whithford that helped increase ridership (And lower illegal parking) tremendously. Since many people use this line, to increase ridership signifacantly, it would take a huge investment in capital: new equipment station /parking improvements, and added manpower. SEPTA currently cannot handle this type of project. What they should work on, is improving the scheduling of the line, especailly for service past Malvern.

Also, remember that the Mainline is the birthplace of the NIMBY, any major projects that add to any unsightliness, like a parking garage, would be fought heavily. I am very surprised Ardmore is building a garage. I know most projects like this in Lower Marion always face a fierce opposition. But I guess because of the atrocious parking situation at the Suburban Square shopping center, the NIMBY’s did not put up much of a fight. How can you shop without parking your huge SUV?

Expanded parking is also constrained by land availability and local zoning / land use ordinances. You have places like Wayne where there are plenty of surrounding businesses that would have to be moved; i.e. $$$. Some other stations are in mostly residential areas where a garage would be shot down by all parties affected.

But yeah, the NIMBYs come out in force whenever there's a plan to make any serious changes. About 20 years ago there was a proposal to do the obvious and combine the Radnor R5 and 100 stations, with a joint park-and-ride lot accessible from the Blue Route. The NIBMYs hit the fan immediately and the plan died on paper.