Middle States Geographer, 1997,30: THE BLUE ROUTE: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Middle States Geographer, 1997,30:124-134 THE BLUE ROUTE: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE Kenneth W Reynolds Department of Geography and Urban Studies Temple University Philadelphia, PA 19122 ABSTRACT: This paper examines onefacet ofthe transportation system in the Philadelphia region. The aspect I will study is the development ofinterstate 476, better known as the Blue Route. 1nterstate 476 is a part ofthe Interstate Highway System. It connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike System in the northern suburbs with Interstate 95 near Chester. Since its completion severalyears ago, it has become a major artery in the Philadelphia transportation network Yet, its history has been very tumultuous and notorious. Although the Blue Route has been on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's planning stage for over thirty years, the highway was fully completedfour years ago. The Blue Route is a unique highway because it went through suburban areas that were developed even before it was proposed. The highway proposal was based on transportation policy that considered road construction the on~v solution for traffic congestion. In the middle ofthe planningfor the new highway. transportation policy changed direction to emphasize environmental, as well as other factors. The construction ofthe Blue Route was delayed because ofthis change. In addition, the impact ofthe completed Blue Route has been Significant in Delaware andmontgomery Counties. INTRODUCTION median income in the Blue Route corridor is $46,027, above the state median average of $29,069. The average median price ofowner occupied homes is $158,162, over On December 19, 1991, the 21 1/2 mile Mid the state average of $69,700. Over 70 % of homes in the County Expressway (Interstate 476) opened in the conidor are owner occupied CU. S Bureau ofthe Census, Western suburbs of Philadelphia to great fanfare. More 1990) (see Figure 1). commonly known as the Blue Route, a motorist could use this to get from the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Literature Review Norristown to Interstate 95 near Chester in less than thirty minutes. This trip used to take twice as long over Transportation policy has tried to cope with the narrow two lane roads. Unfortunately, the road has had grov..w ofsuburbia since the end ofworld War II. It was a very controversial history. As a result it took thirty recognized that highway construction has contributed to years to build. The construction of the road had to endure growth in the suburbs. Yet, according to Hyman and extensive delays, as a result of the protests by residents Kingsley (1996) the theory behind transportation policy living near the project. The research will try to answer has not been explicit in how land use is affected by these three questions in relation to the Blue Route. First, why superhighways. Consequently, most transportation policy were the residents ofde1aware County so opposed to the appears to have been a reaction to what has already taken project? Second, after the Blue Route opened, were their place. Most transportation policy was concerned with fears realized? The second question will involve the non-land use issues. question of growth. Third, did the Blue Route spur major In the 1950s and early 1960s, the theory behind growth after it opened? transportation policy was that road construction was Interstate 476 was built through Delaware and linked to traffic congestion (Hyman and Kingsley, 1996). Montgomery County. The highway begins in Plymouth The original design of the Blue Route was based on this Township where it meets the Pennsylvania Turnpike type of theory. The reason why the Blue Route was first system. For the next 21 1/2 miles, it winds its way proposed was to alleviate traffic on north-south arteries through prime suburban land such as the western portion in Delaware County. By the late 1960s and 1970s, of the wealthy Main Line suburbs. The road also goes theories about transportation changed. Theories became through middle class suburbs such as Marple and more complex because highway planners and engineers Springfield before ending at Interstate 95 at Ridley started to take a look at whole transportation networks. Township, Delaware County. The average household A 3C (coordinated, comprehensive, and continuous) 124

The Blue Route: Past. Present and Future Figure 1 I - 476 and Other Highways ~e Blue Route (1-476) ~ other Superhighways 1\1 Other Roads Sources: Delaware Valley Regional Planning CorTYTlission; Franklin Maps 125

Middle States Geographer, 1997, 30: 124-134 plarming approach fonned. Planning would not just look at highway issues, but also address potential land use and environmental problems. This was partly due to an increasing environmental awareness. There was also more opposition!rom people, especially those living near proposed highways. The construction of the Blue Route was greatly affected by this opposition. Neighborhood organizations delayed construction of the road for years because they were afraid of the impact it would make on their lives. These organizations were powerful enough that PermDot's (pennsylvania Department of Transportation) first environmental impact statement was severely revised to address their concerns. Every superhighway ever built has impacted its surrounding environment (Jackson 1985; Garreau, 1991). lbis research is concerned with how the Blue Route has impacted the Delaware County area. Methods lbis research is qualitative and relied on several data sources: newspaper reports; environmental impact statements; and transportation, housing, and population data Newspaper reports were collected from archives of Philadelphia dailies. Environmental impact statements were those prepared by PennDot. Other data were obtained from the DVRPC (Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission), the Delaware and Montgomery County Planning Commissions, and the U. S. Census. The study area for this research includes twelve different municipalities along the Blue Route, defmed as the "Blue Route Corridor." The Delaware County municipalities are (from south to north along the highway): Ridley Township, Nether Providence Township, Swarthmore Borough, Springfield Township, Upper Providence To\\'nship, Marple To\\'nship, Haverford Township, and Radnor Township The Montgomery County municipalities are: Lower Merion Township, Upper Merion To\\'nship, West Conshohocken Borough, Conshohocken Borough, and Plymouth Township. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's "1-476 Corridor" covers more area, from far eastern Chester County to Upper Darby, but for research purposes here, the Blue Route corridor only includes municipalities that the highway physically cuts through or is immediately adjacent to (DVRPC, 1994). HISTORY The Blue Route's long history began about 70 years ago. 1n the late I 920s, traffic on Delaware County's major north-south roads, most of them two-lane, was already congested. By the early 1950s the Delaware County Plarming Commission decided something must be done and they proposed that to alleviate traffic on Route 320, a bypass should be built through Springfield and Ridley Townships. 1n 1951, the county asked the Pennsylvania Department of Highways to come up with their own plan. The highway department developed four different proposed routes for the Mid-County Expressway. The red and yellow routes would run across Ridley and Springfield Townships through Marple and Radnor, linking up to the newly built Pennsylvania Turnpike north of Conshohocken. The blue route would follow the Crum Creek Valley north. At Marple, the blue route would be the same as the red and yellow routes. The green route would be west of any of the other proposed routes. The yellow route was the route originally chosen in 1956 because it cost the least and was the most direct route. The proposed cost was 32.4 million dollars. However, the people of Springfield Township did not want this route because it would divide the township in half. So for the ne>-,:t five years, Springfield To\'mship fought with highway officials over the location of the highway. By 1961, the highway department changed the location of the new expressway; they chose the blue route. The proposed highway would now go up the environmentally sensitive Crurn Creek Valley. For the nex"t 30 years, the construction of the Blue Route would be a controversial affair with many people doubting whether the highway would ever be completed (Stranahan, 1976). Started in 1961, the highway was not completed until 1991. There were two major reasons why the construction of the highway took so long. The first reason had to do with the prosperous people who lived along the highway. Many people had the funds to hire lawyers to fight the highway department (later PennDot) over completion of the Blue Route. If the residents did not have the funds, they were very apt to organize. This was the NIMBY (Not 1n My BackYard) syndrome. The phenomenon of NIMBY is that people do not want undesirable land uses near their homes. Examples of undesirable land uses are landfills, nuclear power plants or highway construction. Most of the proposed route passed through residential areas, so opposition was great. 126

The Blue Route: Past. Present and Future People complained about how loud traffic from the road was going to be. They were also wonied about how bad the traffic was going to be on the feeder roads after the Blue Route opened (permdot & Federal Highway Administration. 198'+) The residents even thought that the Blue Route would help criminals gain easy access to their communities and create mayhem (McCullough, 1992b) One observer who supported the highway made his feelings known at a public meeting on the highway. These are his observations about the citizenry's reaction: TIle reaction was hostile and venomous. The citizenry was opposed to any kind ofcompromise and did not want the highway to be built under any conditions ; a1least not in their back yards or anywhere close. One large man stood up and invited me to step outside. This was typical of meetings on the Blue Route; lots of shouting, very linle coul1esy and almost no rational discussion by reasonable people. The intensity and the bitterness ofthe battle against the highway was almost beyond belief (Wilson. 1991: All). One major player in the protest was Swarthmore College, a small liberal arts college on the east bank of Cnun Creek They took the highway department to court several times about the distance the highway was going to be from campus property (pothier. 1981). Another major obstacle to the highway was the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The act says that all federally funded projects must have environment impact statements and must try to have the least impact to environmental and historically sensitive places (Blue Route Monitor, 1991). This created trouble for the Blue Route because the southern half of the proposed route ran through the Crum Creek Valley (protected parkland). There are also historical properties throughout the route that need preservation. NEPA stopped construction of the road due to its potential environmental problems (penndot & Federal Highway Administration, 1984). An environmental impact statement had to be prepared to address these problems. In the late I970s, the final environmental impact statement was released and it was not popular. People complained that the design plans were too grandiose and had to be scaled down (penndot & Federal Highway Administration, 1984). The plans were scaled back due to the advice of Bob Edgar, United States Congressman for the region (Hac1\ney, 1979). For example, most interchange designs were made simpler with less impact to the silltoundings. More importantly, the highway below West Chester Pike (the environmentally sensitive area) would be scaled back from six lanes to four. The highway would be more 'parkway-like' in nature (penndot & Federal Highway Administration, 1984) However, the residents of the silltounding area were still not satisfied and several municipalities took PennDot to court. Between 1982 and 1985, the court stopped all design and construction on the highway because by law, a supplemental environmental impact statement had to be prepared (penndot & Federal Highway Administration, 1984). By 1985, the courts lifted the order, allowing construction to begin (Nussbaum and Gordon, 1985). Construction of the Blue Route was underway by the late 1980s. However. there were some delays, especially in waiting to receive permits from the Army Corps of Engineers to fill in 26 acres of wetlands. Construction went rather srn~thly, considering the recent history of the highway (Blue Route Monitor, 1991). Except for a small section of the Blue Route north of the Schuylkill Expressway that opened in 1979 and a small section around Macdade Blvd. that opened in 1988, and the connector to the Pennsylvania Turnpike that completely opened by the end of 1992, the Blue Route opened in December of I991 at a cost of 600 million dollars (McCullough, 1991 b). IMPACTS When the Blue Route opened, it was immediately a success. Most commuters in the region had their commuting times cut in half. Even that bastion of anti-blue Route sentiment, Swarthmore College, joined the chorus praising the road (McCullough, 1992b). However, the road was not without impacts. One continuous problem along the Blue Route conidor is the highway noise affecting some residential neighborhoods. Sound banier walls were erected between the highway and most residential neighborhoods, but several neighborhoods were not covered by them because the developments were too new to be included in the 1984 environmental impact study or there was another physical problem (Mount, 1994). There have been other problems along the highway. The man-made wetlands along the highway have not materialized the way the engineers intended (Ordine, 1994). But other problems residents anticipated have not emerged such as the increased crime because the Blue Route made many areas of Delaware County very accessible (McCullough, 1992a). The biggest problem with Blue Route is the traffic. It has reduced traffic on such north-south routes as Route 320 (traffic has dropped 30%), Route 252 (25%), Route 452 (14%) and Route 420 (12%), but on feeder routes to the 127

Middle States Geographer, 1997,30: 124-134 superhighway such as Baltimore Pike, traffic has increased (Table I). The Blue Route has also impacted interchange roads (Table 2). The table shows the difference of average daily traffic on these roads ifthe Blue Route did not exist ("ADT without 1-476") and reality ("ADT with 1-476"). 1993 are the latest numbers for traffic estimates. On Baltimore Pike, the average daily traffic (ADT) is on average 19 % over what the ADT would be without the Blue Route. The ADT has also increased on West Chester Pike and Lancaster Avenue. 1-95 and the Schuylkill Expressway also saw significant increases (DVRPC, 1994). Table 1. Traffic Impacts on Parallel Roads Location ADT (Yr. of ADT without 1-476 ADT with 1-476 % Difference Count) (1993 Estimate) (1993 Data) PA452 Between US 322 & Duttons Mill Rd. 22,800 ('88) 24,000 20,000-16.7 Between US I & Hunter St. 24,100 ('90) 24,800 21,700-12.5 Between PA 352 & US I 10,900 ('91) 11,100 9,700-12.6 PA352 Between Chelton Rd. & Upland Ave. 18,200('91) 19,100 18,300-4.2 Between Knowlton Rd & Copes La. 25,300 (' 91) 26,600 22,400-15.8 Between Rosetree Rd. & Vanleer Ave. 22,100 (' 91) 23,200 24,900 7.3 Between Meadows La. & Farmers La. 12,100 (' 91) 12,700 15,600 22.8 1 PA252 Between Wallingford Ave. & Green Valley Rd. 14,400 (' 88) 15,700 9,700-38.2 Between State Rd. & Meetinghouse La. 21,300 (' 91) 22,100 14,000-36.7 Between West Chester Pk. & Gradyville Rd. 21,700 (' 91) 22,500 20,800-7.6 Between West Chester Pk. & Goshen Rd. 31,700 (' 91) 32,800 24,200-26.2 Between Wyola Rd. & Chester Co. Line 21,900 (' 91) 22,700 18,100-20.3 PA320 Between PA 252 & Bullens La. 25,100 (' 90) 26,200 14,600-44.3 Between Swarthmore Ave. & Elm Ave. 15,700 (' 91) 16,200 8,100-50.0 Between PA 420 & KelUlerly Rd. 20,700 (' 91) 21,300 14,000-34.3 Between US I & Old Marple Rd. 26,700 (' 91) 27,500 20,100-269 Between Cnun Creek Rd. & Springfield Rd. 36,000 (' 88) 37,600 28,000-25.5 Between New Ardmore Rd. & Springfield Rd. 33,400 (' 88) 35,900 22,900-36.2 Between Bryn Mawr Ave. & BrelUlan Dr. 19,200 (' 91) 19,800 11,400-42.4 Between Arden Rd. & Gulph Rd. 26,500 (' 88) 28,500 18,300 35.8 PA420 Between MacDade Blvd. & 16th Ave. 23,200 (' 91) 23,700 20,700-127 Between PA 320 & Orchard Rd. 19,200 (' 91) 19,600 17,200-12.2 Source: Delaware Valley Regional Plarming COnmUssion ADT - Average Daily Traffic 128

The Blue Route: Past, Present and Future Table 2. Traffic Impacts on Interchange Roads Location ADT (Yr. of Count) 1-95 Between 1-476 &. Stewart Ave. 106,900 (' 90) Between 1-476 & Chestnut St. 98,800 (' 90) MacDade Blvd. Between 1-476 & Valley Rd. 30,900 (' 91) Between 1-476 & Bullens La. 26,600 (' 91) Baltimore Pike Between 1-476 & Paper Mill Rd. 24,000 (' 89) Between 1-476 & Turner Rd. 24,000 (' 89) USl - Media Bypass Between 1-476 & Collins Dr. 39,000 (' 88) Between 1-476 & Old State Rd. 39,000 (' 88) PA 3 - West Chester Pike Between 1-476 & South Lawrence Rd. 34,800 (' 91) Between 1-476 & Ardmore Ave. 34,800 (' 91) US 30 - Lancaster Ave. Between 1-476 & PA 320 23,400 (' 88) Between 1-476 & Radnor Chester Rd. 23,400 (' 88) 1-76 - Schuylkill Expressway Between 1-476 & Conshohocken Ramps 63,300 (' 86) Between 1-476 & PA 320 67,100 (' 86) Ridge Pike Between 1-476 & Chemical Rd. 35,000 (' 85) Between Alanwood Rd. & 1-476 26,900 (' 86) Plymouth Rd. Between 1-476 off-ramp & Butler Pike 5,900 (' 88) Between Germantown Pike & PA Tpk 5,900 (' 88) Germantown Pike Between Chemical Rd. & Butler Pike 14,700 (' 91) Between Hickory Rd. & Walton Rd. 27,000 (' 86) 1-276 - Pennsylvania Turnpike Between Int. 25 & Int. 25A 77,400 (' 91) Between Int. 25A & Int. 26 67,200 (' 91) PA9 (Now 1-476) - Northeast Extension Pennsylvania Turnpike Between Int. 25A & Int. 31 30,100 (' 91) ADT without 1-476 (1993 Estimate) 113,300 104,700 32,200 28,600 26,400 26,400 44,400 44,400 35,600 35,600 25,700 25,700 74,400 78,800 40,600 30,700 6,600 6,600 15,300 30,800 80,500 69,900 31,300 ADT with 1-476 (1993 Data) 125,600 120,500 34,100 27,000 29,500 33,400 49,200 54,500 49,400 35,700 32,300 34,000 84,400 89,300 35,000 38,200 13,100 11,900 17,600 32,600 57,900 82,000 % Difference 10.9 15.1 5.9-5.6 II.7 26.5 10.8 22.7 38.8 0.3 25.7 32.3 13.4 13.3-13.8 24.4 98.5 80.3 15.0 58-281 17.3 41,000 31.0 Source: Delaware Valley Regional Planning Conunission 129

Middle States Geographer, 1997, 30: 124-134 Table 3. 1-476 Traffic Voltunes (1993 ADT - Average Daily Traffic) Section No. of Lanes ADT I-95-Exit1 6 81,500 Exit I - Exit:::: 4 71,500 Exit 2 - Exit 3 4 68,500 Exit 3 - Exit 4 4 60,900 Exit 4 - Exit 5 6 64, I00 Exit 5 - Exit 6 6 67,700 Exit 6 - Exit 7 6 83,000 Exit 7 - Exit 8 6 70,800 Exit 8 - Exit 9 6 66,200 Exit 9 - PATwnpike 6 42,800 Source: Delaware Valley Regional Planning Conunission On the Blue Route itself, most sections carry between 65,000 and 70,000 vehicles per day (see Table 3). Capacity is 80,000 vehicles per day (ADR) on the four lane section south of West Chester Pike and 100,000 vehicles per day (ADR) on the six lane section north of West Chester Pike. The section with the highest ADR is between the Schuylkill Expressway and Ridge Pike at 85,000 vehicles per day. The ADR south of Baltimore Pike is over 70,000 vehicles per day. South of Macdade Boulevard, at Interstate 95, the Blue Route is already overcapacity. The highway capacity of 80,000 vehicles per day was not supposed to be reached on the Blue Route unti1201o. In 1993, 81,100 vehicles per day were using the Blue Route south of Macdade Boulevard (DVRPC, 1994). With much of the four-lane section of the Blue Route approaching capacity, Delaware County is trying to convince PennDot and the federal government to expand the southern portion of the Blue Route to six lanes. Accompanying this would be high-occupancyvehicle lanes. So far, the county has been unsuccessful, but other methods to relieve congestion such as on-ramp metering and park-and-ride lots are being developed. (Justice, 1995; Genao, 1996). On-ramp metering is now supposed to begin in 1998. How much growth has there been since the construction ofthe Blue Route? The highway has existed for only six years, but had been proposed since the I960s. People have known that the Blue Route was not going to be stopped by court' order or canceled since the mid I980s. One of the major fears voiced from the residents of Delaware County has been growth in the region, but the majority of the region was developed before the highway opened, yet there has been some redevelopment. First, I examine what kind of development has been identified in the Blue Route conidor by the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper. Second, I look at growth in terms of the ntunber of housing units built. Finally, I look at population statistics, including population projections for the year 2010. Information from the Philadelphia InqUirer was used to determine the extent of development proposed or built in the Blue Route conidor. One of the hottest areas for development has not been in Delaware County, but around the Conshohocken area in Montgomery County where the Blue Route interchanges with the Schuylkill Expressway and the Penn~lvania Twnpike. Several office buildings have been built and various proposals are under consideration for construction (Weaver, 1996; Goodman, 1995). The Borough of West Conshohocken has probably benefited most from the highway's completion. With state designation as an enterprise zone, businesses have come to West Conshohocken and have significantly increased its tax base (Cordrey, 1993). Minor commercial developments have taken place along the Blue Route's interchanges in Delaware County (Gordon, 1991) There have been problems along the highway. The man-made wetlands along the highway have not materialized the way the engineers intended (ardine, 1994). But other problems residents anticipated have not emerged such as the increased crime because the Blue Route made many areas of Delaware County very accessible (McCullough, I992a). The biggest problem with Blue Route is the traffic. It has reduced traffic on such north-south routes as Route 320 (traffic has dropped 30 %), Route 252 (25 %), Route 452 (14 %) and Route 420 (12 %), but on feeder routes to the superhighway such as Baltimore Pike, traffic has increased. 1993 are the latest ntunbers for traffic estimates. On Baltimore Pike, the average daily traffic (ADT) is on average 19 % over what the ADT would be without the Blue Route. The ADT has also increased on West Chester Pike and Lancaster Avenue. 1-95 and the Schuylkill Expressway also saw significant increases (DVRPC, 1994). Housing data were used to examine residential growth. (Montgomery County Planning Commission, 1995). Table 4 shows the year residential structures were built. Most residential structures were built before the Blue Route was constructed. (Montgomery County Planning Commission, 1995; Delaware County Planning Commission, 1993). Table 5 shows the ntunber of housing units built between 1980 and 1990. In the 130

The Blue Route: Past, Present and Future Table 4. Year Structure Built '39 or Median Municipalitv '80-Mar. '90 '70-'79 '60-'69 '50-'59 '40-'49 earlier Year Built Chester City 673 1,547 1,512 2,343 3,824 6,613 1944 Conshohocken borough 180 332 291 550 365 1,646 1941 Eddystone Borough 46 42 101 126 320 436 1943 Haverford Township 785 832 1,753 4,247 4,363 6,237 1947 Lower Merion Township 1,640 1,714 3,335 4,507 3,512 9,160 1948 Marple Township 630 739 1,895 3,867 823 479 1958 Media Borough 201 459 539 413 263 1,148 1952 Nether Providence Township 682 542 923 1,300 714 689 1960 Plymouth Township 479 1,181 1,832 2,040 330 592 1961 Radnor Township 1,220 1,324 2,140 2,446 1,025 884 1957 Ridley Park Borough 148 182 663 889 334 2,432 1958 Ridley Township 677 841 1,988 4,850 2,210 936 1953 Rose Valley Borough 19 43 109 55 6 1,659 1955 Springfield Township 233 359 983 4,124 1,524 109 1953 Swarthmore Borough 56 143 359 386 169 1,381 1943 Upper Merion Township 1,484 2,878 2,878 2,881 419 952 1965 Upper Providence Township 472 939 939 798 373 432 1964 West Conshohocken Borough 14 39 39 80 33 302 1939 Sources: U. S. Department ofcommerce, Bureau of the Census; Delaware County Planning Commission Table 5. Housing Units 1980-1990 Municipality 1990 Housing 1980 Housing Units % Change 80-90 Chester City 16,512 17,829-7.39 Conshohocken Borough 3,397 3,216 5.33 Eddystone Borough 1,020 1,044-2.30 Haverford Township 18,210 17,481 4.17 Lower Merion Township 23,868 22,329 6.45 Marple Township 8,433 7,833 7.66 Media Borough 3,023 3,051 0.92 Nether Providence Township 5,045 4,354 15.87 Plymouth Township 6,454 6,032 6.54 Radnor Township 10,580 9,481 11.59 Ridley Park Borough 3,152 3,062 2.94 Ridley Township 12,276 12,179 0.80 Rose Valley Borough 341 336 1.49 Springfield Township 8,604 8,367 2.83 Swarthmore Borough 2,115 2,021 465 Upper Merion Township 11,202 9,594 14.85 Upper Providence Township 3,861 3,535 9.22 West Conshohocken Borough 495 541-8.50 Sources: U. S. Department ofcommerce, Bureau ofthe Census; Delaware County Planning Commission 131

Middle States Geographer, 1997, 30: 124-134 Table 6 - Population Forecasts in the Blue Route Corridor Municipalitv 1990 Population 2020 Forecast % Change 1990-2020 Chester City Conshohocken Borough Eddystone Borough Haverford Township Lower Merion TO\\'TIship Marple Township Media Borough Nether Providence Township Plymouth Township Radnor Township Ridley Park Borough Ridley Township Rose Valley Borough Springfield Township Swarthmore Borough Upper Merion Township Upper Providence Township West Conshohocken Borough Average Median Percent Change 1990-2020 41,856 8,064 2,446 49,848 58,003 23,123 5,957 13,229 15,958 28,703 7,592 31,169 982 24,160 6,157 25,722 9,727 1,294 37,100 7,850 2,100 47,000 57,670 25,300 5,700 13,900 15,100 31,400 7,500 29,800 1,300 23,000 6,200 26,300 10,800 2,200-11.4-2.7-14.1-5.7-0.6 9.4-9.4 5.1-5.1 9.4-1.2-4.4 32.4-4.8 0.7 2.2!l.0 70.0 56 Sources: U. S. Department ofcommerce, Bureau ofthe Census; Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Delaware COlUlty section of the corridor, the average percentage change between 1980 and 1990 is 7.56 % (Delaware County Planning Commission, 1991). If there was significant growth due to the building of the Blue Route, one would see it in the population forecasts prepared by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. In their report, Year 2020 County and Municipal Interim Population and Employment Forecasts (1993), they project population in the Delaware Valley in the year 2020 (see Table 6). The Blue Route Corridor had a projected population figure reminiscent of typical suburbs close to the city. The average median projected growth rate of population in the Corridor between 1990 and 2020 is 5.6 %, lower than the 11 % that the nine-county Philadelphia region is projected to grow between 1990-2020. CONCLUSION A superhighway was proposed 35 years ago to ease congestion in the relatively prosperous western suburbs of Philadelphia. The pattern of construction for most highways is to build them in undeveloped areas. Major growth would take place along the new road. The Blue Route is a unique highway because it does not follow this pattern; eastern Delaware County and central Montgomery Counties have been developed for a long time. This community had the resources to delay a significant construction project for thirty years, [mally losing this battle in the mid-1980s. Before this time, it was doubtful if the Blue Route would ever be built. When the road was finally completed in 1991, problems did arise, especially concerning the physical environment, noise, and most of all, traffic. Yet through the compromising efforts PennDot, the different municipalities, and all of the organized community groups, a beauty of a highway was built. It is very 'park..way-like' with considerable attention being paid to the landscapes surrounding the highway (McCullough, 1991a). The Blue Route is an excellent example of how the construction of a highway becomes caught in changing transportation policy The highway was proposed during the 1950s for relieving traffic congestion. After delays, transportation policy changed. Fewer superhighways were being built due to increased governmental regulation and opposition from the public. For instance, two environmental impact statements were needed because of governmental regulations. The second EIS was due to effective opposition to the first. Delays were inevitable because of changing attitudes and regulations. Transportation planners have to realize that 132

The Blue Route: Past, Present and Future they must consider the environmental impact of a proposed construction area. A proposal must take into account more than the thousands of corrunuters using the highway, but also the impact of the people living near it. The construction of the Blue Route was a hard lesson learned by the PermDot highway plarmers. Alternatives to superhighway construction should be considered. Increased mass transportation and/or widening of existing highways are examples of alternatives. Growth is very difficult to meastrre six years after the highway was built. But, six years is a good time to begin analyzing how exactly has the Blue Route affected the region it serves. With six years gone by, some information is available. Housing starts and population projection gives the researcher a clue to growth in the region. According to newspaper accounts, more development is proposed. The region immediately around the Blue Route has not changed much. The Blue Route was designed foremost for convenience of corrunuters in the region, thus growth may not be an outgrowth from this highway. 1bere is not much room to grow; the road is surrounded by residential and recreational areas. Yet, the area irrunediately adjacent to the Blue Route may not be the best place to look. Research on its impact should expand to looking at development beyond the corridor. The Blue Route is an important component of the Philadelphia region transportation network. Yet, it is also something that researchers should continue to study. REFERENCES Cordrey, 1. 1993. Once-isolated Borough Now a Hub. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. MD01. Delaware County Plarming Commission. 1991. Housing Units: 1980-1990. [table]. Delaware County Planning Corrunission. 1993. Year Structure Built - 1990. [table]. Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. 1993. Year 2020 County and Municipal Interim Population and Employment Forecasts. (Direction 2020, Report #8). Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. 1994. Traffic Impacts of 1-476 (Mid County Expressway). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Garreau, 1. 1991. Edge City: Life on the New Frontier. New York: Doubleday. Genao, L. 1996. PennDot Sees Way to Get out of a Jam. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. BO I. Goodman, R. 1995. Offices May Anchor Conshohocken's Riverfront Revival. The Philadelphia InqUirer, pp. MC03. Hackney, D. C 1979. Edgar Asks U. S. to OK Limited Blue Route Plan. The Philadelphia Bulletin, pp.a4. Jackson, K. 1. 1985. Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States. New York: Oxford Univ Press. Justice, G. 1995. Delco Challenges U S. on Blue Route. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. MD02. McCullough, M. 1991 a. Firefighters and PennDot Dispute Blue Route Safety. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp B03 1991 b. The Blue Route's Debut. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. BO I. 1992a Blue Route Seems to Be a Hit So Far. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. CO I.. 1992b. Blue Route Has Had a Subtle Effect on Life in Subtrrbs The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. Bol. Montgomery County Plarming Commission. 1995. Units Built by Municipality by Year and Housing Type in Montgomery.Co.PA 1990-1994; 1980 1990. [table]. Mount, B. 1994. Highway Noise Has Nearby Residents Singing the Blues. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. MD01. Nussbatllll, P. and Gordon, S 1985. U. S Judge Clears Way for Blue Route. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. A01. Ordine, B. 1994. PennDot Finds Replacing Mother Nature Is Hard The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. MC03. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation & Federal Highway Administration. 1984. Mid County Expressway (1-476) Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Section 4(f) Evaluation. Pothier, D. 1981. Swarthmore Sues to Stop Work on the 'Blue Route.' The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. 3 B. Project History. 1991. Blue Route Monitor, 9, )-3. 133

Middle States Geographer, 1997, 30: 124-134 Stranahan, S. Q. (1976, May 23). The Blue Route: A Wilson, G. 1991. The Blue Route's Costly Lesson. The $72 Million Road to Nowhere. ThePhiladelphia Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. All. Inquirer, pp. I-A; IO-A. Weaver, D. 1996 Proposed Metroplex Meets Heat. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. B02 134