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The Efficient Mass Transit Plan for Philly That Never Was

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Who drew this map? Image via Philadelphia Studies

Here's the story: between 1913 and 1915, Philadelphia Transit Commissioner A. Merritt Taylor was charged drawing up a proposal for several mass transit lines to connect metro Philadelphia. At the time, development of the Market-Frankford line was slowly coming along, and it would be another 10 years before Philly saw the start of construction on the Broad Street Line. Still, A. Merritt Taylor's proposal in many ways represents the subway system of Philadelphia's dreams: look at the extension into Queen Village! The 16th and Passyunk Spur! The Northeast Elevated! Franklin Square! Although the majority of these locations currently boast decent bus or trolley coverage, come on. This plan, which represents the first of several transit schematics Merritt Taylor would commission in his lifetime, would have been so great.

The question is, who brought Taylor's plan into the 21st century?