by KYW's vice president and general manager David Yadgaroff
So, the Philadelphia area is getting Major League Soccer -- a team, a stadium, and a convenient Delaware County location!
Good. Soccer is a fine sport.
But what on earth does it have to do with the port, the area's major toll bridges, a high-speed transit line, or any other tri-state transportation element? And why is the Delaware River Port Authority plunging $10 million into a multi-use soccer stadium project when its own infrastructure is falling apart and tolls are about to skyrocket (see related news story)?
This isn’t the authority’s first flight into the absurd. Remember the millions sunk into a cable car to link Camden, NJ and Philadelphia? That dream is well over budget, overdue, and not even on the horizon.
With transportation dollars in very short supply and reluctant commuters being asked to spend more on tolls, both the idea of shoveling bridge toll revenue into a stadium -- and the timing -- is irresponsible at best.
If the Port Authority has so much extra cash kicking around that it can afford to prop up a soccer field instead of its bridges, the sensible thing to do is scuttle plans for the toll increase and stop whining about money.
To submit a comment or reply to this editorial, send an e-mail to yadgaroff@KYW.com.
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