University City

City to begin South Street Bridge redo

mgolas — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:07:02 -0500

Bio

Body

By Kellie Patrick Gates
For PlanPhilly

More than 18 years after design work began, Philadelphia is getting a new South Street bridge - a $67 million project re-imagined over the past two years with pedestrians and bicyclists in mind.
But with that gain, there will be pain: The bridge, which links University City and Center City via South Street and allows drivers to enter and exit The Schuylkill Expressway, will close when construction begins next month and stay closed throughout the roughly 2-year construction process.
Each day, 23,000 people take the bridge, said Charles Denny, chief traffic engineer with the city. Alternate car routes include the Chestnut and Walnut street bridges, he said. But Denny recommended that anyone who can use a different alternative: SEPTA. Carpooling and traveling a little earlier or later than peak rush hour would also be advised, he said.
The federal government will pick up the bulk of the $67 million tab - 80 percent. The state will pay 15 percent and the city 5 percent. When the bridge first went to design phase in 1995, the price tag was estimated at less than half that, in the low $30 million range, said Rina Cutler, the deputy mayor for transportation who used to work for PennDOT.
For most of those years, the project was waiting in line for funding, Cutler said.
Responding to a reporter's question, Denny said it might take emergency vehicles taking alternative routes to hospitals a little longer to get there while construction takes place.
Mayor Michael Nutter interrupted, joking that the press corps must be grouchy because of the Eagles' loss Sunday night. Yes, he said, there would be headaches, but the headaches would come with an infusion of money and construction jobs, and would end with a replacement for a bridge that is rated structurally deficient and that has rained chunks of concrete onto the expressway below.
"The South Street Bridge is a poster child for what happens when we do not invest in our cities and in our infrastructure," Nutter said. He also lauded the process by which residents critiqued the original design by H2L2, formed a coalition to fight for changes, and then worked collaboratively with the city and state to develop a new, compromise design. "This process, as painful as it has been at times … could serve as a model for other projects in this city," Nutter said.
Last spring, it was Nutter and State Sen. Vincent Fumo who convinced the city and state to hold off on the project until a compromise design could be developed, Terry Gillen, redevelopment authority executive director, said before the press conference.
The state was saying if the project didn't start now that funding was in hand, it could lose that money, Gillen said. But Nutter agreed with residents that the design from the 1990s was "too car-centric" to be built now.
Nutter said that the pedestrian and bicycle friendly plan for the bridge reflects the city's effort to become more green and healthy.

Among the changes and features:
• The bridge will have four traffic lanes instead of five. Bicycle lanes and sidewalks were widened.
• An additional crosswalk with a pedestrian activated traffic signal was added at the ramp and stair from the Bridge down to the Schuylkill River Park. The traffic signal will be portal mounted above the roadway. The curb ramps at this crosswalk will be widened to 6-ft. on both sides of the Bridge to allow multiple bicyclists to simultaneously cross and access the bicycle lanes.
• Speed Limit – The posted speed limit for the entire Bridge and viaduct was reduced from 30 to 25 MPH.
• Bicycle stop bars (stop bars are the thick, white lines at intersections that indicate where vehicles, motorized and otherwise, are to stop) will be advanced to allow bicyclists to get ahead of motorists for greater visibility and safety.
• Lighting will be done with pedestrians in mind. The majority of the bridge lighting will be sidewalk mounted at the curb. All light standards will include mounting brackets for future banner placement.
• Traffic signal timings have been optimized for pedestrian movements and safety.
• Reflective pavement markers will be installed at the curve on the east side to improve roadway visibility.
Changes were also made to make the bridge more visually appealing.

"We see the bridge as more a neighborhood bridge, connecting two historic neighborhoods, not a highway bridge," said Marcia Wilkof, a member of the South Street Bridge Coalition and the Democratic ward leader of the 30th Ward. "We wanted the look and feel of it to reflect the historic context."

The new bridge and viaducts - elevated roadways - will span about 2,000 feet. The roadway will cross over AMTRAK, CSX and SEPTA rail lines and pass under the CSX railroad high line. It will include new pedestrian entrances to the University City Regional Rail Station and University of Pennsylvania's Hollenback Hall.

The project is the largest the city's streets department has handled since it was created in the early 1950s, department chief engineer and surveyor David J. Perri said after the press conference.

Architectural renderings are not yet available for the new bridge, but are expected relatively soon, Perri said. It still has not been determined what the bridge towers will look like.

Contact the reporter at kelliespatrick@gmail.com

Home Page Summary

Mayor Nutter announces two-year timeline for replacement of crumbling structure. Bridge will be closed in early December.<br />

Source

Written By

KellieP

Publish Date

November 10, 2008

Abstract

Kimmel Center Civic Feedback Session

andrewg — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:31:51 -0400

Start: 04/14/2008 - 6:00pm

End: 04/14/2008 - 8:30pm

Start: 04/14/2008 - 6:00pm

End: 04/14/2008 - 8:30pm

Body

DUE TO OVERWHELMING ADVANCE RESPONSE, REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CLOSED. COPIES OF THE PRESENTATIONS AND FEEDBACK FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AFTER THE EVENT. WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

This marks the next round of public input in the Kimmel Center Public Space Project, organized by PennPraxis and the Penn Project for Civic Engagement and sponsored by the Kimmel Center to develop ideas on how to further enliven the building's public spaces.

The Civic Feedback Session will give citizens the opportunity to view initial design concepts developed for the Kimmel public spaces and provide feedback in response to the ideas that will help enrich strengthen the work.

Design students from University of the Arts and University of Pennsylvania will present their ideas, all of which grew from the Design Principles developed out of the public forums held in January. The Principles will serve as the basis for the public dialogue.

6:00 -- registration

7:00 -- presentation in the Perelman Theater

8:00 -- discussion in Commonwealth Plaza

9:10 -- design panel in Perelman Theater

9:30 -- end

Contact

Guest

Event Type

Symposium

Show Date As

Speakers

Sponser

The Palestra

mgolas — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 11:58:32 -0500

Body

Website:
www.pennathletics.com
Many say this local basketball arena is the most storied gymnasium in the history of collegiate athletics. It has been a fixture of Philadelphia sports culture since it opened in 1927, and has hosted more college basketball tournaments than any other facility. It housed the first NCAA championship in 1939 and has been the site of more than sixty years of University of Pennsylvania basketball and countless match-ups of the Big Five, a league of local college basketball teams (Penn, Villanova, Saint Joseph’s, La Salle, Temple) that compete every year. The Palestra seats 9,000 and fills to maximum capacity during Big 5 games, which draw residents from all over the city.

Icon Type

Website

MSN Live Local Link

University City

Robert Leming — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:08:21 -0500

Body

University City

The name reflects the proximity of several institutions of higher learning, including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, Lincoln University Urban Center, and The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College. University City's boundaries are 29th Street and the Schuylkill River to the east; Spring Garden, Market Street, and Powelton Avenue to the north; Civic Center Boulevard, University Avenue and part of Woodland Avenue to the south; and 50th Street to the west. It includes some part or all of zip codes 19104, 19139, and 19143. These boundaries are defined by the non-profit University City District organization.

www.ucityphila.org

Map Center

39.9547,-75.1947

Map Zoom

Postal Codes

19104

Abstract

Values consolidation under way

mgolas — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:33:45 -0500

Bio

Body

In January, there will be a consolidation of citizens' core neighborhood and waterfront values identified in three public sessions in December.

The values from the forums are listed below. They will be distilled down to seven or eight primary values:

The main consolidated “values” from the Dec. 14 session at Penn's Landing were:

Walk-ability - green space, the human scale, to walk without interruption, satellite parking
Safety - people on street, lighting, police protection, no slots barns
Ecological protection - green space, sewage, runoff control, green LEED construction.
Big Sky - green space vision, broad sight lines, public access to river’s edge, low lying buildings, density, open space
Diversity - cultural, economic, generational, ethnic, activity, occupational, business, ecological.
Historic preservation - our past.
River itself - recreation, industry, open space, drinking water, touch-ability, contemplation, history, dredging, no dredging
Integration of river with rest of the city.
Community – civic engagement.
Tension between the working river and pretty "playing" river.

“One of the most interesting things I heard was the organic relationship between the river and the land exemplified by the people who work on the river in boats,” said Ryan Berley of Old City.

The main "values" or takeaways from the Dec. 12 event in South Philadelphia were:

Valuing green space, open space
Sustaining the industrial port
Quality jobs on the waterfront are the economic engine for the city
Safety comes with traffic control, crime control, no fear, public transit
Sense of community that starts in the neighborhoods
Neighborhoods protect and enhance community as a whole
Protect the history, the traditions, the Mummers Parade
How schools and churches fit into the waterfront as icons
Appreciate the diversity of economics, ethnicity, culture in our neighborhoods
Get our arms around the long-term solutions vs. short term solutions

Finally, listed below are the values that were established during the first engagement forum, Dec. 11, in the Kensington-Port Richmond section of the city:

Safety - children can play outside, you can walk in the neighborhood
Family values - small businesses that thrive, places to worship, locally owned businesses.
Easy access - you can walk or bike or bus to it.
Diversity - ethnic, lifestyle, multi-generational, economic, diversity of uses, architecture.
Open space and green space - public spaces, playing spaces.
History - existing neighborhoods, old buildings, old architecture. Historic identities.
Jobs - river related and ports related jobs. Jobs for youth.
Green technology - work with the environment.
The plan - looking for something that protects the values already mentioned.
Recreation - using water and land where they meet. Recreation for families.
Affordable housing - for seniors.

Home Page Summary

Source

Written By

Guest

Publish Date

December 29, 2006

Abstract

Steering Committee meeting

mgolas — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:30:19 -0500

Start: 01/29/2007 - 8:00am

End: 01/29/2007 - 10:00am

Start: 01/29/2007 - 8:00am

End: 01/29/2007 - 10:00am

Body

Central Delaware Waterfront Steering Committee meeting. Agenda will include consolidating the values produced in the community civic engagement sessions in December. No need for RSVP.

Contact

Guest

Event Type

Symposium

Show Date As

Speakers

Sponser

Central Delaware Riverfront Update

mgolas — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 15:26:38 -0500

Start: 08/01/2007 - 4:30pm

End: 08/01/2007 - 8:00pm

Start: 08/01/2007 - 4:30pm

End: 08/01/2007 - 8:00pm

Body

PennPraxis update on progress being made on revisioning the Central Delaware Waterfront.

Contact

Guest

Event Type

Town Hall Meeting

Show Date As

Speakers

Sponser

Penn Praxis

Imagining blazing this trail

mgolas — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 11:26:10 -0500

Bio

Body

Jan. 4, 2007
By David Schaaf RA
Philadelphia City Planning Commission

The exiting 109th Congress of the United States created the Nation’s “First National Water Trail” – more properly, the “John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail.” And what a trail! – imagine the opportunities for recreation, historical interpretation, environmental education and efforts to restore a 200-mile long estuary – the largest in the world - that has been witness to some of the most profound history this nation enjoys.

Senators from Maryland, Delaware and Virginia were obvious sponsors of this legislation, but also onboard were our own Senators Spector and Santorum who lent their energies to creating this national resource. (40% of the water in the Chesapeake Bay comes from Pennsylvania).

And by the way, Happy 400th Birthday, Commonwealth of Virginia, for I suspect we’re enjoying the fruits of your longevity on this continent through this Federal recognition.

From an e-mail I received from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, I read that “developing the trail in a sustainable way to create the most benefits for the Chesapeake region will take the National Park Service’s focus and funding. Congress will need to appropriate this funding in its next session so the Park Service can implement the legislation…” President Bush need only sign this legislation for this remarkable resource to become a reality. Citizens need to encourage the appropriate funding for this trail; the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is urging the public to roundly applaud this effort.

Is it synchronicity that I was in Harrisburg at the 5th Annual “Law of Historic Preservation” conference sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and learned of the “Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor?” Not so far north of the City of Philadelphia, a 165-mile long corridor of rivers, canals and railroads that conserves an entire transportation network is now 98% publicly accessible.

In the last 18 years this trail has come together as a whole even though dozens of private and public entities own different portions of it. Running from Wilkes-Barre to Bristol, Pa., the corridor was established by Congress in 1988. Along the corridor’s southern end, one might find some familiar destinations – Washington’s Crossing State Park, and Pennsbury Manor, known to almost all Philadelphians. We’re that close to it. And Bristol, Pennsylvania is less than 8 miles from the Poquessing Creek – our northern boundary at the Delaware River.

So let’s do some imagining here. We have an extensive 165-mile National Heritage Trail just to the north of us, and now, another promising 200-mile long initiative just to the south of us (albeit unfunded, but hey, let’s hope for the best). It’s not hard to imagine that the Delaware River and Bay, including the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal become part of this much larger system of heritage corridors in the Middle Atlantic States. Philadelphia’s waterfront and the Delaware River and Bay are literally the bridge between these two Federally-recognized projects. And we have some history of our own to add into the mix.