Pennsylvania Funds Include Protected Bike Lane on Market Street and Parkside Sidepath

Governor Tom Wolf announced new funds for alternative transportation projects throughout the state, including several projects in the Greater Philadelphia Region. The one that first caught our eye is a new protected bike lane project on Market Street, between Sixth Street and Second Street, and improvements to the Parkside bikeway.

From the report:

Philadelphia Streets Department — $3,000,000 to construct multimodal safety improvements to Market Street from 6th to 2nd Streets, changing from four travel lanes to three, adding a protected bike lane in each direction, constructing floating bus islands and pedestrian islands, and improving two intersections.

This is good news and Market Street in Old City a more bikeable, more walkable area. It will additionally be a nice addition to the coming I-95 cap project, and the side path that is coming to Columbus Boulevard and Delaware Avenue.

On Parkside, the city is set to receive $2.6 million for changes to the Parkside Avenue corridor, including “pedestrian islands, LED lighting, intersection improvements, and a new side path.”

This wasn’t the only project in the region, though.

Additional Philadelphia projects include:

Provco Penrose, LLC — $1,300,000 to support transportation improvements associated with the transformation of a previous heavy metal shredding facility at 2600 Penrose Avenue to a proposed convenience store with gas and a separate restaurant facility.

Philadelphia Streets Department — $2,682,934 for critically needed traffic safety improvements on a Vision Zero High Injury Corridor, Parkside Avenue, including pedestrian islands, LED lighting, intersection improvements, and a new side path.

Philadelphia Regional Port Authority — $1,500,000 to upgrade two container cranes by replacing the crane drive system and converting the cranes from diesel to electric, extending the useful life of the cranes and creating an opportunity to attract new business and diversify operations.

Philadelphia Streets Department — $900,000 to construct eight new bus plazas at four key intersections along Roosevelt Boulevard to support SEPTA’s next segment of Boulevard Direct, which will ultimately connect to the Wissahickon Transportation Center in Manayunk.

Stay tuned for an analysis of the suburban projects in the Greater Philadelphia area that were announced, and see the press release here.