PHILADELPHIA — The City, alongside partners, today marked the completion of intersection modifications as part of the South Broad Street Pedestrian Safety Improvement Project.
“On a typical day, over 80,000 people pass through the intersection of Broad & Chestnut, including people walking, biking, taking a bus, and driving,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “It’s our responsibility to make investments in public infrastructure to meet their needs.”
United by the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan, Philadelphia has laid out a strategy to reduce traffic deaths on streets to zero by 2030. South Broad Street is a part of the City’s Vision Zero high injury network, and along this corridor, almost 70 percent of pedestrian injuries occur in marked crosswalks. That is why improving the pedestrian crossing experience was this project’s top goal.
“The Avenue of the Arts, Inc. (AAI) is an economic engine for Philadelphia and the region, that attracts over 2.5 million visitors a year. AAI is proud to have partnered with the City to help implement this important reinvestment in the Avenue’s infrastructure, that will help to keep it clean, safe, inviting, and walkable,” said Paul Beideman, president of Avenue of the Arts, Inc.
The project reconstructed intersections on Broad Street at Chestnut and Walnut Streets by modifying the elevation of the roadway surface and crosswalks to the same elevation as the adjacent sidewalk. To do this, over 15 inlets were removed or relocated, and replaced with new inlets and an upgraded drainage system in order to capture stormwater. The curb and a portion of the sidewalk at these intersections was also replaced.
Other important design elements at these two intersections include stamped asphalt that mimics red brick; weathered steel detectable warning surfaces at each of the ramps; new granite curb from New England, which match the original curbs; and tinted and scored concrete pavements to match the colors and patterns on the adjoining sidewalks.
New intersection improvements at Broad & Moravian and Broad & Sansom were also completed, which include new ADA ramps and line striping, and matching weathered steel detectable warning surfaces.
Other investments along South Broad Street include the installation of two new bus shelters for the bus stops on Broad Street at Chestnut and at Walnut Streets.
The project also incorporated large planters, maintained by Avenue of the Arts, which contracts with Center City District to complete the work. Additionally, the City has been awarded competitive grant funds to upgrade LED lighting along this section of South Broad Street and to make improvements at the intersection of Broad & Locust Streets.
The construction contract for the four intersections project totalled $2.9 million, was fully financed with 100 percent City Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) funding.
To download high resolution photos of the project, click here. (Photo credit: Urban Engineers)