PHILADELPHIA – City officials announced today that construction will begin during the week of June 15 for Resurfacing & Safety Improvements along 22nd Street, between Snyder Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway. The work is expected to be completed by the end of July, and be completed in phases that include temporary, full street closures and parking restrictions. Weather or special events in the area may alter the work schedule.

The contractor will perform paving operations and safety improvements on 22nd Street from Snyder Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway, including the following:

  • Resurfacing on 22nd Street, Snyder Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
  • Restriping on 22nd Street, Snyder Avenue to Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
  • Moving the bicycle lane from the right-hand (east) to left-hand (west) side of street.
  • Installing a protected bike lane with a parking buffer from Washington Street to South Street and with flexible delineator posts from South Street to Market Street.
  • Installing new intersection treatments to designate bicycle and vehicle space in the roadway.

This resurfacing project is an opportunity to make safety improvements to 22nd Street. 22nd Street is a Vision Zero High Injury Network corridor, which means that there is a higher rate of severe traffic crashes on 22nd Street than the average Philadelphia street. Along with a new, smooth road surface the project is expected to:

  • Reduce the number of possible crashes that occur between right-turning vehicles and people biking
  • Reduce potential conflict points between people taking transit, people driving SEPTA buses, and people biking.
  • Improve intersections where bicyclists and motorists meet

New intersection treatments like green paint at key locations will help all travelers by increasing predictability and awareness. There will be flexible delineator posts to keep drivers out of the bike lane and green paint to highlight where bikes will travel across intersections making it safer.

This project provides the opportunity to increase the safety of the bicycle lane by relocating it to the left-hand side of the street. Research shows that a person on a bike in a left-hand bicycle lane has a reduced chance of being in the blind spot of a person driving. This will also remove people on bikes from the side of the street with bus stops, which will reduce bus/bike conflict points.

“Protected bicycle lanes serve more potential riders than painted bicycle lanes,” said Kelley Yemen, Director of the City’s Office of Complete Streets. “Protected bicycle lanes will allow for more Philadelphians, not just the bold or athletic, to use a bicycle for transportation and recreation. Research shows that many people who would like to bicycle, but don’t, are concerned about potential vehicle bicycle conflicts.”

STREET PAVING PROCESS
The resurfacing effort will be completed in three separate phases–street milling, the adjustment of manhole covers and resetting of utility boxes, and final paving–which will take place in separate activities over the course of the next several weeks.

Operations for the milling work, removal of old asphalt, will be performed during the daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Milling of each street segment is expected to last approximately 1-2 days per street.

Work for adjusting manhole covers and resetting utility boxes will be scheduled during the day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., and is expected to last approximately one week per street.

Operations for the final paving will be performed by the contractor during the daytime hours between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.  The final paving of each street segment is expected to last approximately 1-2 days per street.

Line stripping of bike lane paint/delineators will commence after the resurfacing effort. The lines will be installed in conjunction with final asphalt paving.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS
To complete the work, residents should expect parking restrictions. Temporary ‘No Parking’ signs will be posted in advance of each scheduled activity. Cars must be removed from the work sites during the hours posted on the ‘No Parking’ signs to avoid being towed. In the event a car is towed, residents should contact their local Police District (Police Districts 1st, 9th & 17th) to determine its location. Residents may park on the streets during non-work times. Motorists are advised to allow extra time when traveling around the work areas.

This work is being completed by James J. Anderson Construction Co, Inc., and is part of the City Wide Resurfacing CW106 project. The project is being financed with Federal and City funding.

The Streets Department thanks the residents in advance for their patience and cooperation during this project. For more information on the City’s Paving Program, visit philadelphiastreets.com or check the progress of paving across the city using the PavePHL tool found on StreetSmartPHL.phila.gov. Residents are asked not to approach employees or contractors for information as they practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information about the repaving & safety project, click here. For more information on the City’s paving program, click here. ot

###