Heads up, drivers and local residents in Philadelphia: The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has just rolled out its plans for weeknight resurfacing on Henry Avenue. This endeavor, focused on enhancing both travel and safety within the East Falls and Wissahickon communities, is set to create some temporary changes to your evening routes. From Monday, August 5 to Thursday, August 15, absorb this; there will be periodic closures from 8 PM to 5 AM the next morning along Henry Avenue between Walnut Lane and School House Lane, and during these hours, traffic will be detoured using Walnut Lane, Ridge Avenue, and Midvale Avenue, with local access maintained and drivers encouraged to plan for some extra travel time due to expected delays.
As originally reported by PennDOT, the resurfacing is just a slice of a larger $12.6 million federally-funded project aimed at overhauling this busy 1.6-mile stretch of Henry Avenue. The overhaul includes a laundry list of upgrades: redesigned traffic patterns, improved pedestrian and bicyclist mobility, median widening, guide rail replacements, and enhanced traffic signaling at several junctions including Abbotsford Avenue and the Medical College driveway, among others. To battle speeding concerns, they're bringing in new turning lanes, deflective medians, and visibly loud 35 mph pavement markers, so don't be surprised if you suddenly find your foot easing off the gas pedal.
The project evidently extends beyond just making the road smoother to traverse; it thoroughly tackles safety and mobility for all users. For those on foot or two wheels, a shared-use bicycle and pedestrian path is in the pipeline, as well as bump-outs, sidewalks, and ADA-compliant ramps at various intersections to ensure accessibility is at the forefront. It's a holistic approach to infrastructure, plants for greenery alongside concrete to enhance aesthetics and safety.
For full details on the Henry Avenue project, which include storm water management to handle those sudden Philadelphia downpours and green stormwater infrastructure to keep things eco-friendly, residents can head to the Henry Avenue project page. A.P. Construction, Inc. of Blackwood, New Jersey is the muscle behind the construction, making the most of the all-federal-dollar pot to create what could be, a grander, better connected Philadelphia.
