For those entangled in the daily grind of commuting on Roosevelt Boulevard, the City of Philadelphia has revealed a plan that targets the veins of public transit within North and Northeast Philadelphia through the Roosevelt Boulevard: Route for Change program. In an upcoming virtual public meeting, city officials are seeking public involvement in the Boulevard Today phase, which includes developing bus lanes aimed at enhancing the safety and speed of SEPTA's transit service, according to the city's official announcement.
The partnership behind the program, comprising the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), and SEPTA, has laid out the installation timeline, with bus lanes expected to grace Roosevelt Boulevard between Bustleton Avenue and Southampton Road by Fall of 2026, while the holistic view of the corridor is sketched out into major phases extending to 2040. The project, which is fully funded, intends to convert the lane closest to the curb into a dedicated lane for buses, allowing cars and trucks to merge only when making right turns, however, on-street parking, which currently exists between Bustleton Avenue and Rhawn Street, will be subjected to "No Stopping" restrictions around the clock.
Aligning with the initiative's goal to foster better public transportation options, the Boulevard Tomorrow and Boulevard Reimagined phases will follow suit with traffic safety advancements and broad design overhauls. Interested community members are invited to delve deeper into the proposal and interact with project representatives by joining the virtual public meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30 PM, on Microsoft Teams; for those needing assistance with the virtual platform, instructions are provided on the city's website.
The necessity of these bus lanes is underscored by the present state where the number of late buses has doubled through the targeted section of Roosevelt Boulevard, affecting the nearly 20,000 daily riders of the six SEPTA bus routes (1, 14, 20, 50, 67, and Boulevard Direct), the roadway struggles with the relentless ebb and flow of commuter traffic punctuated by buses which are often unable to maintain their schedule which creates frustration for everyday travelers. Furthermore, the initiative promises the elimination of two hazardous crossovers and the creation of safer alternatives at Knorr Street and Woodhaven Road, amplifying the safety quotient of this expansive urban thoroughfare.
Curiosity or concerns about the project can be directed to the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) at [email protected].
