Philadelphia will receive $4.6 million in funds to improve transportation infrastructure, making traveling in the city safer for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians. This money funds four Philadelphia-area projects, and comes from a fund established by Act 89. Since its passage in 2013, this act has funded a number of transportation projects across the state.
Governor Tom Wolf, along with representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), announced the projects these grants will fund on October 15.
Funded: The Four Transportation Projects in Philadelphia
The $4.6 million Philadelphia will receive will fund four projects. These projects include:
Safety Infrastructure Near Schools
The City of Philadelphia Department of Streets will receive $811,682 to improve safety for children who bike or walk to three public elementary schools in the city.
Currently, children and families are at an increased risk of becoming accident victims when walking or biking to school. By adding safety infrastructure to the neighborhoods near these schools, the Department can help these students and area families remain safe.
Safety and Road improvements on City Avenue
Almost $890,000 will go to City Avenue Special Services District, which will complete a number of improvements on City Avenue. These projects will address safety issues for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians alike.
The Schuylkill River Trail Extension
The Schuylkill River Development Corporation will receive $911,637 for several improvements necessary to complete the Schuylkill River Trail extension that links South Street and Christian Street. These projects will include both safety and transportation improvements, such as paving, pavement markers and other signage, fencing, and landscaping.
Redevelopment at Logan Triangle
The largest portion of the $4.6 million investment will go to Logan West Associates to cover costs associated with an extensive redevelopment at Logan Triangle.
The $2 million set aside for this project will fund reconstruction of the North Philadelphia neighborhood, including revamping 9th Street and Wyoming Avenue.
How big of a problem is road safety in Philadelphia?
Philadelphia motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists will benefit from these transportation safety and infrastructure improvements, and state officials hope these projects can help reduce the number of people who die or suffer injuries in area accidents each year.
While the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and other local awareness groups fund research, conduct studies and work to reduce the number of accidents in Greater Philadelphia, the fact remains that dozens of people die in car, pedestrian, and bicycle accidents each year.
According to PennDOT, there were 10,627 car accidents in Philadelphia County in 2014. An additional 5,779 crashes occurred in Bucks County. Of these crashes, 89 in Philadelphia County involved at least one fatality. Bucks County had 43 fatal car accidents during 2014.
At the same time, 35 pedestrians died in Philadelphia County crashes during 2014, while eight died from injuries sustained in a Bucks County pedestrian accident.
Cordisco & Saile LLC Personal Injury Attorneys in Bucks County, PA
If you suffered injuries in a car, pedestrian, or bicycle crash in the Greater Philadelphia area, Cordisco & Saile LLC can help.
Call our Bucks County office today at 215-642-2335 to schedule a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
