A pedestrian plaza at 48th and Baltimore.
Spruce Hill residents have a chance to learn more about a new traffic calming and pedestrian safety proposal for the busy intersection at 43rd and Spruce Streets.
On Tuesday, Jan. 9, Nate Hommel, the director of Planning and Design at the University City District (UCD) will present a plan for a pedestrian plaza at 43rd and Spruce at the monthly Spruce Hill Community Association Board (SHCA) meeting.
Pedestrian plazas are permitted by the City of Philadelphia through its Streets Department. Pedestrian plaza hosts receive a one-year Pedestrian Enhancement Permit that is renewable for up to three years. To receive a Pedestrian Enhancement Permit, an application must be submitted and approved by the Street Department. Pedestrian plaza locations are subject to review by the City’s Chief Traffic Engineer.
Certain criteria must be met for a pedestrian plaza application to be approved, like proximity to fire hydrants, SEPTA and more. Check out application guidelines here.
One of pedestrian plazas in West Philadelphia is located at the intersection of 48th and Baltimore (see photo).
The meeting will take place at the SHCA office at 257 South 45th St., beginning at 7:30 p.m. and will also include updates on the work that SHCA committees have been doing in the neighborhood. All interested neighbors are welcome to attend the meeting in person or virtually. More information and a Zoom link are available here.
January 5th, 2024 at 10:01 pm
Take a look at the traffic calming constrictions on Chestnut Street and see if you see the “calmness” there.
But you may want to bring earplugs because of all the honking.
January 7th, 2024 at 10:43 am
Mike Lynch, why do you hate progress?
January 9th, 2024 at 8:24 am
it would be great if the plaza at 48th and baltimore still looked like this. the traffic calming furniture has all been pushed back to the curbline to rot…
mike lynch, get a life (or at least get out of your car)
January 11th, 2024 at 7:52 am
Mike Lynch, you live in the suburbs and always have so why do you feel entitled to offer comment on OUR neighborhood?
January 25th, 2024 at 7:40 pm
what, now? 43/Spruce?? I have lived a block away for 30 years and have never thought of this as a busy block. It’s a 1 way to a 2 way, stoplighted, and I have no idea where this idea came from. Now, if someone can tell me that there have been more car accidents on this corner than all the corners around it, or somesuch, Ok, but honestly, I don’t get it. Where would it even fit?