One of the busiest commercial corridors in West Philadelphia is finally getting much-needed traffic calming and other improvements. The 52nd Street Commercial Corridor Improvement Project, which will be conducted on the portion of the street between Arch and Pine, aims to make the corridor “safer, cleaner and greener” for all.

Traffic calming measures may include the construction of curb extensions, medians, and raised crosswalks. The project also includes improved curbside parking and loading to prevent illegal and double parking.

Street beautification is also part of this project. One of the goals is to make the corridor, a historic and cultural hub of West Philadelphia, more pedestrian-friendly. The project includes streetscaping improvements, like new trees, which will provide shade and make the corridor more beautiful.

52nd Street is one of the busiest bus routes in the city (Route 52), so transit improvements, such as upgraded bus stops and bump-outs, are also being planned as part of this project.

The project is a partnership between the City, the Enterprise Center, and community stakeholders.

Currently, the project is in its design stage and residents are invited this Thursday, Aug. 21, to a public meeting to learn more and provide input on what improvements they want to see. The meeting will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. at Global Leadership Academy Southwest (5200 Pine St). Those who can’t make it to the meeting are invited to provide feedback online by filling out the project survey (click here).

More public meetings are planned this and next year while the project team gathers input from residents and businesses and works on the design concept and updates. The unveiling of the final design and construction are expected to take place in 2027. For more information, go here.