A pedestrian safety island at 57th and Chestnut.

Chestnut Street is getting a safety upgrade. According to the Philadelphia Streets Department, new pedestrian “refuge islands” are scheduled for installation along the corridor.

Seven intersections slated for the new pedestrian refuge islands are:

• 54th Street and Chestnut Street
• 53rd Street and Chestnut Street
• 51st Street and Chestnut Street
• 50th Street and Chestnut Street
• 49th Street and Chestnut Street
• 47th Street and Chestnut Street
• Farragut Street and Chestnut Street

These upgrades replace the existing painted buffers and plastic posts with durable concrete structures. They build on the initial phase of the project, which saw 11 islands installed at surrounding intersections between South 43rd Street and Cobbs Creek Parkway last year.

The pending improvements aim to calm traffic and reduce pedestrian crossing distances on a street long known for speeding vehicles. Pedestrian islands – designated spaces in the middle of a two-way street or wide roadway where people can safely pause mid-crossing — have been shown to significantly decrease pedestrian-involved crashes. By physically narrowing the roadway at key intersections, the new islands will force drivers to slow down while giving local residents, shoppers, and commuters a secure vantage point when navigating traffic.

The project is part of Philadelphia’s Vision Zero initiative, a citywide commitment to eliminating traffic-related fatalities and severe injuries while building safer, more mobile neighborhoods.

The construction is expected to take place this summer. Motorists should expect partial road closures.