SEPTA’s Trolley Tunnel, which connects West Philly with Center City, will close for maintenance for more than two weeks starting at 10 p.m. on Friday, July 8. Trolley routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will not operate in the tunnel for the duration of this annual project titled “Trolley Tunnel Blitz”. Trolley service will begin/end at 40th and Market where riders may switch from/to the Market-Frankford Line.

During the 2022 Trolley Tunnel Blitz, SEPTA crews will conduct heavy cleaning and maintenance at all stations, replace worn track rail at various locations and four miles of overhead contact wire, as well as demolish and rebuild the full length of the eastbound 22nd Street platform.

The tunnel is expected to reopen for trolley service at 5 a.m. on Monday, July 25. For more information, check out this flyer.

An artist’s rendering of an improved off-street trolley station planned by SEPTA.

SEPTA is working on a Trolley Modernization Project, a multi-year effort that includes the replacement of its entire fleet of trolleys with new, longer and more accessible light rail vehicles. The plan also includes the reconstruction of trolley stations to make the platforms more accessible, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A new trolley line will also be added in the Parkside area as part of this project.

Currently, SEPTA is gathering feedback from the community via an online survey. This short survey provides some additional information on the project and asks for your opinion on different elements, such as the design of the new vehicles and stations, trolley service, and more.

For more information about this project and to access the survey, go here.

Kelly Pool is opening June 23 (Facebook photo).

The Philadelphia Department of Parks & Rec has released a schedule for the start of the 2022 public outdoor pool season. This year, the city will open 50 out of 63 operating outdoor pools, 10 more than last summer. It has been reported that Philadelphia is experiencing a lifeguard shortage. Pools will begin opening tomorrow, June 21.

Here’s the schedule for West Philly pools and O’Connor pool in Center City West:

Tuesday, June 21

• Mill Creek (743 N. 48th St., 19139) Continue Reading

The 52nd Street business corridor will get improvements ahead of Philadelphia’s Juneteenth Parade and Festival, thanks to funding received as part of Wells Fargo’s “HOPE 2.0” initiative. The $250,000 in funding, presented to The Enterprise Center today, is a continuation of Wells Fargo’s “HOPE, USA” initiative, which pledged more than $1 million in support for the 52nd Street corridor ahead of the 2021 holiday shopping season and encouraged residents to shop local in support of small businesses.

The funding will be used for continued façade improvements and enhancements along the 52nd Street commercial corridor. This includes new signage, gates and doors, power washing and graffiti removal for a number of small businesses on the 300 block, as well as sidewalk repairs. New planters will be placed along the corridor, and street banners designed by local female-owned artist collective Hagopian Arts with the phrase “Never Lose Hope” will run from Market to Larchwood Street. Continue Reading

Construction of an addition to the Garden Court Plaza, located at 4701 Pine St., has begun. The work is currently taking place at the back of the building on 47th Street between Pine and Spruce, which will be the primary access to the construction site, according to the Garden Court Community Association. The sidewalk on the west side of the whole block is closed due to the construction.

As a reminder, the plan includes the construction of a six-story, 220-unit addition above the Plaza’s parking garage (see rendering below). Continue Reading

New Chestnut Street layout after the completion of the project.

Construction activities for the Chestnut Street Repaving and Safety Project, which will provide traffic calming and create a high-quality bicycle connection between West Philly and Center City, are scheduled to begin Tuesday, June 7, according to an announcement today by the City of Philadelphia Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS).

In addition to repaving Chestnut Street with fresh asphalt, the following improvements are planned from 34th to 63rd Streets:

• New lane lines and roadway layout
• New crosswalks and flexible delineator posts
• A new parking separated bikeway from 63rd to 45th Streets Continue Reading