Chestnut Street is one of the busiest streets in West Philadelphia with three lanes of eastbound traffic with cars often zooming by at high speeds. This Wednesday evening (Apr. 19), the City is hosting an open house on a proposed Chestnut Street transportation project that will help protect bicyclists and pedestrians between 34th and 45th Streets.

The following safety-enhancing features are being proposed:

• Adding a parking protected bicycle lane to the north side of the street with flexible delineator posts
• Shortening the pedestrian crossing distance with painted pedestrian islands
• Calming vehicle speeds by reducing the number of through traffic lanes
• Adding right-turn lanes at appropriate locations

The open house will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Enterprise Center (4548 Market St.).

Click to enlarge.

Philadelphia has one of the highest rates of pedestrian traffic fatalities in the United States among large cities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s data. The Bicycle Coalition of the Greater Philadelphia has just released the official Vision Zero report, which contains statistics on the safety of Philadelphia streets and a series of policies that aims to bring traffic deaths and injuries down to zero for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. According to the report, traffic crashes kill about 100 people per year citywide and cost $1 billion in damages and economic activity.

The report breaks down traffic crashes and statistics by neighborhood (see map). In West Philadelphia, the report shows that 52nd Street, between Baltimore Avenue and Sansom Street is the fourth-worst corridor for pedestrian-involved crashes in the city. Also, 40th and Market Streets, where many people are crossing the street to use the Market-Frankford Line, is in the top 10 of crash sites in the city. The intersection saw 15 pedestrian-involved crashes between 2009 and 2013.

Vision Zero policies have already been successfully adopted in other U.S. cities, including New York, Chicago and San Francisco. Vision Zero Philadelphia proposes partnerships among various municipal agencies, and includes recommendations for safer road design, traffic calming strategies, and suggestions for funding sources. The document also stresses the importance of cultural shift and public education campaigns. Both of Philadelphia’s current mayoral candidates support the policies.

The full report can be downloaded here.

Some great news, folks! No more trolley diversion to 40th and Market Streets as after almost a three-week break the trolley service has resumed in the tunnel. The tunnel was closed for Trolley Tunnel Blitz, a 17-day maintenance and construction project. The trolley diversion during this period caused some traffic delays on 40th Street, especially during rush hours. The tunnel service resumed before the rush hour this morning, according to SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch.

We’re not fully in the transportation clear yet though. Some segments of Spruce Street will be closed this week for Penn students move-in. Here are the dates, times and areas you should avoid:

Thursday, Aug. 21: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 34th and 38th Streets
Friday, Aug. 22: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 34th and 38th Streets
Saturday, Aug. 23: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 38th and 40th Streets

They’re very likely going to ask you to walk your bike along those blocks and, of course, they are closed to vehicle traffic.

Now back to SEPTA news:

The “Night Owl” 24-hour weekend subway service, which is a pilot program, has been extended until November 2. The pilot was initially scheduled to run through Labor Day weekend. The extension will let SEPTA evaluate the service during fall ridership season.

SEPTA has just released a new mobile app for Android users that offers riders a variety of SEPTA travel information. The new app allows you to check your schedule, check for alerts, detours and service advisories on your route, find the location and get real-time information for regional rail trains, find the travel option nearest you, and stay connected with SEPTA. You can download the app on this page.

BTW, a new sign has been spotted on the Route 34 Trolley that reminds riders of seat etiquette:

Bandit campaign of passive aggression continues on @SEPTA_TRL_34 pic.twitter.com/iysOB3k4DL

— Amara Rockar (@arockar) August 18, 2014

Is the summer already over? Penn is preparing for a big student move-in, which means that Spruce street will be closed again between 34th and 40th Streets on certain days starting Sunday, Aug 17. Watch out for traffic detours and bus re-routing during street closure times (see below). Also, you will have to walk your bike on closed Spruce Street segments.

Here are more details from the Penn Division of Public Safety:

“To facilitate new student move-in, closures of Spruce Street will take place on the following dates, times and locations:

Sunday, August 17th: 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 34th and 40th Streets
Thursday, August 21st: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 34th and 38th Streets
Friday, August 22nd: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 34th and 38th Streets
Saturday, August 23rd: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.: Spruce Street between 38th and 40th Streets

UPPD  will be on location to assist with traffic flow.

• Emergency vehicles and hospital patient transport vehicles will be permitted access.

• Access will be provided to the Ryan Vet Hospital: Access will be provided for non-emergency cases by way of 40th and Spruce Streets, emergency cases will be permitted access at 38th and Spruce Streets.

• No taxi cabs will be permitted access.

• Vendors will be permitted access to enter the street prior to the street closure.

• Bikes will need to be walked on Spruce Street while the streets are closed to traffic.

• Septa Routes 40 and 42 will be re-routed.

• HUP, Morgue and Wistar deliveries will be allowed to enter Spruce Street at 34th Street.

• Garage 14 will be open and accessible throughout move-in.”

If you need to drive toward Center City or get on the Schuylkill Expressway this weekend It might be a good idea to avoid Market Street. Drexel University’s commencement and student move-out is this weekend (they are on the quarter system so they finish a little later than other schools) and portions of Market and Powelton from 32nd to 34th will be heavily congested today through Sunday afternoon.

The university issued this warning:

Beginning Thursday, June 9 and continuing through Sunday, June 12, 2011, Drexel University will be holding its annual Commencement Ceremonies in the Daskalaskis Athletic Center located at 3300 Market Street. At the same time students will be moving out of the residence halls. As a result, there will be parking restrictions and street closures in effect from 32nd to 34th Streets and Market Street to Powelton Avenue.

Drexel Police will be assisting with traffic. Please avoid these areas if possible and seek alternate routes. Expect traffic congestion when traveling to and from University City.

Unfortunately, they won’t be more specific on exact times, so maybe it’s just better to avoid it all together. Spruce Street and the South Street on and off ramps are the way to go.