Philadelphia

Philly Gets $2.5M to Study Heavily-Traveled Roosevelt Boulevard

Officials in Philadelphia are using a $2.5 million federal grant to study a heavily traveled boulevard that the city's former mayor once called one of the most hazardous roads in the county.

“If there is any transportation corridor in the City of Philadelphia where virtually every user would ‘root for change’ — it’s Roosevelt Boulevard,” said Mayor Jim Kenney while announcing Wednesday that the city is holding a series of forums to hear suggestions on how Roosevelt Boulevard (U.S. Route 1) could be improved.

The grant, along with another $2.5 million from state and local contributions, will fund forums over the next three years that will lead to recommendations by February 2019.

The crash-prone 12-lane, 14-mile-long roadway now sees 900,000 vehicles every day. There were more than 3,000 crashes on thoroughfare over the past five years that resulted in about 50 deaths.

The first set of "Route for Change" forums will take place April 14.

“We are encouraging residents and commuters along the Boulevard to join our team of professional planners and engineers at these five public forums to talk about situations faced while traveling along the Boulevard,” said deputy managing director for transportation and infrastructure systems Clarena Tolson. “Public input from those who work, live, and travel the corridor daily will inform how we transform the Boulevard into a safer, more inviting roadway, today and into the future.”

1.    Thursday, April 14, 6 to 8 p.m. at Four Points Sheraton, 9461 Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia
2.    Saturday, April 16, 1 to 3 p..m. at Globe Dye Works, 4500 Worth Street, Philadelphia
3.    Tuesday, April 19, 6 to 8 p.m. at Lenfest Center, 3890 N. 10th Street, Philadelphia
4.    Wednesday, April 20, 6 to p.m. at Radisson Hotel Philadelphia NE, 2400 Old Lincoln Highway, Trevose, PA
5.    Thursday, April 21, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Lincoln High School, 3201 Ryan Avenue, Philadelphia

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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