What to Know
- The Philadelphia Streets Department is starting a repaving project along Center City's Spruce and Pine streets.
- Dedicated bike lanes along each street will be moved from the right side to the left side to make cyclists more visible to drivers.
- The project begins Monday on Pine Street and will continue down Pine Street in segments before moving to Spruce Street.
In the name of safety for cyclists and drivers, two of Center City’s busiest streets are getting a makeover starting this week.
The plan to improve dedicated bike lanes and resurface Pine and Spruce streets from river to river is part of the Spruce and Pine Safety Project, the Philadelphia Streets Department said.
The $2-million project started Monday — the first segment along Pine Street between 17th and Taney streets. Crews begin by milling the roadway and adjusting manhole covers.
Once the roadway is repaved, the biggest change is that bike lanes, which have been marred by potholes and fading paint, will be moved from the right side to the left side of the street to help reduce the chance of a driver turning right into the path of a cyclist.
Flexible delineator posts and green paint will be added to the new bike lanes at key intersections to “help all travelers by increasing predictability and awareness,” the Streets Department said in a news release.
Expect temporary and full streets closures as well as parking restrictions as the City Capital Budget-funded project is completed in the following weeks. No Parking signs were posted in some spots by Monday morning.
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Once the first stretch of Pine is completed, contractor Tony DePaul & Son will move onto Pine from 9th to 17th streets then Front to 9th streets before repeating the process in segments along Spruce Street, the Streets Department said.
Milling and adjustments will be made between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the day while paving will take place between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m., the city said.
The Streets Department expects the entire Pine/Spruce resurfacing project to take about four months to complete.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia applauded the city for making progress, but said the protections from cars parking in the bike lanes could go further.
"We are always asking for perhaps more enforcing framework," bike coalition community liaison Andrea Gonzalez said.
