Philadelphia

Safety Concerns Close Section of Popular Schuylkill River Trail Along MLK Drive

A section of the popular Schuylkill River Trail will be closed at all hours for the next month-plus due to safety concerns.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney’s Office announced Tuesday the closure along about stretch of trail through Jan. 20 as crews repair a collapsed section of Schuylkill River wall. The section runs along Paine's Park skate park.

"The trail route will be detoured to minimize inconvenience to user," said a news release from Kenney’s office.

The closure comes as another section of trail – part of the so-called Fairmount Park loop for walkers, runners and cyclists – that runs from Sweet Briar Drive to near the Philadelphia Museum of Art is also being closed at times.

Inbound traffic on MLK Drive will continue to be detoured between Sweet Briar and Eakins Oval from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. through the end of the project, said Kenney’s office.

The closures allow crews to repair a portion of roadway and trail left unstable after a 75-foot section of river wall fell into the Schuylkill in August, said Kenney’s office.

"Without immediate action the remaining sections of the wall and soil have a high potential to see additional failure presenting a life safety hazard to the public," said the news release.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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