Updated intersection at Baltimore and Springfield.
The corner of Baltimore and Springfield avenues has long been a notorious corner, with pedestrians heading to and from Clark Park, cyclists, motorists and trolleys all converging at one oddly configured intersection. Hopefully some work recently completed by the City of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and the Streets Department that includes a buffered bike lane and some redirection of vehicle traffic will make the intersection safer.
Several accidents have occurred at the intersection in recent years and residents have long asked for steps to be taken. The changes include flexible plastic poles that provide a wide protected area for pedestrians, allowing them to cross the intersection much more quickly.
Intersection at Baltimore and Springfield (archived photo).
May 4th, 2015 at 11:19 am
I don’t think this will solve the problem. The trouble is vehicles making left turns from Baltimore Ave onto Springfield. They just seem to turn without looking. I think the intersection would/could be safer if they were to make it a one way towards Baltimore from 45th st. This would force the cars to stop at the light at 45th and not just dart across the road onto Springfield. Those flexible plastic poles will just be run over and gone by summers end.
May 4th, 2015 at 11:37 am
If only they had gone a bit further with those plastic pole; like all the way across the intersection.
May 4th, 2015 at 11:55 am
Could they put bollards between the double yellow line to stop the cars making the left from turning early or too fast?
May 5th, 2015 at 9:43 am
Have you been by there? It’s not just the plastic poles, the area for cars to drive has been significantly narrowed and almost forces traffic coming from Baltimore onto Springfield to slow down. I think a big part of the problem before was that there was so much extra room that cars coming from Baltimore to Springfield would “cheat” by taking the turn very hard to get beat oncoming traffic travelling east on Baltimore. It may not be a perfect solution, but it’s a big improvement.
May 9th, 2015 at 4:10 pm
Wow that looks incredibly suburban.
May 9th, 2015 at 8:42 pm
They should close that section, and improve the stoplight intersection at 45th by the Sunoco.
May 10th, 2015 at 12:32 pm
What about it looks suburban?
May 14th, 2015 at 3:50 pm
@Anon
If you have to ask, then you must not know what an urban street is supposed to look like.
May 14th, 2015 at 3:57 pm
Since I live in West Philly and work in North Philly, and have lived in NYC, among other cities, I think I have a pretty good idea of what urban streets look like. The alternative explanation to me not knowing what an urban street is supposed to look like is that your comment that it looks incredibly suburban was stupid and meaningless.
May 15th, 2015 at 10:59 pm
Is that supposed to impress me or something? I’m sure you do think my comment was stupid and meaningless but then again your supposed “experience” in New York should teach you that urban areas don’t have streets like that. I know for a fact you don’t see streets set up like that in New York unless you’re talking about further out where it’s purposely supposed to look “suburban” like parts of the Northeast.
May 15th, 2015 at 11:10 pm
Nothing like in NYC? http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/12/nyregion/12bikelane.span.jpg
or Chicago?
http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1433003/images/n-BIKE-LANE-large570.jpg