Design consultants and city officials unveiled plans last night for long-term bike and pedestrian improvements that could include upgrades to the intersection of 50th and Baltimore and more bike lanes on West Philly streets.

The preliminary plan, which is the second phase of an overall evaluation and improvement of Philadelphia’s bike and pedestrian infrastructure, recommends bike lanes for Chestnut Street from 34th Street to the Cobbs Creek Parkway, a separated bike lane on Belmont Avenue and the conversion of Pine Street to a “bike friendly” street from 39th to 57th.

Some recommendations are minor and include the painting of streets, while other are very ambitious, including the possibility of installing “cycletracks” – a bike-only lane sandwiched between the sidewalk and the street on major thoroughfares like Walnut Street.

“One of the downsides is that it would take more of the parking off the streets,” said Dan Goodman, a senior planner at Toole Design Group, the firm assembling the plan.

The plan’s recommendations are based on field research conducted over the past year on streets throughout West Philadelphia. Data collectors examined pedestrian and bike traffic from Greys Ferry to City Avenue and from the Schuylkill River to Cobbs Creek Parkway. Their tentative plans, including maps, will soon be available here.

Last night’s meeting was the second in West Philadelphia this week. Both are part of the community input phase of the project. Later this fall and winter, Toole Design Group will review community recommendations and come up with a final plan to submit to the city. Phase one of the plan, conducted in 2009 and 2010, saw vast improvements to bike and pedestrian facilities in Center City, including 200 miles of new bike lanes and “bike friendly” streets.

But just because recommendations are in the plan does not mean they will be carried out. As with most improvements in Philadelphia, politics will play a big role – at least for the major improvements such as new bike lanes that could affect traffic flows and parking.

Small improvements, though, are usually included in the city’s paving plans. Steve Buckley, the city’s deputy commissioner of transportation, was at last night’s meeting to answer questions about whether many of the proposed improvements will ever see the light of day.

“Do we think every single piece will be implemented? We can’t guarantee that,” he said. “Right now we are looking for low-cost improvements that can be done with paint.”

One problem is that the city has far less paving projects scheduled than it has in the recent past because those funds have been designated for other projects like installing accessibility ramps at street corners to meet federal guidelines.

One low-cost recommendation at the meeting was repainting some of the existing bike lane borders to make clear to drivers that they are for cyclists. Buckley agreed.

“We have not committed enough money to those kinds of refreshers,” he said.

He recommended reporting fading lines to the Streets Department.

Possible improvements to the block of Baltimore Avenue include a mid-block crosswalk for pedestrian traffic crossing over to Cedar Park.

Toole Design is still accepting comments from residents for a couple of more weeks. Contact them here.
 

Dogs and dog lovers gathered yesterday in Clark Park for the annual “Bark in the Park.” There were contests for everything from tallest dog to curliest tail to fastest runner. A good time was had by all. See the photos below.

Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave.) is presenting a new yoga class series for children ages 4-12 beginning Oct. 17. Led by instructor Lily Cavanagh the six-week series will feature breathing exercises, games, poses and relaxation. Younger kids will also be introduced to communication skills in a fun-filled environment. Older kids will learn how to maintain balance in both their minds and bodies and how to boost their self-esteem through engaging in group and partner activities.

Classes are once a week, on Mondays, 3:45-4:30 (ages 4-6) and 4:45-5:30 (ages 7-12). The six-week series costs $60 and there will be a free trial class on Monday, Oct. 10. For more information and to enroll go here.

We just got word that youth soccer at Clark Park is cancelled this week. Recent rains have left too much water in the Bowl. Soccer will resume next Saturday if things dry out a little.

The Walnut West Library Chess Club is in need of volunteer coaches to assist in conducting a weekly class and acting as mentors to the young student players. You do not need to be a Master player, but knowledge of the game would be very helpful.

The club is going into its fourth year and has experienced rapid growth and recognition at the city-wide tournaments held every month of the school year. It is a very rewarding experience for the right person. The club meets on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the library, 201 S. 40th Street.

To apply or for more information, contact Joe Clarke at: philly.joe.c [at] gmail.com

Penn Park, the rejuvenated 24-acre strip of land along the train tracks between Walnut and South streets, officially opens on Thursday.

The park occupies former parking lots and vacant land in a once fairly desolate area that was a parking area for postal trucks. It is now part of the University of Pennsylvania campus.

So what can your typical West Philly resident get out of the new park? Some of its facilities will be open to the public on a regular basis. Those include about two acres of grassy open areas, including a “picnic grove,” with a good view of the Center City skyline in and around newly constructed athletic facilities. The area also includes 548 new trees.

“Penn Park marks the first time that the University has, by design, developed open space for the use of the Penn community and beyond,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann.

Those athletics facilities include a spiffy 12-court tennis center, a 470-seat multi-purpose stadium and two athletic fields with synthetic surfaces. A parking lot for 210 cars sits along Walnut Street near the Class of 1923 Ice Rink. In case you had any notion of getting your Nadal on and playing tennis on those new courts (we did), Penn has said that they will only be open to the public on special occasions.

Still, the park provides a nice place to relax, enjoy the skyline and maybe take in a field hockey game.

The park is accessible by Walnut Street to the north, a walkway near the picnic grove to the west and another entrance near the South Street bridge. Here is a map of the park: Penn Park map

The park cost $46 million, but not a dime of public money went into it, according to Penn officials.

Tomorrow’s ceremony begins at 5 p.m. and will include a ribbon-cutting, recreational activities and a fireworks display at 7:30 p.m.