Students at the Morton McMichael School, a K-8 public school located on Fairmount Avenue in the Mantua neighborhood, will have a brand new playground when the 2022-2023 school year begins next week, as the result of a joint effort by the School, Drexel University, and the Mantua Civic Association.

The new 12,000-square foot recreation space officially opened yesterday. It was the culmination of more than a decade of planning, fundraising and execution.

“This playground is a splendid example of what we can accomplish by working together as a community,” Drexel President John Fry said at the opening ceremony. Continue Reading

SEPTA is preparing to introduce new technology that will allow riders to pay for trips with their smart phones, according to reports. The mobile ticket program is expected to launch by October, and will be available on all modes of transit except Regional Rail.

Only Android and iPhone users will be able to use this new feature and those who have a SEPTA Key account. One of the advantages of the new technology is that “multi-tapping” will be allowed, which means rides for other people (up to five) can be purchased on a single SEPTA Key account, something SEPTA Key cards are not devised to do.

The initial testing phase of the new technology took place in May and mostly included SEPTA employees. The second testing phase is expected to launch next month and SEPTA is seeking users not as familiar with the program. If you have one of the phones mentioned above and a SEPTA Key account and would like to participate in the pilot, fill out this online form.

Regional Rail users will have to wait until at least Spring 2023 to use mobile tickets. For more info, check out this article by Billy Penn.

Photo by Ryan Collerd

Since the beginning of the month, construction crews have worked on the restoration of high-need sections of paved roadways at The Woodlands cemetery. To commemorate the completion of this work, The Woodlands is holding a celebration on Tuesday, Aug. 23 from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the front gates of the cemetery at 40th and Woodland (see more info below).

The roads were restored thanks to a $99,500 grant awarded to the historic Woodlands grounds to help with infrastructure improvements. State Representative Rick Krajewski worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to secure the grant. Continue Reading

University of Pennsylvania students will be moving into their dorms throughout next week, which means portions of Spruce Street will be closed during the day to accommodate them. Street closures will begin on Monday, Aug. 22 and continue through Sunday, Aug. 28 with no closures on Thursday, Aug. 25. Here are more details:

• Spruce Street between 34th and 38th Streets will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 22; Tuesday, Aug. 23; and Wednesday, Aug. 24.

Spruce Street between 38th and 40th Streets will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 26; Saturday, Aug. 27; and Sunday, Aug. 28.

All vehicular traffic, including bicycles, will not be permitted on the closed sections of Spruce Street. Buses will be on detour (please check septa.org for more details).

UPDATE 2 (8/19/2022): The intersection of 42nd and Spruce Streets will be closed to vehicular traffic from Saturday, Aug. 20 until Saturday, Aug. 27 for SEPTA trolley track replacement. Detours will be posted.

UPDATE (8/3/2022): The intersection of 40th and Walnut Streets will be shut down to vehicular traffic from Friday, Aug. 5 at 9 p.m. until Sunday, Aug. 7 at 9 p.m. as part of this project.

7/29/2022: After a month-long break, SEPTA crews will resume the Trolley Track Renewal Project along 40th Street on Monday, Aug. 1. The street will be closed between Chestnut St and Spruce St until approximately August 19th. Motorists should expect delays in the area.

The project began in June and also includes the renovation of the track curve at 42nd and Spruce streets. This work is expected to take place in late August until approximately August 27th.

Normal construction hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., but occasional weekend work may be required. More details on this project are available here.

Community College of Philadelphia’s brand new Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) has officially opened at 48th and Market. A ribbon cutting ceremony with the participation of city, state and College officials took place this morning.

The new state-of-the-art teaching and learning facility will offer short-term certificate programs in the Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care, and Transportation Technology fields. It will also host associate degree programs that will help students meet the ever-changing needs of these industries. One program in particular is the Toyota Technician Training & Education Network (T-TEN) program which will provide state‑of‑the‑art, hands‑on automotive diagnosis and repair training. Continue Reading