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.
 

Do you have something super heavy in your house or garage that you want to pick up or move, but don’t know how? No worries – neighbor Douglas Pugliese has donated a heavy-duty lifting engine crane to the West Philly Tool Library. The engine hoist can lift up to a two-ton item on its hydraulic arm and can move it around on heavy-duty casters. Doug, who is a West Philly Tool Library member, used the equipment once or twice and doesn’t need it anymore.

We’re told that the crane can even lift something high enough to get into the bed of a pick-up truck.

Now many folks can use this tool through the library’s low-cost tool rental or for free if you are a member. Think about how many things you can do with it! Anyone have a cow they need to move?

We received this information from one of our readers.

“We live on the 4700 block of Hazel Ave. For the past few weeks, we have seen a young calico cat (we think female) on our block (see photo). She has a collar, appears in good general health and is friendly; we assumed she belonged to someone on our block. The past few days, we noticed she has an eye infection which is getting progressively worse… Anyone knows anything about this cat? (does she actually belong to anyone? Is she being treated?)”

If you know who this cat may belong to, please email Heather at: heather.simoes.torpey [at] gmail.com

Don’t miss this pretty amazing exhibit at Green Line Cafe on Locust (4426 Locust Street). The cafe has launched the Screens ‘N’ Spokes art show that benefits multiple sclerosis research and the cycling team that promotes the cause.

The exhibition features a very cool selection of screen prints by a variety of North American artists who created their work especially for this cause. The prints can also be viewed and purchased on Etsy. All of the proceeds from the sales will go to the National MS Society.

Here is some more information on the Screens ‘N’ Spokes project and the people behind it.

Another person with West Philly roots has been appointed to the School Reform Commission. Mayor Michael Nutter appointed novelist, arts advocate and professor Lorene Cary to the commission, which is charged with overseeing the city’s public school system.

Cary, 54, attended Henry C. Lea Elementary (4700 Locust St.), the University of Pennsylvania and is currently a creative writing instructor at Penn. Cary’s novel The Price of a Child, which tells the story of a slave who declares her freedom while traveling in Philadelphia in 1855 but whose child is still held in bondage in Virginia, was the first “One Book, One Philadelphia” selection in 2003.

“For me what is truly outstanding is that she has an incredible passion for the well-being of children,” Nutter said in a statement. “She cares very personally about parents and she’s very much focused on supporting teachers. She will be a tremendous asset to the School Reform Commission and the children of Philadelphia.”

Cary also started Art Sanctuary, an arts advocacy organization. She lives in East Falls with her husband Rev. Robert C. Smith, the rector of the Memorial Church of the Good Shepherd, and two daughters.

In many ways Cary is an atypical choice for the Commission, which has been made up mostly of lawyers, business people and bureaucrats since it began in 2001. Last month Nutter appointed West Philly resident Wendell Pritchett to the Commission.

Update (10/12/11): Sashu has been adopted!

This week’s featured cat is Sashu, an 8-month-old calico kitten. Sashu is currently being fostered through the PSPCA by West Philly resident Chris who is trying to find a good home for her.

Sashu is an incredibly affectionate kitten and is very very people oriented. Although she is young, she uses her litter box like a pro. She loves attention and is constantly purring. She would adapt very well to any situation given her outgoing personality. She was just spayed and is up to date on her vaccines.

Please contact Chris at christopher.torre [at] gmail.com if you would like to meet her. He lives at 40th and Pine, and will be happy to meet you somewhere if that is more convenient for you.