Published on December 26 2018

These concept plans represent a workable solution for humanizing and harmonizing Washington Avenue’s many different modes of travel from 4th Street east to the river. The overall elements of this concept have been reviewed and approved by Streets, OTIS and PennDOT.

This concept identifies the southern side of Washington Avenue as an area of opportunity and is recommending the following changes to increase safety and accessibility for all modes of transit, improve the movement of vehicles through the corridor, and enhance public space:

  • Repurposing the service road (also referred to as a slip lane) into a series of community-facing public spaces including additions to the Jefferson Square area (the slip lane currently cuts the park off from the avenue – this would create a green space that would function as an extension), a performance space at the Mummers Museum, and programmable space under the I-95 overpass.
  • Creating a multiuse trail to provide high quality bicycle and pedestrian facilities distinct from the roadway
  • Reducing the distance at pedestrians crossings and creating raised crossings
  • Implementing traffic signal design and timing modifications, without reducing or adding any lanes of traffic

The other conceptual designs are for sculptures along Washington Avenue. This specific area along the avenue has historic ties to the maritime tradition of ropemaking, which inform these designs.

Upcoming timeline:

  • Fall-Winter 2018-2019: Refine Conceptual Design based on feedback from second public meeting, begin preliminary permitting.
  • Spring 2019: Final public meeting
  • Mid-2019: Full construction documentation completed;
  • 2020: Fundraising & implementation  
  • 1 concept plan
  • 2 open space and program diagram smaller
  • 3 concept plan enlargement 1 of 2 smaller
  • 4 concept plan enlargement 2 of 2 smaller
  • 5 hatchel sculpture
  • 6 rope spiral structure