PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30 – Long-awaited street improvements are progressing along Woodland Avenue with completion expected in 2027. The Woodland Avenue Trolley Portal Complete Streets Project includes the installation of a pedestrian crosswalk with ADA curb ramps connecting the 40th Street Trolley Portal to The Woodlands Cemetery, traffic signals, a two-way bike lane, sidewalk reconstruction, and a designated space for SEPTA buses.
via Office of Multimodal Planning. Click to enlarge + view PDF
The project will be completed in two phases:
In phase one a crosswalk and short-term bike lane will be installed (2024). In phase two the bike lane will be converted into a 2-way raised bikeway, the sidewalk will be widened on the north side of Woodland Ave, and other facets of the project will be finalized (2027).
As an active cemetery and 54-acre community green space, The Woodlands welcomes over 150,000 visitors annually. But getting to the front gates has proven challenging in a high-traffic area without proper protection for drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.
These improvements have been a long-standing community request. In 2018, The Woodlands stewarded a petition calling for critical safety improvements along Woodland Avenue, with over 1000 community members, residents, and cemetery visitors signing their support. Jessica Baumert, The Woodlands Executive Director spoke with WHYY at the time of the petition’s publication. “There are a lot of general traffic issues right at our front gates, and we’re just concerned with all of the pedestrians that use the site that [for] somebody, someday, it’s just not going to end well,” Baumert said.
In May 2024, The City announced that Philadelphia was awarded approximately $7.3 million in funding from the Shapiro Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) "to improve community infrastructure and enhance pedestrian accessibility." According to a press release from the Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS), an investment of $1,000,000 has been awarded through the Surface Transportation Block Grant program Set-Aside, which will:
Add traffic signals and marked crosswalks at Woodlands Driveway and Chester Ave. It will also construct a sidewalk-level two-way cycle track on the south side of Woodland Avenue, and reconstruct broken, uneven sidewalks along both sides of Woodland Ave. This project closes 41st Street between Chester and Woodland to create a pedestrian plaza. Finally, the project will incorporate a dedicated bus layover space and transit priority design to improve SEPTA operations.
District 3 Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has consistently advocated for improvements along Woodland Avenue. On Thursday, September 26, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introduced legislation authorizing a bike lane on Woodland Avenue from Chester Avenue to South 42nd Street. The bike lane, signals, and a crosswalk are anticipated to be completed in Fall of 2024 with long-term construction set to finalize in 2027. Thank you to Councilmember Gauthier and the Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) for the committed efforts to improve infrastructure along Woodland Avenue. These long-awaited critical safety improvements will provide safer access to a beloved community green space for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
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The Woodlands' 54-acre undulating landscape is at once a one-of-a-kind 18th-century English pleasure garden, 19th-century rural cemetery and a modern green oasis for its neighbors in bustling University City and West Philadelphia. The Woodlands was designated a National Historic Landmark District in recognition of its unique history and rich resources. Today, its mission is to enrich the lives of area residents and visitors by serving as a hub for activities and educational programs that interpret, celebrate, and make available to the public The Woodlands' historic buildings and tranquil green space.
If you would like more information about The Woodlands, please contact info@woodlandsphila.org or call (215) 386-2181.