Ridge & Midvale Pedestrian Island

[1ceAfallser]

Here's an "Official" timeline for events after the opening of the pedestrian island at Ridge & Midvale

Opening + 6 months: EFDC issues a glowing report on how well received the project has been!

+8 months: Original plantings begin to need professional horticultural attention.

+14 months: Trash is noticable on the island.

+18 months: First homeless individual is evicted from the island.

+24 months: EFDC announces that funding has run out for island upkeep, and a fundraising drive is begun.

+30 months: NAIC cites a rising number of claims at the intersection as justification for raising auto insurance premiums in the 19129 zipcode

+36-48 months: With some funds finally available, the island's plantings are removed, and the surface cemented, then fenced with poles & chain.

+5.3 years: Residents begin to ask themselves if this was a good idea in the first place, and begin the process to remove the vacant, weedy, refuse-strewn obstruction.

+10-15 years: The city of Philadelphia dispatches a streets crew to demolish the structure and repave the intersection. However, they mis-interpret the survey and create a bottleneck southbound onto EastRiv....oops, I mean- Kelly Dr.

We all know this is true!
and, 20 years from now, if the things still there, with flowers on it, then I"ll eat my hat

[Mike D]

Here's an "Official" timeline for events after the opening of the pedestrian island at Ridge & Midvale

Opening + 6 months: EFDC issues a glowing report on how well received the project has been!

+8 months: Original plantings begin to need professional horticultural attention.

+14 months: Trash is noticable on the island.

+18 months: First homeless individual is evicted from the island.

+24 months: EFDC announces that funding has run out for island upkeep, and a fundraising drive is begun.

+30 months: NAIC cites a rising number of claims at the intersection as justification for raising auto insurance premiums in the 19129 zipcode

+36-48 months: With some funds finally available, the island's plantings are removed, and the surface cemented, then fenced with poles & chain.

+5.3 years: Residents begin to ask themselves if this was a good idea in the first place, and begin the process to remove the vacant, weedy, refuse-strewn obstruction.

+10-15 years: The city of Philadelphia dispatches a streets crew to demolish the structure and repave the intersection. However, they mis-interpret the survey and create a bottleneck southbound onto EastRiv....oops, I mean- Kelly Dr.

We all know this is true!
and, 20 years from now, if the things still there, with flowers on it, then I"ll eat my hat

Take it, you are not a fan of the project?

[Speedbump]

Here's an "Official" timeline for events after the opening of the pedestrian island at Ridge & Midvale

Opening + 6 months: EFDC issues a glowing report on how well received the project has been!

+8 months: Original plantings begin to need professional horticultural attention.

+14 months: Trash is noticable on the island.

+18 months: First homeless individual is evicted from the island.

+24 months: EFDC announces that funding has run out for island upkeep, and a fundraising drive is begun.

+30 months: NAIC cites a rising number of claims at the intersection as justification for raising auto insurance premiums in the 19129 zipcode

+36-48 months: With some funds finally available, the island's plantings are removed, and the surface cemented, then fenced with poles & chain.

+5.3 years: Residents begin to ask themselves if this was a good idea in the first place, and begin the process to remove the vacant, weedy, refuse-strewn obstruction.

+10-15 years: The city of Philadelphia dispatches a streets crew to demolish the structure and repave the intersection. However, they mis-interpret the survey and create a bottleneck southbound onto EastRiv....oops, I mean- Kelly Dr.

We all know this is true!
and, 20 years from now, if the things still there, with flowers on it, then I"ll eat my hat

Your points are mostly senseless.

A homeless person camping out in the middle of the street when they could choose to stay in the park where it's safer?

Claims by careless drivers either driving too fast or distracted? If anything, the pedestrian is going to force motorists to drive through the intersection slower.

Put the hot sauce and seasoning in storage for your hat eating two decades hence.

[übercraft]

"+14 months: Trash is noticable on the island"
This one is way off.
Trash will be noticeable in 2-4 weeks from completion. That thing will be festering with black corner store bags, 40oz bottles, chicken bones, blunt guts and tumble weaves in 3 months.

[friendlynerd]

We all know this is true!
and, 20 years from now, if the things still there, with flowers on it, then I"ll eat my hat

So, you signed up on this forum just to trash this project with your first and only post? Didn't get the contract, eh?

[Hypebeast]

I'm looking forward to the island and think it will look great.

More trashcans are needed at that intersection though. I hope there are some plans to add trash cans on the Sunoco lot. Looked like people were putting trash in a shopping cart the other day.

Some benches on the other side as well would look a lot nicer than people hanging out on the stoop of the estate sale store.

[Malloy]

Will the Septa bus stop double parking down there?

[1ceAfallser]

So, you signed up on this forum just to trash this project with your first and only post? Didn't get the contract, eh?

incorrect, friendlynerd. My upcoming poignant commentary will tend to highlight hot button topics such as parking, cyclists v. motorists, traffic flow improvement, and poor civic design, (such as the proposed covering of I95 south of 676), within the respectful tolerant confines of reasonable forum moderation. Hope you'll stay tuned;
and ~
Thanks, for your warm welcome to the forum

I believe my assertions regarding the financially irresponsible traffic obstruction at Ridge & Mid will, mostly, (with intended humor) come to pass as predicted. We shall see !

[Fallseur]

The roads of Philly are paved with good intentions.

[ArcticSplash]

Actually, in 20 years the Youth Study Center will have expanded so much that this intersection no longer exists because a jail will be sitting on it.

[egolise]

"+14 months: Trash is noticable on the island"
This one is way off.
Trash will be noticeable in 2-4 weeks from completion. That thing will be festering with black corner store bags, 40oz bottles, chicken bones, blunt guts and tumble weaves in 3 months.

haha, tumble weaves.

[Bob_Head]

Actually, in 20 years the Youth Study Center will have expanded so much that this intersection no longer exists because a jail will be sitting on it.

From 48th and Haverford? That's some expansion.

[billy ross]

Actually, in 20 years the Youth Study Center will have expanded so much that this intersection no longer exists because a jail will be sitting on it.

I can see the marquee now: "Escape from East Falls".

Only this time Snake Plissken is a triathlete. Do you think Kurt Russell can handle it? Or should I say his grandson? And who's going to play the Duke of East Falls? Prince Muhammad / Melvin?

[The Rox]

I personally think it will enhance that intersection and give EF a long-needed identification marker.

But that's just me.

[fallser98]

It will absolutely appear as the OP lists, if we as a community don't take care of it. The OP's underlying theme is that improvements are made and ignored - which is not true in a community, like EF, that's trying to "refurb" and take back some of its original beauty. I've only been in the Falls for 6 years (but in Philly my entire life), and the changes, while slow and incremental, have been noticeable in looking back. There's much left to be done, certainly, but I feel it's a much improved place to live even in 6 years. Furthermore, I encourage everyone to do SOMETHING in the neighborhood - join a committee (instead of always complaining), volunteer somwhere - hell pick up a small piece of paper in the street when you see it. It's our collective responsibility to ensure our safety and environment.

[Hypebeast]

Speaking of which:

Philly Streets Department: Philly Spring Cleanup 2012

Register to help clean up the East Falls Riverfront Business District!!
5th Annual Philly Spring Cleanup (April 14, 2012)
Volunteer registration will begin on March 6, 2012

[The Count]

I personally think it will enhance that intersection and give EF a long-needed identification marker.

But that's just me.

Not just you. A lot of people think this an important point of the pedestrian island.

[WhistleSucker]

My upcoming poignant commentary will tend to highlight hot button topics such as parking, cyclists v. motorists, traffic flow improvement, and poor civic design, (such as the proposed covering of I95 south of 676), within the respectful tolerant confines of reasonable forum moderation.

No one but our beloved Dr. Maya Angelou gets to call their own writing poignant.

Also, trash will be on the island BEFORE it officially opens.

And finally, if that bus double parks I swear to god I'll tip it over and go LA 1992 on the Falls.

Now THAT is poignant.

Blessings,
Dr. Maya Angelou

[alex]

Well... I don't want to bash the project because I think it might be very nice, but anyone going through the Ridge/Midvale area sees how much litter is on the street. We have trash/recycling containers, but I think we've all seen people openly litter right next to them. I drove by a few days ago, and there was trash all over the benches, left by people who had been waiting for the bus. There's a trash can RIGHT THERE.

I not-so-secretly hope I see a news story one day about a litterer receiving a public ass-kicking at the hands of a citizen who's sick of cleaning up after others.

[seand]

Dude, this if Philly I've seen cops drop wrappers on the sidewalk when standing less than 5 feet from a trash can. But some of the same litterers keep their car's interior immaculate (by dropping everything out the window). Its a deep cultural problem.