The End of the El Reconstruction is here, Market Street to be Repaved by the end of the month

[mixiboi]

It took a long time..but its here, anyone finally happy?

[thoth]

I would be if it didn't take them three years to pave the ****ing street.

On a somewhat related note, I feel like 52nd Street and western Market Street are starting to slowly recover from being partially or totally crippled commercial zones during the reconstruction. In a minor way, but noticeable.

[Juntonian]

It's about time. The condition of that street is a total f***ing embarrassment. I figured it would be done before they wrapped up construction on the Karabots Center.

[schmoe]

If I'm not mistaken, I believe the inner shoulder will be converted into bike lanes. Left bike lanes are not normal, but make sense under the El. Hopefully they address the transition to right bike lanes at 44th.

[thoth]

Lotta space at 44th, I could see it. Will be curious to see how it works in practice. It's already cramped under there.

[Nytecat]

It's about friggin time. It didn't take them anywhere near that long to repave Frankford after Bridge-Pratt was demolished in 2004.

For the record, the 31 bus reroute from Market to Chestnut and Walnut has been made permanent, right?
Under the El, buses would be much more prone to delays and blockages.

[ogawk]

The whole center median is a bit ridiculous. Today, I drove from 30th to 63rd and thought I'd die laughing at the people with their lawn chairs sitting and drinking. Only in Philadelphia...

[mixiboi]

For the record, the 31 bus reroute from Market to Chestnut and Walnut has been made permanent, right?
Under the El, buses would be much more prone to delays and blockages.

Don't know, but seeing how SEPTA hasn't said anything about going back...we will see next month(the next schedule change)

[Juntonian]

Someday our long civic nightmare will be over. From PlanPhilly: A City-wide Look at Ongoing Transit Construction Projects

"The city is about half way through a streetscape project along Market Street from 45th to the 63rd streets. [sic] The project includes curb and sidewalk improvements, intersection improvements, street paving and new traffic signals. ... About one-third of the paving will be completed by the end of this fall, and [Darrin] Gatti, [the Streets Department’s chief engineer and surveyor] expects the new signals to go in this winter."

[thoth]

A third by the end of fall? Jesus Christ what are they redoing Market St with mosaic tiles?

[mixiboi]

A third by the end of fall? Jesus Christ what are they redoing Market St with mosaic tiles?

Pretty much, they are redoing the entire sidewalk and curb so that takes time, especially when they couldn't do it during the el work. This slow down the time that they have to do asphalt before winter, but it will be finish next year with new traffic lights(Snowstorms not withstanding)

[Jayfar]

A third by the end of fall? Jesus Christ what are they redoing Market St with mosaic tiles?

Almost as costly as that, but less aesthetically pleasing:

Stu Bykofsky: Those cement bubbles on sidewalk corners are costing you a lot of money!

Here's the shocker: The cost of installing the now-mandated ramps at each of the city's 22,000 intersections will be $858 million, according to Streets Department Deputy Commissioner David Perri. (Ramps are upgraded when other paving work is done.)

The cost is high in part because in 2010 the government mandated two ramps per corner instead of the previous one. It had a good reason. It always has a good reason.

Installing new ramps eats up 65 percent of the city's $20-million annual paving budget, leaving only one-third for everything else, says Perri.