With the new school year looming, a group of Northeast residents turned their attentions to chronic traffic problems during the monthly meeting of the Holme Circle Civic Association on Aug. 26 at St. Jerome’s School.
Speeders and reckless motorists have long been concerns of homeowners along the 1.7-mile length of Holme Avenue from Roosevelt Boulevard to Willits Road, particularly on the 2800, 2900 and 3000 blocks of the avenue immediately adjacent to the traffic circle. Folks from Welsh Road have lodged similar complaints in recent years.
At last week’s meeting, neighbors raised the same issues regarding both local arterial streets, while making specific reference to school-related traffic hazards outside the Robert Pollock Elementary School at 2875 Welsh Road.
After civic association members reported the roadway problems to the city’s streets department and local police in spring 2014, officials erected a temporary speed detector device on Holme Avenue. The device uses a digital display to show passing motorists their speed. It flashes when a passing car is traveling too fast. The speed limit is 30. Tens of thousands of motorists traverse the four-lane parkway-style thoroughfare daily.
In addition to the speed detector, police targeted the area for increased traffic enforcement. Community complaints subsided for the most part throughout the rest of 2014. Heavy roadway construction at the Roosevelt Boulevard end of Holme Avenue throughout spring and summer this year likely contributed to a traffic reduction on the avenue, as motorists sought alternative routes. But speeding and other traffic hazards have been on the rise in recent weeks, neighbors said, and may worsen as school-related congestion returns this month.
Specifically, neighbors are worried about student arrivals and dismissals at Pollock School, where many parents stop on busy Welsh Road to drop off and pick up their children instead of using the school lot. Paul Ragan, aide to City Councilman Bobby Henon, told meeting-goers that his office would try to set up a meeting with school officials and police to solve that problem.
As for Holme Avenue and the rest of Welsh Road, a solution won’t be so easy. Holme is a state highway so any permanent reconfigurations are up to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. On Welsh, some folks have asked for speed bumps and additional stop signs, but neither solution could be employed without a potentially lengthy traffic study. Residents aren’t likely to drop the issue as long as problems persist.
Local motorists should be getting some relief earlier than expected in a different respect. The reconstruction of Pennypack Circle (the roadway configuration linking Roosevelt Boulevard with Holme and Solly avenues) is about six months ahead of schedule. The heavy work should be completed by the end of the calendar year, leaving only landscaping and other finishing work to be done.
Mike Fagan, an aide to state Sen. John Sabatina Jr., invited residents to contact or visit Sabatina’s two district offices to get information about any state-related projects or issues. Sabatina is using the same two offices formerly occupied by his predecessor, Lt. Gov. Mike Stack: in Parkwood at 12361 Academy Road (215–281–2539) and in Rhawnhurst at 8016 Bustleton Ave. (215–695–1020).
Ragan invited the community to Henon’s third annual Fall Fest 2015, on Saturday, Sept. 19, along the 6700 and 6800 blocks of Torresdale Ave. The avenue will be closed to vehicles for this free family event as vendors will provide food, soft drinks and valuable public information. In the past, participants have included the Animal Care and Control Team, Independence Blue Cross and the Community Life Improvement Program.
Mike Gould, the Holme Circle Civic Association vice president and acting meeting chairman, asked residents to participate more in the activities of the group. There are five active board members and the office of president is vacant. But more volunteerism is needed to manage a full agenda of projects including neighborhood outreach and beautification. Visit the Holme Circle Civic Association group page on Facebook for information and contacts. ••
