PennDOT, the city and SEPTA invite the public to attend an open house and town hall on Wednesday, May 14, in the cafeteria of Northeast High School, 1601 Cottman Ave., to discuss the Castor Avenue Traffic Safety and Beautification Project. The open house starts at 4 p.m., followed by the town hall at 5.
The Castor Avenue Traffic Safety and Beautification Project, according to proponents, aims to improve safety along a 1.7-mile stretch of Castor Avenue, from north of Oxford Circle to Cottman Avenue. Some of the main safety concerns for the corridor, according to supporters, are angle crashes, drivers running red lights and crashes involving pedestrians.
The proposed project would include reallocating the existing four lanes along the Castor Avenue corridor to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane. New raised curb extensions and boarding islands will be added for SEPTA stops, and sidewalk-level bike lanes will be added to reduce conflicts with vehicles. The project will also upgrade traffic signals, improve sidewalks, provide pedestrian scale lighting and enhance landscaping features along the corridor.
Take Back Your Neighborhood opposes the move to three lanes. Opponents say the road is safe and that any changes would lead to business disruption and traffic jams due to bus stops and double parking by delivery drivers. They also worry about a possible rise in aggressive driving, with cars traveling both ways using the center lane, and motorists making use of side streets.
TBYN encourages residents to take a survey at https://forms.gle/WeztcYYzmgP9V7WW8
For more information, visit the Castor Avenue Safety and Streetscapes Improvements Project page. ••
