By Robert Rudnitsky
With over 75 years of history, Take Back Your Neighborhood, a civic organization located in Castor Gardens, is protesting in opposition to any construction project that would change the current traffic pattern configuration on Castor Avenue between Roosevelt Blvd. and Cottman Ave. This opposition includes the reduction or modification of the current four (two southbound and northbound lanes) traffic lanes. Many have said in the past “let us not fix that which is not broken.”
Currently, waiting time when traveling just a few blocks can be as much as 15 minutes by using streets that have been converted to single lanes such as Tyson, Devereaux and Levick
With no supportive data for our region, our elected officials think that because these questionable and unproven “road diets” may work for the Center City area, without any representation, our elected officials are now informing residents and businesses that a road diet will work in Northeast Philadelphia on Castor Ave.
Clearly our demographic is not nearly the same representation as Center City.
The Census indicates that this area is a low-income, affordable housing area that is growing exponentially in size since the pandemic and will continue to keep growing. Pure logic would question, why cut our roadway, our most valuable real estate, in half, with no other options of travel?
As this project is clearly not being brought to our community by the fire department or law enforcement, this brings to mind how we elect those to represent us. Are not our elected officials supposed to serve those who elected them? Why would they not listen?
Take Back Your Neighborhood has been conducting extensive research and polling with residents and businesses that would be detrimentally affected by this project. To date, the consensus is that two north and southbound lanes are critical to the lifeblood of the infrastructure.
One can only imagine the only lane that can be used for any distance going between Roosevelt Boulevard and Cottman Avenue. Congestion, excessive stopping and waiting will occur with every delivery such as UPS, FedEx, USPS, DoorDash, police, fire, rescue, disabled vehicles, buses, etc., or simply somebody talking to their “significant other” while “double parked.”
Having this second lane for more than 75 years relieves all of the headaches, congestion, anxiety, conflicts and confrontation. This valuable piece of roadway has protected the surrounding neighborhoods that will soon be cut through freeways in order to avoid the traffic congestion from a Castor Ave. with only one lane.
In opposition, a public meeting was held earlier this year. All except a few individuals were in extreme opposition to any lane reduction or modification to Castor Ave.
A meeting will be held at Solis-Cohen Elementary School, 7001 Horrocks St., Thursday, Oct. 10, 6 p.m.
Please attend and show your support or voice your opinion. For those who are unable to attend the meeting you can contact Robert Rudnitsky at 267-977-5639 or savecastorave@gmail.com. He will make arrangements to have your opinion noted. ••
Robert Rudnitsky is president and zoning chairman for Take Back Your Neighborhood.
