A Wider Path on the Kelly Drive is Almost Complete

Paving and painting is now complete on the "Bridge to Ridge" section of the Schuylkill River Trail. The only major task left is the installation of a guardrail adjacent to the embankment. Department of Parks and Recreation officials have told us that the rail will be installed "very soon" and once it is, you'll be able to ride the path all the way to the Wissahickon Transit Center without battling traffic on Ridge Avenue and the detour signs will be removed. A formal ribbon cutting will occur with Mayor Nutter some time in August.

And while the path is technically closed, it's clear that the bicycling public isn't waiting. Check out these photos from last night. Thanks to Mike Szilagyi for the great pics.



The narrow 18 inch "hoagie turn" at the Wissahickon Creek Bridge is not being fixed as part of this project, but PennDOT and the Streets Department have committed to modifying the corner, which should result in some kind of widening (although we don't know how wide) as part of the larger Gustine Lake Interchange project.

A separate Department of Parks and Rec. project (called the Wissahickon Gateway) is to build a new bike/ped bridge over the Wissahickon Creek and create a new trail to connect up to the Pencoyd Bridge. That project is in the earliest stage of planning at this time and the first public meeting should be held this fall.