Gateway Pedestrian Island and Changing the Direction of East River Road
The East Falls Development Corporation is leading a project to build a Gateway Pedestrian Island with a sign in East Falls. This project brings together a number of community goals and plans, including creating an identity, a new wayfinding system, and pedestrian safety .See the design of the Gateway Island
This project is part of Phase I of the “East Falls Reconnects to the River,” plan. This Gateway Pedestrian Island and Sign will be located on Midvale Avenue where Midvale meets Kelly Drive. The funding for the island has been secured by the EFDC from federal transportation funds specifically designated for pedestrian improvements and from the Neighborhood Transformation Initiative. The Streets Department designed the pedestrian island, ensuring that it works with the flow of traffic and pedestrians.
The idea of the pedestrian island is simple – to provide a protected area where the pedestrian can safely cross a wide expanse of roadway. The pedestrian island will divide Midvale Avenue between the uphill and the downhill lanes. The island will be a very long narrow triangle, over 100 feet long and about 16 feet wide at its widest, at Kelly Drive. It will not change the number of traffic lanes. It will, however, calm traffic. The Sunoco Station will be reduced to have a single entrance/exit off of Midvale.As part of the project, the direction of East River Road will be changed in the block behind the fire Station.
Design professionals Tod Corlet and Mark Havens have taken the new East Falls logo and created a beautiful sign. The sign was desired to be moderately sized, to fit in with the island and surroundings. The sign will have a natural stone column in the center and curved metal that has the design cut out of it. It is designed to be weather resistant and vandal proof. The materials of metal and stone reflect our industrial heritage but pick up on the elegant design of the bridge railings from the logo. Behind the sign, placed in a long planted section, will be a series of curved metal elements that will reflect the railing design. The low rails and the plantings are designed to further pedestrian safety, diverting pedestrians from cutting across in midblock. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will be designing the plantings so that they are harmonized with the sign.
The stone column of the sign will be illuminated at night, so the letters will visible, but the sign will not have internally-illuminated glowing faces or letters. Lighting will be the minimum brightness necessary to function and to compete with surrounding glare. The flat version of the sign does not reflect its true beauty.
Along with the pedestrian island, other changes are in the works. There will be pedestrian scale street lights on East River Road, the unlit road behind the post office and fire department. We have also secured pedestrian “count-down” signals in addition to new “hand and man” signals at the pedestrian island. This will create a strong sense that the pedestrian is welcome and alert vehicles to take caution for pedestrians. The section of East River Road behind the fire station will be changed in direction to lessen traffic confusion and calm the intersection as well.
We plan to build the island in 2009 - it is project of the Philadelphia Street Department.
We can do something to help the River
The Schuylkill River rises quickly after it rains, bringing us high water and sometimes a flood. This is because upriver there has been so much pavement and buildings that rain water can't soak in the ground. Instead, it is funneled into pipes and sent to the River. The water is not filtered through the earth, and carries trash and car fluids into the River. There are things that can be done that help with the River and the fish and turtles who live in it.
East Falls was the subject of a special study to understand what we can do to improve the look of the community while trying to keep all the water from rushing to the River after a rain storm. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Philadelphia Water Department, the Environmental Protection Agency, Philadelphia University's Program in Landscape Architecture,and the East Falls Development Corporation teamed up to work with the community on design ideas. We have published a report, East Falls Model Stormwater Project. Take a look and see how you can do your part to help our beautiful Hidden River. A rain barrel, a new tree, or even some planters in the back yard are a great start.
The EFDC will be working with its partners to see what we can do for our public spaces and roads to make things better too. This project was generously sponsored by the William Penn Foundation.
Ridge Avenue is subject of study for improvement
Special meeting on Oct. 29, 2007 - What could the area around Tommy Gunn's and Duron Paint on Ridge Avenue look like? - do we need all of those bridges and ramps; can the traffic patterns at Ridge and the City Avenue ramps be improved? - How could the trail along the River be made better? - How can we get people to enjoy the River in East Falls?
These are some of the questions that were asked at a Special Meeting of the East Falls Community Council on Monday October 29 at the Mifflin School. The community development corporations of East Falls, Roxborough and Manayunk have joined together to study this area where our neighborhoods meet - the section of Ridge Avenue, from the City Ave ramps to the Wissahickon Train Station. Here, is the convergence of several major roads, a public transportation hub as well as pedestrian and bike trails. Safety issues as well as ways to improve the look of the area were discussed. The Schuylkill Project, a partnership between East Falls and Manayunk is leading design and engineering consultants in improving the trail and road connections. To see the PowerPoint presentation, click here.
Look at the "New" items. When you are done, you are welcome to give your feedback here - send an email with your comments..
The Riverfront Master Plan
Good community-based development begins with good planning. The East Falls Development Corporation has engaged the neighborhood in a series of plans that build on each other.
To begin, in 1998, the EFDC engaged Norman Day and Associates to create the Riverfront Master Plan. This plan focused on overall development of the riverfront, and developed base-line data on traffic, parking and land use. You can see this plan at the EFDC. The Master plan called for a phased implementation of a number of projects, including more detailed design and planning work.
The Streetscape Plan
We then built on this plan by developing “East Falls Reconnects to the River,” the public improvement plan for the area. This plan provides the basis for streetscape improvements as well as details on how to calm traffic and make the area more pedestrian and bicycle friendly. It proposes ways to bring people to the Riverfront by making the river more accessible and attractive. The Plan included input from the neighborhood and City agencies, such as the Planning Commission, the Streets Department, and the Fairmount Park Commission. This is a $10 million dollar plan that is slated to be constructed in phases.
River Access Plan
The projects goals are to create a river access facility that will strengthen the integration of the Schuylkill River into
the community identity at East Falls. The plan will allow river related recreation, educational opportunities and activities to move further up the river to East Falls and beyond.
River Access Plan
Wayfinding
“East Falls Reconnects” also calls for wayfinding system. This is important because there is no signage in East Falls that designates the neighborhood or shows you how to get from place to place. The EFDC retained a consultant to develop a wayfinding sign system. Their plan calls for a gateway sign at the pedestrian island. East Falls Wayfinding Plan
Identity
The EFDC ran a design competition last year to develop the logo for the neighborhood. The design, drawn by a student from Temple University. Jack (Shi) Pu draws from the railing design of the Falls Bridge. The EFDC had a logo selection committee, with members Rashida Ng (an architect and Professor at Temple University), Karen Minyard (formerly with PNC Advisors), Gary Crowell (formerly, Dean, College of Architecture, Philadelphia University), Claudia Phillips (Director, School of Landscape Architecture, Philadelphia University), Sharon Jaffe (design professional), and Sean Carton (formerly, Dean, School of Graphic Design, Philadelphia University). The winning logo used the design from the railing of the Falls Bridge. The new East Falls banners use the new logo.
