The intersection of Broad Street, Germantown Avenue, and Erie Avenue is one of the busiest in Philadelphia and includes several bus stops, a Broad Street Line station, and a crowded commercial corridor, writes Jasen Lo for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
It is also one of the most dangerous intersections in the city, with the most crashes involving pedestrians in the last 20 years.
Over the last eight years, city officials, planners, traffic engineers, and community groups have worked to address the intersection’s safety problem. The BGE project began in 2017 under the leadership of the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems and Philadelphia City Planning Commission, with consultations involving residents and nearby business owners.
Feedback indicated that the way Germantown intersected with Broad and Erie was dangerous. Drivers would speed into the junction around the two traffic islands, putting pedestrians at risk.
The initial proposal to close Germantown Avenue to drivers at Broad and Erie and create a pedestrian plaza was scaled back after the community expressed concerns about business disruptions and bus rerouting.
Instead, bollards, speed tables, curb extensions, and sidewalk-level bike lanes were installed, along with new ADA-compliant ramps, signals, and sidewalks. Unused trolley tracks were removed, and a red-painted bus-only lane was added to improve transit efficiency.
Now officials hope these changes, speed cameras and ongoing enforcement, will ensure a safer intersection.
Read more about the BGE project in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
