Logan Square has experienced a recent construction boom, which has created many road closures and traffic detours, but also a hope of renewal for the city’s infrastructure. Many projects have been started in recent months, including the I-676 Vine Street Expressway project that expands through a great deal of tourist sites including The Franklin Institute, The Barnes Foundation and The Free Library of Philadelphia.
Is the promise of a revamped and newly polished Logan Square enough of a benefit to outweigh the obvious inconvenience of the large construction site?
Logan Square from The Art Museum
Drew Murray, president of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association, said the answer to this question is “yes.” Murray believes the large construction project on I-676 and surrounding areas is a necessary evil to meet safety specifications enforced by PennDOT and to further improve the beauty of Logan Square overall.
20th and Vine Street Closure
The Vine Street closure is part of an extensive reconstruction that is set to finish in the fall of 2019. The project was enforced by PennDOT much of the infrastructure needed to be fixed for safety reasons. A statement from PennDOT priced the project at $64.8 million.
Construction off of Winter Street in front of Franklin Institute
The construction in front of Winter Street is part of an effort to repurpose the area into a dog-friendly park with a running water fountain as a part of Logan Square’s “beautification” initiatives.
Vine Street Closure in front of The Free Library of Philadelphia
The area in front of the Free Library of Philadelphia is being reconstructed along with the deck of the adjacent pedestrian bridge. Improvements in this area are for structural reasons as well as cosmetic.
Overpass Construction
Seven bridges are set to be replaced over the course of this project, creating several traffic detours for drivers trying to cross the overpasses. The once scenic views are currently obstructed by new construction sites.
21st and Vine Closure
Although the road closures in the area are an inconvenience for drivers and pedestrians alike, most of the actual construction takes place overnight and is said to create little disturbance to surrounding residents. Only about one or two noise complaints have been made, according to Murray.
-Text and images by Alexandra Menzione and Paul Klein.
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