Old York Road and Hunting Park Avenue will receive safety upgrades to improve driver, pedestrian, and cyclist safety
Casey fought to secure funding from Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program, created by the infrastructure law
With this award, Philadelphia has $46.4 million in Safe Streets funding in 2023 alone
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Dwight Evans (D-PA-3) and Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) announced $16.4 million in federal funding for Philadelphia to make some of the city’s most dangerous corridors safer for all users, with an emphasis on pedestrian and cyclist safety. Two high-injury corridors, Old York Road from Erie to Lindley Avenues and along Hunting Park Avenue from Wissahickon Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard, will receive major safety upgrades. Additional funding will go towards the City’s Bicycle Capital Plan and bicycle improvement demonstration projects.
“The infrastructure law is making our communities safer by funding long-overdue safety projects in our most dangerous corridors,[O(1] ” said Senator Casey. “I was proud to advocate for this funding to reduce fatal crashes and make two of the busiest traffic corridors in Philadelphia safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.”
“The bottom line is that we are facing a street safety crisis in America — and in Pennsylvania. The thousands of lives we lose due to unsafe streets is unacceptable, and it’s long past time we in Washington do something about it,” said Senator Fetterman. “This funding will provide Philadelphia with the resources they need to make streets safer for everyone on the roads."
“I’m pleased to see the Biden-Harris administration once again delivering for Philadelphians in the areas of public safety and better infrastructure, especially for underserved areas,” Congressman Evans said.
"Infrastructure funding is not limited to just building bridges and highways. This funding program, which I voted for as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will serve to make our city streets safer to many who use them every day,” said Congressman Boyle. “This funding will enable the creation of dedicated bike lanes along some of our most dangerous traffic corridors, while fostering a safer and more sustainable urban environment. This project marks a significant step towards prioritizing the well-being of our Philadelphia residents and promotes active, eco-friendly transportation alternatives."
“From day one of this administration, we have put a focus on revitalizing underserved communities and creating safer neighborhoods. Safe streets for all modes of transport is an area of progress I'm proud of,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “I would like to thank Senators Casey and Fetterman, all of our federal partners, and our own Office of Complete Streets for all their efforts in securing this grant. Over the course of this administration, we have been able to land more than $200 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funded grants. This is a tremendous accomplishment that will be felt for years to come as projects become reality.”
The funding comes from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding provides Philadelphia with the opportunity to upgrade infrastructure in historically underserved communities which have suffered from a lack of investment in roads and safety features. Proposed improvements as part of the “Vision Zero” initiative include transportation infrastructure upgrades separated bicycle-pedestrian side paths, concrete bus islands, and ADA accessibility enhancements, and X box designations to deter parking in bus stops. Senator Casey supported the City’s grant for this funding. With this award, Philadelphia has received $46.4 million in Safe Streets funding in 2023 alone.
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