As a destination, the Ben Franklin Parkway is dependent on walkability. That’s why a photo-op press conference was held there on June 7 to tout the $19.1 million Extreme Parkway Makeover coming over the next few years. And that’s also why a portion of sidewalk ceremonially removed by a contractor remained roped off more than three weeks later.
A sign at the spot between 21st and 22nd streets instructs people to cross several busy lanes of traffic to get to and fro. Christopher Palmer, director of operations for Fairmount Park Commission, says it will be replaced starting after the Fourth of July events, when reconstruction of those blocks begins.
The good news: Work is getting under way as scheduled. The bad news: Throughout the project, various sidewalks, parking lanes and travel lanes will be a lot more inaccessible than one piece of sidewalk as whole blocks are being torn up, said Fairmount Park executive director Mark Focht.
