Rep. Jared Solomon last week joined Sen. Joe Picozzi to present $2.4 million in state funding for improvements along Frankford Avenue from Longshore Avenue to Sheffield Avenue.
Solomon credited City Councilman Mike Driscoll for sending a letter to him and Picozzi about the need for pedestrian safety improvements such as lighting, curb bump-outs, raised medians and striping.
The Sept. 14 announcement was made at Frankford and Cottman avenues.
“This is an iconic place,” Solomon said. “The Cottman Frankford corridor is key. We are revitalizing the nerve center of our community, which is Frankford Avenue.”
The elected officials were joined by Donny Smith, executive director of the Mayfair Business Improvement District, and Mike Serverson, president of the Mayfair Civic Association.
Picozzi described the area as “the Times Square of Northeast Philadelphia.”
“Mayfair really is the beating heart of Northeast Philadelphia,” he said.
Solomon said the pedestrian safety improvements will add to an avenue that already includes banners, BigBelly trash cans and street cleaning. The avenue, he said, is heavily traveled, like Roosevelt Boulevard, the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge and the El.
Driscoll, who said he hopes to be back at Frankford and Cottman soon to celebrate a Phillies World Series victory and an Eagles Super Bowl win, said the Department of Streets will receive the state funding to do the work.
On a related subject, the councilman is pleased with the new speed cameras on the 6400, 7000, 8300 and 9900 blocks of Frankford Ave.
“We’re already seeing that people are slowing down,” he said.
Meanwhile, Driscoll said other improvements will be coming to the triangle at Frankford, Cottman and Ryan avenues.
The PennDOT Highway Safety Improvement Program plan is still on the drawing board. One proposed change that has been scrapped is changing Ryan Avenue from westbound to eastbound traffic. ••
