PHILADELPHIA – The City announced today the construction of three complete street safety projects on Market Street this month as part of scheduled Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) paving projects. The projects include repaving of Market Street from 15th to 20th Streets, 20th to 23rd Street, and 30th to 34th Streets.  

“Repaving projects are an opportunity to reimagine the layout of the street and improve safety for all users,” said Deputy Managing Director for Transportation Mike Carroll. “Each Market Street project is on a segment of the Vision Zero High Injury Network, meaning they are among the 12 percent of City streets that have 80 percent of serious and fatal traffic crashes in Philadelphia. Each project will offer increased safety for people who walk, take transit, bicycle, and drive on those streets.” 

On Market Street in Center City, PennDOT is repaving from 15th to 20th Streets and reinstalling the layout with a parking separated bike lane on the north side of the street and three vehicle lanes. Since the project was first installed in 2018, driver speeds decreased by an average of nine percent and total crashes decreased by 15 percent on that section of Market Street.

West of 20th Street from 20th to 23rd Market Streets, the complete street safety project will also change the layout of the street to:

• Control driver speeds throughout the corridor,
• Improve the safety of left turns from Market Street,
• Increase safety for pedestrians at intersections,
• and add a separated two-way bike lane on the north side of Market Street.
• The project will remove one westbound through vehicle lane and some parking on three blocks.

In the past five years, there were 72 crashes on these three blocks with 46 people injured and five people seriously injured. 60 percent of people injured were walking and 20 percent were biking.

Due to the timing of traffic signal work required for the project, the opening date of the project may stretch until Spring 2023. Signs and barriers may be posted on the street with more information on opening dates. View the project information sheet in the Market Street repaving project page (20th to 23rd).

The City worked closely with the Logan Square Civic Association, the Center City Residents Association, the Fitler Square Neighborhood Association, property owners, Council President Darrell Clarke’s office, and Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson’s office on the project.

Lastly, PennDOT’s repaving between 30th and 34th Street will add painted bike lanes on each side of the street. Market Street has bike lanes today from 63rd Street to 34th Street. Extending painted bike lanes east to 30th Street will connect the major residential and employment hubs in West Philadelphia and University City to 30th Street Station and Center City.

The Office of Complete Streets and Councilmember Gauthier’s office worked closely with food truck owners, SEPTA, and Drexel University on the new roadway and curb layout to meet the needs of businesses, the University, and all users of Market Street. More information can be found on the Market Street repaving project page (30th to 34th).

For construction updates and more information visit PennDOT.pa.gov.