Bill No. 980447, an ordinance to amend Chapter 12-2400 of The Philadelphia Code entitled "Towing and Immobilizing of Parked or Abandoned Vehicles" by revising towing zone locations.
Is that Paul's also? No? Is there anyone here who wishes to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980545, an ordinance granting permission to Edward Wilson, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the northwest corner of 16th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard to construct, use, and maintain a conduit for fiber optic facilities in and under the north footway of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, the west footway of 16th Street, and the south footway of Cuthbert Street, for the purpose of 39 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing supplying telephone service to said newsstand.
Is there anyone here who wishes to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980547, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 187, by striking from the City Plan and vacating the legally opened portions of Belgrade Street, from Butler Street to Castor Avenue, under certain terms and conditions. (Marty Soffer comes forward.)
My name is Marty Soffer, from the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission. The Planning Commission staff has reviewed and tentatively approved this action. The recommendation is approval for Bill No. 22 980547. Thank you.
Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify? 40 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing (No response.)
Do you have any other bills here? While you're sitting here, do you want us to go through them?
Okay, Bill No. 980617, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 295, by striking from the City Plan and vacating Codorus Road from Hendren Street to Spring Lane, and by reserving and placing a right-of-way for drainage purposes and water main purposes within the lines of Codorus Road from Hendren Street to Spring Lane, all under certain terms and conditions.
My name is Martin Soffer from the City of Philadelphia Planning Commission. The Planning Commission staff reviewed and tentatively approved this action. The recommendation is approval for Bill No. 980617.
Is there anyone 41 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing else here who wishes to testify on the bill? (No response.)
Bill No. 980618, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 295 of the area extending generally northwestwardly from Spring Lane to the Philadelphia and Montgomery County line, between Bigonet Lane to the southwest, and Hendren Street to the northeast, by striking from the City Plan Muncy Lane, Ayrdale Road and Buffalo Lane; by placing on the City Plan Sycamore Lane, Lantern Lane, Green Hill Lane, and Buttonwood Place; and by reserving and placing on the City Plan certain rights-of-way for water main purposes and drainage purposes; all under certain terms and conditions, including the dedication to the City, free and clear of all encumbrances, of 42 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing the beds of Sycamore Lane, Lantern Lane, Green Hill Lane, and Buttonwood Place.
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the Planning Commission approved a preliminary plot of subdivision, which includes the proposed streets. Excuse me -- which included the street action on March the 5th, 1998. The Planning Commissioner recommended approval for Bill No. 980618. Thank you.
Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify? (Paul Lonie comes forward.)
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. My name is Paul Lonie. I'm a survey bureau manager. I'd like to offer the following testimony on Bill No. 19 980618 for the Department of Streets. This is not an administration ordinance 21 but an ordinance requested by Mr. Neil Andrew Stein, Esquire, of Kaplan, Stewart & Meloff, 325 Sentry Parkway, Bluebell, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this ordinance is to place new streets on the City Plan to facilitate the building of 78 43 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing single-family detached homes in a new development. This ordinance is supported by the Department of Streets and is recommended to the committee for favorable action.
Is there anyone else here wishes to testify? (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980619, an ordinance authorizing the paving of Sycamore Lane, Lantern Lane, Green Hill Lane, and Buttonwood Place, under certain terms and conditions.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. My name is Paul Lonie of the Department of Streets. And I'd like to give the following testimony on 980619. This is not an administration ordinance 20 but it's requested by Mr. Neil Andrew Stein, Esquire, of 350 Sentry Parkway, Building No. 640, Bluebell, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this ordinance is to pave the new streets required by the Spring Lane Housing Development. This ordinance is supported by the 44 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Department of Streets and is recommended to the committee for favorable action.
Is there anyone else here who wish to see testify? The Chair recognizes Councilman Nutter.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just very briefly, this is a project that has had an extensive amount of neighborhood hearings and meetings and discussions. The developer, at every possible turn, I believe, tried to address the many legitimate concerns of the neighbors adjacent to Spring Lane. And while he may be in a position of having made a number of adjustments and amendments to his plan and possibly for every person that lives in the surrounding neighborhood, it has not completely satisfied them. I would say that they have done a tremendous job at cutting down the number of properties to be built at the location so as to address community concerns about traffic flow and density and the like. And so I do support these three bills. 45 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Thank you.
Is there anyone else here wish to testify. (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980421, an ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 307, by widening a portion of Juniper Street on the easterly side, between Arch Street and Cherry Street, under certain terms and conditions, including the dedication to the City of the widened portion of Juniper Street.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Paul Lonnie, I'm a survey bureau manager. I'm representing the Department of Streets, and we'd like to offer the following testimony on Bill No. 21 980421. This is not an administration ordinance 23 but an ordinance requested by Mr. David Grasso, Esquire, Metro Development Corporation, 232 North 22nd Street, Philadelphia. 46 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing The purpose of this ordinance is to grant the legal authority to revise the lines and grades Juniper Street, between Arch and Race Streets. This would allow the unloading of passengers along the proposed Hampton Inn Hotel. This ordinance is supported by the Department of Streets and is recommended to the committee for favorable action.
Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify on the bill? (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980551, an ordinance amending Section 2 of an ordinance (Bill 17 No. 1119) approved July 24, 1995, entitled "An Ordinance Authorizing the Striking from City Plan No. 58 and Vacating Shamokin Street, from 11th Street to Ridge Avenue, and Reserving and Placing on the City Plan a Certain Right-of-Way for Drainage Purposes and Water Main Purposes, Under Certain Terms and Conditions," by extending the period for compliance with the authorization conditions therein to December 31, 1999. 47 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Paul Lonnie, I'm a survey bureau manager. I'm representing the Department of Streets, and we'd like to offer the following testimony on Bill No. 7 980551. This is not an administration ordinance 9 but an ordinance requested by H. Jeffrey Brahin, Esquire. 152 North Main Street, Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The purpose of this ordinance is to extend the expiration date of an ordinance 14 approved July 23, 1995. The purpose of that ordinance was to strike from the City Plan and vacate Shamokin Street so that the abutting property-owners may eradicate the problems with loitering and littering that exist in the area of their business. This ordinance is supported by the Department of Streets and it is recommended to the committee for favorable action.
Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify? (No response.) 48 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980615, an ordinance authorizing Joseph and Angela Schmidt, owners of the property located at 3100 Knorr Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19149, to construct and maintain various encroachments onto and over the south footway of Knorr Street and the east footway of Hawthorne Street adjacent to 3100 Knorr Street, under certain terms and conditions. (Mike Longshore comes forward.)
Good afternoon, Councilman DiCicco. My name is Mike Longshore, representing the Streets Department and the Chief Permit Officer. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 19 980615. This is not an administrative ordinance 21 but an ordinance requested by Joseph and Angela Schmidt, owners of the property located at 3100 Knorr Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19149. The purpose of this ordinance is to acquire from City Council the legal authority to 49 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing construct and maintain various encroachments, which includes: a retaining wall on Knorr Street, which encroaches 2-foot-8-inches onto the south footway of Knorr Street; a fence, elevated deck and concrete patio, all of which encroaches a maximum of 7-foot-4-inches onto and above the east footway of Hawthorne Street. The plan of this property has been approved by the Board of Highway Supervisors. Therefore, the Department of Streets has no 12 objection to the passage of this bill.
Thank you. Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify? (No response.)
The clerk will read the title of the next bill. I think we had to go a little bit out of order, Mike, so just stay over. We're going to go back to that one bill.
Bill No. 980545, an ordinance granting permission to Edward Wilson, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the northwest corner of 16th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard to construct, use, and maintain 50 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing a conduit for fiber optic facilities in and under the north footway of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, the west footway of 16th Street, and the south footway of Cuthbert Street, for the purpose of supplying telephone service to said newsstand.
Good afternoon, Chairman DiCicco and members of the board. My name is Mike Longshore, representing the Streets Department and the Chief Permit Officer. In reference to Bill No. 980545, this is not an administrative ordinance but an ordinance requested by Edward Wilson, owner and operator of the newsstand located on the northwest corner of 16th and John F. Kennedy Boulevard. The purpose of this ordinance is to acquire from City Council the legal permission to install, use, and maintain certain fiber optic conduits and appurtenances in and under the north footway of John F. Kennedy Boulevard, the west footway of 16th Street, and the south footway of Cuthbert Street for the purpose of supplying telephone service to said newsstand. A fiber optics connection to a newsstand is required in order to link up with the 51 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing state lottery system. In turn, the resulting lottery activity causes queues in the sidewalk areas. This makes for an unsafe condition for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. For this reason, the Streets Department does not recommend passage of this bill.
Is there anyone else here wishes to testify on this bill?
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980647, an ordinance establishing a no motor home parking regulation on 51st Street, Overbrook Avenue to Woodbine Avenue, both sides. (Charles Trainor comes forward.)
Good afternoon. I'm Charles Trainor, Streets Department Assistant Chief Traffic Engineer. The Streets Department has no prepared testimony on this ordinance, but we do not oppose the passage of it.
Thank you. Is there anyone else here to wishes to testify on this bill? 52 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of next bill.
Bill No. 960648, an ordinance establishing a no motor home parking regulation on 51st Street, Overbrook Avenue to Woodbine Avenue, both sides.
I'm Charles Trainor, Streets Department, Assistant Chief Traffic Engineer. The Streets Department has no prepared testimony on this ordinance, but we have no 14 objection to the passage of the bill.
Thank you. Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify? (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill. Oh, we're going to skip over five bills and go to the last bill on the list because there are a number of people here from Councilman Nutter's district who are obviously prepared to testify here on several bills.
Mr. Auerbach, I 53 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing don't think you had been called up to the table. We're quite comfortable with you sitting in the audience there, and we'd be glad to see you just continue to sit there. (Laughter.)
Bill No. 980654, an ordinance establishing a no tractor-trailer parking regulation on 33rd Street, from Allegheny Avenue to Westmoreland Street, both sides.
Charles Trainor, Assistant Chief Traffic Engineer with the Streets Department. The Streets Department has no prepared testimony on this ordinance, but we have no 17 objection to the passage of it.
Thank you. Is there anyone else here who wishes to testify on that bill? (No response.)
Hearing none, the clerk will read the title of the next bill.
Bill No. 980649, an ordinance authorizing the installation of stop 54 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing signs on Manayunk Avenue at the intersection of Seville Street and Kingsley Street.
Mr. Chairman, if I might ask, because we do anticipate that both Mr. Trainor and Mr. Auerbach will have their own testimony. In recognition of the time this evening and that we have members of the public here who wish to testify on a number of different bills, what I'd like to ask is if Mr. Trainor and Mr. Auerbach could excuse themselves from the table for a second and allow the members of the public to give their testimony about the various bills. Much of our discussion for Mr. Trainor and Mr. Auerbach will be pretty much similar items of discussion, so why don't we at least get public in so that they can give their testimony. Thank you.
Whoever from the public is here to testify, please come forward.
Mr. Chairman, that would be Mr. Forest Aegiano and Mr. Richard Shickling on Bill 980649.
Thank you. 55 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing (Messrs. Shickling and Aegiano come forward.)
Please state your name for the record, pull the mike as close as possible to you, and speak directly into it. Thank you.
Good afternoon. My name is Forest Aegiano. And as President of the Wissahickon Neighborhood Civic Association, I appreciate the opportunity to voice our request that you approve the installation of stop signs on Manayunk Avenue at the intersections of Kingsley and Seville Streets. I'd like to provide a brief summary of our request and ask that a more lengthy detail of the history of the (unintelligible) problem also become a part of the record at these hearings. As a summary, the stop signs used to be in place at these two intersections and they helped slow traffic. The signs were apparently removed by the crew that was resurfacing the roadway several years ago. After that, the Streets Department refused to put the signs back. Without the stop signs, speeding on 56 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Manayunk Avenue, both cars and buses, has become a serious problems for the near residents. With an increase in the traffic volume in the Manayunk area, the problem has increased. Drivers try to avoid the stop and go traffic on Ridge Avenue by using Manayunk Avenue instead. Many cars and buses use the nearly half-mile straight of way between Pensdale and Salaignac Streets as an uninterrupted speedway. Downhill speeds on this narrow residential street frequently exceed 50 miles an hour. The negative impact on the daily lives of near residents on these hazardous is grievous and wearing. We can cite innumerable vehicular and pedestrian near-misses, sideswipes, demolished sidewalk planters, and the like. Over the last several years especially, near residents have brought their concerns about this situation to our civic association on many, many occasions. We have done everything we can to resolve the problem by working with city and state agencies, but we wind up here in City Council today asking for your help. Common sense and the experience of near 57 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing residents suggest a simple solution. Put the two stop signs back where they belong. To the contrary, the Streets Department maintains that there is not a sufficient accident history at the two intersections to justify having stop signs. On the other, the 5th Police District, hands PennDOT, SEPTA tell us that putting the stop signs up again would reduce the speeding problem on Manayunk Avenue, but the Streets Department has the say, and they say no. 12 Many of us are left feeling that the City is driven more by bureaucratic formula than by common sense and practical solutions. It appears to us like the City is waiting for pedestrian or driver fatalities before the stop signs are deemed officially justified. Waiting for tragedy to provide an accident history at these two intersections should not be necessary. Therefore, we are asking that this legislative relief be a last resort. In conclusion, we ask you to implement a practical solution to our problem by putting the two stop signs back in place. Thank you. 58 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
My name is Richard Shickling. I am a near neighbor at Manayunk and Seville. I just want to voice my opinion that we have an apartment complex at that corner that has 108 apartments, sometimes called the "3901 Manayunk Apartment Complex." There are numerous children that live in the, it's a two-bedroom apartment complex. Children often cross the street corner to go to the nearby store. We have a row house neighborhood where there are many children playing. And the idea of cars and trucks -- and now we have wheelers on our street -- going in 18 excess of 50 miles an hour at times. But at a normal time, it's 35 to 40 miles an hour as a speed on Manayunk Avenue. And this would be slowed considerably if we could have our stop signs back. Thank you very much.
Mr. Aegiano, in your testimony, I think you did mention that all 59 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing of the governmental agencies agreed that there should be some form of traffic signal there, preferably a stop sign. And I think that you said that the state -- do you mean PennDOT or --
Yes, that's my understanding, that Kathy Ripson (ph.) or Kathy Mandarino (ph.) has spoken with PennDOT officials, and they see no reason that it should not -- they should not be -- my understanding is that there was a question of why they were removed in the first place.
And since they were removed, we're simply having difficulty getting them back. And the PennDOT official was saying that there probably was no good reason that they were removed in the first place.
So they -- PennDOT is agreeing that they should have never been taken down, they should be replaced, but the City's saying -- the Streets Department is saying no. 23
Once they were down, they reevaluated their necessity and ruled that they were not necessary. 60 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
Okay. 'Cause sometimes when we get into these issues, we are often told that under the state regs, they can't do certain things, and here it is the State is agreeing.
Right, we've been back and forth for a year now; that's why we're here.
Thank you. Mr. Chairman, we will at least be able to get some additional information from a PennDOT official. There is a PennDOT person in the audience, and we'll get into some of the city-state issues in the course of the discussion after the public testifies. Let me just make sure, one, for both Mr. Aegiano and Mr. Shickling, you are the neighborhood leaders of the Wissahickon Neighborhood Civic Association; is that correct?
That's correct. 61 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
And your testimony today reflects the views and the concerns of the neighbors of the Association.
And, lastly, your primary concern is one of public safety, both to motor vehicles and pedestrians.
And you're concerned about the health, safety, and welfare of the people in the adjoining areas.
Thank you. Is there anyone else who wishes to testify? (No response.)
Hearing none, I will read the title of the next bill. Bill No. 980650, an ordinance 25 authorizing the installation of stop signs on 62 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Acorn Street at the intersection of Hazelwood Street. Is there anyone here who wishes to testify? Please come forward and state your name for the record. (Louis Agre comes forward.)
My name is Louis Agre. I live at 530 Acorn Street, I'm the Democratic Committeeman in the neighborhood.
I requested stop signs on the corner. I live three doors down from the corner. For that whole area, it goes from Little Henry to Ridge Avenue without one break. People speed down there. It's a single-lane street, with cars on both sides. The high school's at the end. And in the morning and the afternoon, students, teachers, parents that use as a thoroughfare, and nobody stops. As you come around -- you come up Acorn and make right onto Hazelwood, it's where the kids in the neighborhood play street hockey. On a nice 63 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing day, there's to kids out there every day. There are school bus stops on the corner, there's school bus stops in the neighborhood. People come through it at a high rate of speed. They go through that stop sign, they pass the school buses, and they have no 8 consideration for the residents or the children in the neighborhood. There was a kid a couple years ago hit by a -- on a bicycle. There's -- people pass school buses all the time. You know, every year, people ask us to get involved in politics and help out our communities, and when we do, we ask for something -- we don't ask for -- I'm not asking for bond work or a job for my brother-in-law; I'm asking for something that helps every neighbor in my community.
Do you want him to leave his name anyway just in case? (Laughter.)
It's a danger to the people in my community, and it's an important thing to us. When I spoke to the Streets Department, 64 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing they says it doesn't warrant it. I said, "Did you go there at 8:30 in the morning?" I must yell at people times a week, "Slow down." I must yell 5 at -- 6 You know, I spoke to the Fifth 7 District; they said they'll send a car by. When I 8 spoke to the principal of the high school, he 9 said, "What do you want me to do about it?" I 10 said, you know, "We're neighbors. I want you to 11 act like a good neighbor." 12 When I did speak to the Streets 13 Department, again, they said, "Well, why don't 14 you call the police." I said, you know, "The 15 police have things to do in this neighborhood. 16 When's the last time you saw somebody get stopped 17 for running a -- for going down a residential 18 street too fast?" 19 I tried everything I could until 20 Councilman Nutter proposed this bill in order that we can have some kind of traffic patterns in our neighborhood. It's gotten out of control.
Just so that you'll understand, and I guess this is -- goes for everyone who's here today. 65 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing This is not unique to your neighborhood. It is by no way an indication that your City Councilperson hasn't been trying to do something about it. We are all hitting a brick wall when it comes to this -- "all" meaning all 7 members of Council, especially the District 8 Councilpeople. And I've only been here about two 9 and a half years, and it is very frustrating. 10 We had some discussion on this last 11 spring. We brought in people to a hearing that 12 was conducted by the Transportation Committee. 13 Unfortunately, we have not gotten any further than 14 that, and we're going continue to keep doing what 15 we have to do to make the area safe. 16 But I just want you to understand this 17 is my no means a situation that just is in your district or in your neighborhood. It is citywide, and it is just as frustrating to me as it is to Councilman Nutter.
And we will continue to do whatever it is we have to do to get you some relief. 66 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Thank you for being here.
Bill No. 980651, an ordinance authorizing the installation of stop signs on Lansdowne Avenue at the intersection of 58th Street.
My name is Delores Hamilton, and I'm a resident of the 5700 block of Lansdowne Avenue. My family's lived in that neighborhood for more than 40 years. We have been trying for quite sometime to have a stop sign placed at 58th and Lansdowne on Lansdowne Avenue. Pardon me. It's the only street within about a 20-block radius that does not have a traffic device. Despite repeated 67 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing requests, we were told that that area did not -- the volume of that traffic, pedestrian and vehicular, did not warrant a traffic device in that area. Well, if you have traffic devices every other street, there's not -- if you start from one end of Lansdowne Avenue and go all the way to the end, there is a traffic device at every corner. When you get to 59th Street, if you get a good head of steam and they are coming down there like something I've never seen, you can just hear them going by. On September the 6th, for the first time in history, Lansdowne Avenue was shut down, and we had a block party. At 8 o'clock in the morning, we closed it off. We had a great day, you never saw so many children -- didn't even know they lived in that block. At 8 o'clock, we took the barriers down. Before we could even get them all down, a car came barreling down the street. We could tell the sound, we were used to it. So we all scrambled out of the way, grabbing kids, everybody else. The car barely stopped at the barrier. 68 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing A few minutes, later the trolleys were -- started up the street slowly. Within one minute, there was a head-on collision as a car came from 57th Street, barreled around the trolley, hit head-on from the car going east. Both cars were demolished, including a parked car. I personally have had two cars wrecked on Landsdowne Avenue; I don't even park there anymore. We have had two children who have been hit by those cars. We have helped elderly residents who haven't even been able to cross the street in I don't know how long. The traffic is speeding up. No matter what you do, you don't seem to be able to get any relief. I know that there are a number of streets in that area who don't even warrant a traffic device at all; yet, they have some sort of traffic device there to protect them. In particular, 64th and Haddington, which is a small cross street -- I've never seen a pedestrian there in my life, and I go through there all the time. I don't see pedestrians crossing 56th and Haddington. I don't see any -- and there's practical no traffic at 61th and Jefferson where, 69 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing they're you know, they're going around. There's no pedestrian traffic there at all. So what I'm saying to you is that all of the residents in that area have been begging and pleading for some type of relief in that area. We have a day care center right there at the corner of 58th Street and (unintelligible). In the morning and the afternoon, if you could see -- most of us here are parents, and you know the problems of trying to get a day care child into a day care across the street with the bundles that you have -- the child, you know, your bags, everything else, and you're struggling to get your child across there; you cannot get across the street. We have St. Rose of Lima, which is right there at the block near the corner of Lansdowne and Wanamaker. You have children leaving St. Rose, trying to cross the street to get to the store; you can't do it. You have children coming from the Bluford School, which is a block away, and they are coming up and down the street. You have adults. You have kids coming from Overbrook. So there is a great deal of 70 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing pedestrian and vehicular traffic going up and down Lansdowne Avenue, and since they have no reason to stop at 58th, it's like a race track.
So we want you to know that the residents in that area all up and down 58th, all up and down Lansdowne, Alden, and Wanamaker are -- very much would like to have a stop sign placed there. Thank you very much.
Bill No. 980652, an ordinance authorizing the installation of stop signs on Lebanon Avenue at the intersection of Georges Lane.
Mr. Reid? And if there is anybody else who wishes to testify on the bill, please come forward now. (Mr. Reid comes forward.)
Good evening. 71 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
My name is Hubert Reid. I'm the block captain at the 300 block of Lebanon Avenue. For some time now, we've been trying to get a stop sign or some kind of device for the children. Now, before it was a regular Catholic school, but now it's a chartered school.
And it's now a technology public charter school, right?
Yes, it is. And it's -- well, we've been awfully lucky that we haven't had a serious accident there. But if there's some kind of way you could put some device there, especially when the children are there, it's -- these are like children from kindergarten up until the sixth grade, so we really need some device. I mean, if it's a stop sign or a -- you see coming east -- no, going west on Lebanon Avenue, from 53rd Street up to Georges Lane, there's one stop sign. When you get to Georges 72 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Lane, there's virtually nothing, but there is -- Georges Lane going south, there was a stop sign.
But it should be a stop sign, personally, I think on Georges Lane and Lebanon Avenue.
It really should be because of the fact that -- there is a crossing guard at times; it's not all the time, but there is a crossing guard.
And there was a period of time last year, I believe, when there was no crossing guard.
Yes, yes. And it's -- we've been lucky, but I wish if you would, you would get us some kind of crossing, uh. . .
Mr. Reid, you're concerned primarily about the safety of not only the kids but also of the adults in the area?
Okay. Thank you. 73 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
Bill No. 980653, an ordinance authorizing the installation of stop signals at the intersection of 62nd Street and Haverford Avenue.
Good afternoon. My name is Lorenzo Cruger, and I'm the President of the Coalition Block Committee, which is a series of blocks in and around the intersection of 62nd and Haverford. It includes the 61st -- the 61 and 6200 block of Haverford Avenue; 62nd Street, from Callowhill to Master Street; Feldman Street, from Callowhill to Girard Avenue; Girard Avenue, from 61st to 63rd Street. And several of my members are here with 74 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing me.
Could we have the folks who are part of the 62nd and Haverford like situation, could the neighbors please stand? Okay, thank you. Mr. Cruger?
We've been trying to get a traffic control signal at that intersection for quite a few years. The Streets Department has indicated to us that the traffic there doesn't warrant it. However, it's kind of hard to believe that because I have personally driven Haverford Avenue from City Line Avenue down to 32nd Street, at its inception. Every intersection has a traffic control with the exception of 62nd Street. The only other intersection that doesn't have a traffic stop sign there, a lighted sign, is -- I think it's 47th Street, and that's a T intersection. All the other intersections do have that. So --
It's a four-way intersection. 75 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing Also to magnify the situation, if you're eastbound on Haverford Avenue, there is an angle in the street, approximately a 30-degree angle to the right, about 150 feet away. Therefore, your sight distance is not even good for people coming west on Haverford to see if there's something in that intersection. And most of the time when you come across the intersection, you have to ease across the street because you can't see the cars coming. It's the only straight two-block stretch along Haverford Avenue. Motorists knowing this are hitting a very good speed when they pass that intersection. So a car coming through there at an angle -- and it's not a 90-degree intersection, incidentally, in the first place. So your sight distance has been reduced because of the angle of the streets. And coming across the street, you have to edge your way out in order to be able to see if anything is coming. And when they're coming at that speed, it's very hard to tell when to stop and when to go. We average an accident at that intersection approximately one to three times per 76 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing month. There's still the corner -- northwest corner of 62nd and Haverford. If you go by there, there's a yard on the corner. You'll notice the fence is laying down from an accident that drove onto the man's lawn. Fortunately, there was nobody on the corner at that time or they could have been killed. But this is a very dangerous intersection. There have been many accidents there. And even though there may not have been a fatality anywhere in the recent past, there are several incidents there where cars are getting hit. Several of my neighbors who live almost immediately in that area have had their cars hit while parked from cars either veering from accidents or being involved in accidents, and therefore, 'cause they're concerned not only with their safety while they're outside, but for their property; they're supposed to be safely parked on the street. There are a couple other of my neighbors who would like to testify if it is 77 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing possible.
While the gentleman is coming forward, why don't I read into the record the names of the individuals who are here; they may not all testify. They are: Yvette Benson; Barbara Goodman, who had to leave; Willy Guess; Jamie Gruber; Ruby Bauknight; Miss Greene; Anne Roberts; Dorothy Nelson; Yvette King; Ella Costone; Delores Blagmon; Edith Bagmore; Mr. Cruger; Chester Bush; Bernice Bush; 78 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing and John Holland. (John Holland comes forward.)
Good afternoon. My name is John Holland, a resident in that -- I've lived in that particular area for about 43 to 44 years. I have witnessed accidents numerous and numerous of times. Going back to 30 years ago, we petitioned this under the other administrations. We petitioned under each mayor, going back for 40 years -- nearly 40 years. We've never been able to get a red light there. We have petitioned, but we continue to have accidents. We have incidents at least three times a month. And it's sort of frightening to know that our senior citizens and our children, our grandchildren have to cross that corner because it's a blind area, and that is sort of a high-speed area coming over -- going west on Haverford Avenue, and the people going on 62th Street north and south are subject to being involved in these accidents because, like I said, it's a blind area, so to speak. (Loud sirens interrupt testimony.) 79 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
Could I ask you just to hold until that fire truck passes.
Just hold off for a second till the fire trucks pass because we're going to have a difficult time hearing you.) (Pause in testimony.)
Thank you. I wanted to make sure that we hear your testimony and that it gets on the record. Thank you.
Yes. As I said before, I live less than 200 yards away, a resident there, from the intersection. So, therefore, each car that shuts the door or opens the door in that community, I'm flinching and I'm wondering if we'll have an accident at the corner because there's been so many accidents at that intersection. And as I said before, we've petitioned several times. Of course, Councilman Nutter is really trying to do so something for us, I believe, and we would appreciate it very much and the rest of the Councilmen here. Thank you very much. 80 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
Thank you. Thank you for coming. (Bernice Bush comes forward.)
Please state your name for the record, and speak directly into the microphone.
Bernice Bush. I live in that immediate block that we have been discussing here and I'd like to reiterate that Mr. Cruger said. And also, we have so many accidents there. And the police usually come to these accidents because I don't know whether they're called or just hear it, 'cause they're only a block away. But we are just -- we have -- we and Councilman Nutter have been trying to help us to get relief there. We really need relief in either a light or even a four-way stop sign would help so that the people coming over Haverford Avenue, they have no reason to slow up. And we just can't 81 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing see them at certain areas. When we stop for a stop sign going south on 62nd Street, you cannot see the cars that come through Thompson Street. You see that the Haverford Avenue curves, and you think that's it. And when they -- when you pull out, here's this car flying, coming over a car that -- a street that's entering into Haverford Avenue. So we really would appreciate some help of any kind, of either one of those two things, either a traffic, even a four-way stop sign would be helpful.
Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, Miss Delores Hamilton, who testified on Bill 980651 has shared with Joy, my chief of staff, that she would also like to express her support for Bill 980653, as she was in an accident at that intersection herself. And at least in her personal opinion, it is one of the worst and most dangerous intersections in the City of Philadelphia, by way of her travel patterns. 82 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing
And it's an intersection that she's obviously familiar with 'cause she lives in the neighborhood and still gets into an accident. I think that tells you something.
She may be more familiar with it than she wants to be. (Lorenzo Cruger returns to witness table.)
Lorenzo Cruger again. I'd like to add one thing that Mrs. Bush brought out. Thompson Street is something like an entrance ramp going onto an expressway. It's a street merging into Haverford Avenue, which is approximately a block away.
So even though you have somewhat of a sight distance on one street, you can't see the other one too well till you get into the intersection. So it's like going across an entrance ramp going into a major highway, with your sight distance being reduced, so you really have two 83 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing streets coming on the westbound traffic.
And if I may, I also know the intersection of 58th Street, and I do know that is a very dangerous intersection.
Thank you, thank you again, sir. Before we go on with the rest of the testimony in relationship to the bills that we've heard several constituents speak to, there's a lady here -- Mrs. Carbone? -- Who came here a little bit after the testimony was heard on Bill 14 No. 980411, and she would just like to enter a statement into the record. (Lydia Carbone comes forward.)
Good afternoon, ma'am. Please state your name for the record.
My name is Lydia Carbone. I live on the Clymer Street between Seventh and Eighth. And what I would like to state is that we have restaurants on the corner of each end of the street and many other restaurants in very close proximity. And we initiated permit parking, 84 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing and I was very supportive of the permit parking. But when it came into place, the time for parking was later than what originally was presented or what was understood. We thought that six -- the real problems are for people coming home from work who choose to park. There's a two-hour parking limit, but if the parking now is till 8 o'clock, so many -- one of the problems was that not only that residents today may have more than one car, but people who worked in Center City, since it's only about an eight-block walk, would park there and oftentimes stay and go to one of the restaurants. So with the 8 o'clock time on the permit parking, people can park, go to work, then go to a restaurant later, so it's really not serving the purpose that it was really intended for. And people feel that their guests -- and they are penalized by the time limit and the permit parking. I also feel that there should be a way to accommodate visitors for residents. I know that you can -- if someone is staying with you for a week or so, you can apply for some kind of a 85 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing special permit but, I mean, what happens is people don't want to come and visit when the restaurants are open, and actually, there's only one that is closed on Sunday. Two others very close are open. So these are problems, and I don't know -- I just wanted to state that because I was one of the people who rallied for the permit parking, but I find now that it really hasn't been working out.
So am I to understand that you're opposed to any parking regulation there?
I'm not opposed to any parking regulation. I know that we indeed have a problem, but I find that the time till of 8 o'clock --
8 p.m. is definitely a problem because it doesn't help people when they return from work to be able to have a parking space.
You weren't here earlier when an amendment to the bill was offered to change the time of the two-hour parking from 8 86 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing a.m. to 6 p.m.
Okay, fine. That's the way it originally was. No, I wasn't here, sir.
Okay, we've made that -- I offered that amendment, and the likelihood is that the amendment will go through.
Okay. Is there any way to accommodate for guests to park or other -- the way it is now, I understand that unless you are a licensed driver at that residence, you may obtain a permit. Other than that, you cannot.
No, to the best of my knowledge, there is no other way of doing it that is a regulation that is being enforced through the Parking Authority. I mean it's something we can revisit, but it would have to be on a citywide basis. It could not just be for the -- select enforcement for one block.
We could but, again, those -- I don't know when and who made those decisions as to the procedure for guest permit parking. But whatever change, if any 87 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing change were to occur, they would have to be done through the Parking Authority.
Okay. Is there any way I can get some information as to how to go about that?
Yeah. If you would call our office tomorrow. I have a card, I'll give you a card here, and will be glad to give you the regulations, and we're open for suggestions.
Mr. Chairman, I would -- for purposes of better understanding the interaction between the City and the State, I would at this time like to ask a representative from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Mr. Dutch Eichorn, to come to the witness table so that we can get some information from PennDOT. (Dutch Eichorn comes forward.)
Weren't you here 88 STREETS & SERVICES COMMITTEE - Public Hearing for the Transportation Committee hearings last spring?
Yes. Warner Eichorn. I'm an assistant district traffic engineer in our Pennsylvania District 6 Office.