Philadelphia

[Mergingtraffic]

Haven't been to Philly lately but any button copy still around?  Such as on Roosevelt Blvd, or the sign with the blank spot for PA-320?  and the white All Traffic button copy near King of Prussia?

[Alex]

What's covered up here on this sign? The new sign in the November 2019 views removes it; there's no landmarks that fit onto one line nearby, but the exit is located in the neighborhood of Gray's Ferry - maybe that's it?

All of the historic GSV views show nothing below University Blvd either.

It displayed "Civic Center"
Have a photo of it from 2004 on my external harddrive.

[PHLBOS]

Haven't been to Philly lately but any button copy still around?  Such as on Roosevelt Blvd, or the sign with the blank spot for PA-320?  and the white All Traffic button copy near King of Prussia?

The ones on Roosevelt Blvd. & PA 320 (at US 1); yes.  Not sure regarding the white signs near King of Prussia.

However, white button-copy ALL TURNS signs still exist along Ridge Pike in Conshohocken near I-476.  Was that the sign you were referring to?

[ixnay]

What's covered up here on this sign? The new sign in the November 2019 views removes it; there's no landmarks that fit onto one line nearby, but the exit is located in the neighborhood of Gray's Ferry - maybe that's it?

All of the historic GSV views show nothing below University Blvd either.

It displayed "Civic Center"

Of which not a trace remains.  I attended a college fair, a car show, an outdoorsman's show, the Flower Show, and minor league hockey games in that complex, rendered obsolete when the PA Convention Center took over the old Reading Terminal.

Facilities of Penn Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Phila. occupy the site now, but Civic Center Blvd. (the street's name anyway) memorializes the Civic Center fwiw.

ixnay

[noelbotevera]

What's covered up here on this sign? The new sign in the November 2019 views removes it; there's no landmarks that fit onto one line nearby, but the exit is located in the neighborhood of Gray's Ferry - maybe that's it?

All of the historic GSV views show nothing below University Blvd either.

It displayed "Civic Center"
Have a photo of it from 2004 on my external harddrive.

Given that UPenn's hospital is now on the site, I'm surprised there's not an H on the new sign or the line replaced with "Penn Med" (referring to the trolley stop with the same-ish name).

(Off topic but considering parts of the complex were 100+ years old in 2004, I'm surprised it wasn't preserved or at least registered as a Historic Place.)

[jeffandnicole]

Given that UPenn's hospital is now on the site, I'm surprised there's not an H on the new sign or the line replaced with "Penn Med" (referring to the trolley stop with the same-ish name).

The next exit, for South Street, is often times the better exit for the hospital.  But the reality is in many cities, including Philly, nearly every exit get you close to numerous hospitals.  There are two Hospital signs for Penn Presbyterian Medical Center for the Univ of Penn exit as well, and that's further away.

(Off topic but considering parts of the complex were 100+ years old in 2004, I'm surprised it wasn't preserved or at least registered as a Historic Place.)

The problem in older cities is that there are a lot of older buildings, and ultimately you can't save *everything*.   Preservation groups will try to save some examples of buildings, and they may try to incorporate portions of older buildings into newer projects, but decisions have to be made if an old building is 'historic', or just 'old', with other similar buildings preserved.  Funding and location are issues as well.  If a property needs to expand or build, they can go out, up or remain in their current location.  Each option has plusses and minuses.  There are height restrictions (which are commonly fought to be exceeded).  There are neighborhoods and businesses nearby (that fight to remain where they are). And there's building on the current property (which involves knocking down what's already there and fighting with conservation groups).  Pick your poison.

For some history on what was removed, these two sites give a little detail of what was there:
https://hiddencityphila.org/2018/11/the-making-breaking-of-the-philadelphia-commercial-museum/
https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/11548306

[Chris19001]

(Off topic but considering parts of the complex were 100+ years old in 2004, I'm surprised it wasn't preserved or at least registered as a Historic Place.)

I get it.  That site had a lot of history behind it, and places like Philly market their history.  Unlike Reading terminal, Convention Hall happened to be across the street from two of the larger employers of the state.  Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia both very much wanted to expand, and what was sitting on that site were just too far gone to repurpose.  My wife worked in the Perelman Center of Advanced Medicine for many years (that is the $302M building that Penn built where convention Hall used to be), and my understanding is that the contents (machines) of the building could not have been built around without ripping up an existing structure to the foundation.  There was controversy at the time in ripping down Convention Hall, but the public good and job revenue from the hospital expansion couldn't be looked past.  Just my 2 cents and sorry for running so far off topic again.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

(Off topic but considering parts of the complex were 100+ years old in 2004, I'm surprised it wasn't preserved or at least registered as a Historic Place.)

The problem in older cities is that there are a lot of older buildings, and ultimately you can't save *everything*.   Preservation groups will try to save some examples of buildings, and they may try to incorporate portions of older buildings into newer projects, but decisions have to be made if an old building is 'historic', or just 'old', with other similar buildings preserved.  Funding and location are issues as well.  If a property needs to expand or build, they can go out, up or remain in their current location.  Each option has plusses and minuses.  There are height restrictions (which are commonly fought to be exceeded).  There are neighborhoods and businesses nearby (that fight to remain where they are). And there's building on the current property (which involves knocking down what's already there and fighting with conservation groups).  Pick your poison.

For some history on what was removed, these two sites give a little detail of what was there:
https://hiddencityphila.org/2018/11/the-making-breaking-of-the-philadelphia-commercial-museum/
https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/11548306

Nearly 30 years ago, my grandmother sent me* a book concerning the urban archeology of Philadelphia. The book title is 'The Buried Past: An Archaeological History of Philadelphia.' A large book (at 558 pages), it covers many neighborhoods and parks around Philly.
https://books.google.com/books?id=w2jYI8ve7ccC&printsec=copyright#v=onepage&q&f=false
Pertaining to the debate of what part of history to keep, one of the chapters dealt with the construction of Independence Mall and which structures everyone wanted to keep (besides Carpenter & Independence Halls).
So, if you can find a copy of the book, you can read up on how archaeologists researched how we lived in the 18th & 19th centuries, and how they determined what was important and what wasn't.

*- technically the book was sent to the entire family. My mom had a passing interest, (as an HS senior) I was enthralled with the book, and my dad & younger brothers paid it no heed.

[74/171FAN]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

[Alps]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

[famartin]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

I swear, 95 thru Philly has been under construction continuously for at least 15 years with their 95revive. It never ends.

[74/171FAN]

Including this weekend.

PennDOT District 6: I-95 North Remains Closed Through Tomorrow Morning at Bridge Street Interchange for Emergency Deck Repair in Philadelphia

[ixnay]

Including this weekend.

PennDOT District 6: I-95 North Remains Closed Through Tomorrow Morning at Bridge Street Interchange for Emergency Deck Repair in Philadelphia

Wasn't that stretch recently fully redecked?

ixnay

[Zeffy]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

I swear, 95 thru Philly has been under construction continuously for at least 15 years with their 95revive. It never ends.

Despite the construction though, it still seems to fare better than 76 on most days of the week.

[74/171FAN]

Update on PA 152 Bridge over SEPTA: Route 152 (Limekiln Pike) to Close April 24 through May 17 for Bridge Rehabilitation in Cheltenham, Abington Townships

EDIT (4-28-2021):  PennDOT Highlights 2021 Philadelphia Region Construction Season, Highlights More than 200 Projects

[Tonytone]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

The construction will continue till 2040 

Also did they ever consider tunneling 95 where they rebuilt the new stretch or was the cost to high? that would have opened up the whole riverfront area and Brough neighborhoods back.

[famartin]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

The construction will continue till 2040 

Also did they ever consider tunneling 95 where they rebuilt the new stretch or was the cost to high? that would have opened up the whole riverfront area and Brough neighborhoods back.

The cost is already really high, tuneling would've been astronomical for some stretches.

[Tonytone]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

The construction will continue till 2040 

Also did they ever consider tunneling 95 where they rebuilt the new stretch or was the cost to high? that would have opened up the whole riverfront area and Brough neighborhoods back.

The cost is already really high, tuneling would've been astronomical for some stretches.

Makes sense, too bad they couldn't it takes up so much space however the new stretch has plenty of space under it as well as lighting so it can be used for various things.

[jeffandnicole]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

The construction will continue till 2040 

Also did they ever consider tunneling 95 where they rebuilt the new stretch or was the cost to high? that would have opened up the whole riverfront area and Brough neighborhoods back.

The cost is already really high, tuneling would've been astronomical for some stretches.

Makes sense, too bad they couldn't it takes up so much space however the new stretch has plenty of space under it as well as lighting so it can be used for various things.

Two issues with tunneling in a city:

What's under the ground already.  Cities tend to have an enormous amount of infrastructure under the ground.  Utilities, drain pipes, subway lines (used and abandoned), etc.  I forget the exact details, but when they were working on Arch Street near the Convention Center, they found a long-forgotten wooden tunnel that was going to be used for some sort of long-forgotten subway route.  Most people, including historians that dedicate their careers and hobbies to "old stuff" aren't even aware it exists until it's uncovered.  But the point is, all of this stuff needs to be filled in or re-routed if a road will be tunneled.  In cases like drainage, the piping is constructed to allow gravity to do its job.  Either the tunnel has to go deeper, not as deep, or the piping rerouted and most likely pump stations and equipment installed to do the job.

The task of building underground where a highway already is above ground.  It's bad enough when travel lanes are shifted and highways lose shoulders, accel/decel lanes are removed, etc, when reconstruction is going on.  It's worse when a new highway needs to be build on the same footprint of the existing highway, as in this case a tunnel would need to be built in the same area where the ground is already holding bridge supports.  95 in this area of Philly is already a narrow roadway with sub-standard shoulders as is.  Existing roadways under the highway need to be closed and rerouted as well.

It should be noted that the entire, multi-phase project will take another 2 decades to complete.  This particular phase is quite short.

[PHLBOS]

I-95 Update: PennDOT to Begin Project to Improve Delaware, Allegheny, Castor Avenues at I-95 Interchange in Philadelphia

At least it's not another construction project on 95!

The construction will continue till 2040 

Also did they ever consider tunneling 95 where they rebuilt the new stretch or was the cost to high? that would have opened up the whole riverfront area and Brough neighborhoods back.

The cost is already really high, tuneling would've been astronomical for some stretches.

Makes sense, too bad they couldn't it takes up so much space however the new stretch has plenty of space under it as well as lighting so it can be used for various things.

It's worth noting that when I-95 through Center City was first planned during the 60s, a full-blown tunnel option was proposed but dropped due to its high cost... back then. 

The current 70s era bathtub setup adjacent to Penn's Landing was a compromise between a full-tunnel and an elevated viaduct.  Such was built with a future provision for an additional cap to be placed later.  That additional cap over I-95 is now a serious proposal.

[Tonytone]

That makes perfect sense J&N, In fact in the area along the whole Delaware Ave, they have to bring out the Archeologists when they dig due to all the history and artifacts in the whole area. Along with infrastructure like you said and all the other problems they would probably run into.

They should have really put some thought into the highway in the beginning, cutting off the riverfront like that hurt the future, but in the past that whole area was shipyards and "undersiable land" who would have thought 70 years later it would have been prime real estate.

Also that cap isn't a proposal its happening, hopefully in the end that whole area of 95 will be capped and 676 will be as well.

Another great proposal would be to tunnel 76 between Oregon all the way to the South street exit. thats an area that could be reconnected and rebuilt. especially with the refinery coming down.

[74/171FAN]

PennDOT - District 6 News: I-95 Lane Closures Scheduled Next Week for Construction on Four Improvement Projects in Philadelphia, Delaware Counties
PennDOT - District 6 News: I-95 Lane Closures at Night Next Week for Bridge Repair in Philadelphia
PennDOT - District 6 News: U.S. 1 South (Roosevelt Expressway) Lane Closures at Night Next Week for Traffic Pattern Change in Philadelphia

[Tonytone]

Someone said something about button copy the other day?


iPhone

[ixnay]

Someone said something about button copy the other day?


iPhone

That sign appears to loom over the southbound outer drive of Roosevelt Blvd. (US 1/13) at 9th Street, just before the Boulevard transitions into the Roosevelt Expressway (and the 1/13 multiplexing ends).

Here's a more direct view of the sign and the trio of signs following.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.0216808,-75.1397699,3a,47.1y,241.23h,90.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgO9SNrr2s5D1p6yRj4YG8A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

ixnay

[ekt8750]

Most of those old button copy signs on The Blvd have since been replaced since that GSV was taken. There are a few stragglers though.