July 2018 – Utility work continues along Richmond Street in Port Richmond this summer as construction continues through the remainder of 2018 on the first stage of PennDOT’s $32 million project to reconstruct and improve the roadway between Ann Street and Westmoreland Street (I-95/AF1).
Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW), the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), PECO and other utilities are upgrading their facilities in advance of the start of roadwork late this year or by early 2019.
As of early summer, PGW has replaced gas mains between Ann Street and Allegheny Avenue and will continue connecting properties along both sides of the street to the new mains.
PECO continues moving its poles beyond the curb line and moving its wires onto the new poles up and down both sides of the street.
The project’s general contractor has started installing new water mains, working north to south starting at Allegheny Avenue. Additional utilities (Verizon, Comcast, etc.) will also ramp-up work throughout the summer.
Work also is underway along Melvale Street, which runs parallel to the east of Richmond Street between Wishart Street and E. Clearfield Street, to provide additional parking spaces for residents in the work area.
During this year’s and next year’s construction, Richmond Street is closed to southbound vehicles between Allegheny Avenue and Ann Street and detoured to Aramingo Avenue. Richmond Street remains open to northbound traffic during construction, though short-term closures with localized detours will be in place during weekday work hours for northbound motorists.
In 2019, Richmond Street will be widened by two feet from Ann Street to Allegheny Avenue, with the northbound and southbound travel lanes each being widened by one foot. As a result, the reconstructed sidewalks may be two feet narrower on the east side of the street.
The roadway and SEPTA Route 15 trolley tracks and catenary poles all will be reconstructed from Ann Street to Westmoreland Street, and new ornamental pedestrian-scale street lighting (or conventional street lights on wooden poles) will be installed and street trees will be planted where possible.
The Richmond Street project is the first stage in the larger reconstruction of I-95 between Allegheny Avenue and Frankford Creek (I-95/AFC).
