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Committee considers local encroachments and one‑way traffic changes; residents urge more outreach and safety clarity
Summary
The committee reviewed property encroachments for sidewalk cafes and accessibility ramps and considered traffic-direction changes on Ryan Avenue and portions of Count/Bainbridge Streets. Community witnesses raised concerns about outreach and transit operations; the committee adopted amendments and reported multiple bills.
The Streets and Services Committee heard a series of technical and neighborhood items: encroachment authorizations for specific sidewalk cafés and building access (Bills 250946 and 251028), and traffic-direction changes (Bills 251025 and 250982).
On Bill 250946 (4435–37 Baltimore Ave), Department of Streets legislative affairs staff described an encroachment authorizing six tables and 12 seats while retaining a minimum of 6 feet 6 inches of unobstructed footway; City Planning staff said the installation meets the Complete Streets policy.
Bill 251028 authorizes an entrance ramp and elevator encroachment at 500 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard; staff said at least 9 feet 6 inches of clear sidewalk would remain and recommended approval.
Traffic proposals drew public attention. Bill 251025 would establish a one‑way eastbound regulation on Ryan Avenue between Leon Street and Frankfurt Avenue as part of a PennDOT safety project. Peter McDermott, representing the Mayfair Community Development Corporation, presented materials from a 2019 multimodal study and urged renewed public outreach before reversing the street. McDermott flagged technical problems for SEPTA’s trackless-trolley Route 66, citing turning-radius and overhead-wire constraints and warning that the change could require property-taking or removing metered parking to make movements feasible.
On Bill 250982, which would formalize one‑way direction changes on Court (Count) and Bainbridge Streets, neighbors described a safety improvement that had already reduced crashes. Ashley Lapira, an ICU nurse who testified for residents, said the prior change cut collisions outside her house and urged the committee to legalize the current configuration: “Please don’t change it back,” she told members, recounting frequent pedestrian injuries before the direction change.
For the public-meeting portion the committee adopted amendments to Bills 251028 and 251022, then moved and approved a motion to report Bills 250843, 250946, 250982, 251022 (as amended), 251025, and 251028 (as amended) from committee with a favorable recommendation; the motion also asked that Council suspend rules to permit first reading at the next session.
What’s next: The listed bills were reported to full council with favorable recommendations and will be scheduled for first reading; sponsors and staff were urged to continue direct outreach with affected neighborhoods and with SEPTA and PennDOT on operational impacts.
