Market Street undergoes reconstruction

In an effort to preserve the historical nature of East Market Street, reconstruction work began recently on a five block stretch of roadway from Front to Sixth Streets. The $6 million project is being jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration, the City of Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation(PENNDOT). The project,which began this week, will have two phases. Phase I work, which will repair the middle of the roadway, will run through Thanksgiving. Phase II, which will concentrate on the north and south sides of the street, will start next February and end next November. The project is being designed by the Delta Group and contracted out to the Colanero Contracting Company. According to Elmore Boles, a Delta Group vice president, the roadway as well as adjacent sidewalks and tree plantings will be rehabilitated during the construction work. "It will go from building face to building face," said Boles. The sidewalks will be reconstructed using a colonial brick pattern, he said. Tree reconstruction will include the planting of a line of cypress and honey trees. The road work will include pushing curbs out by 16 feet at intersections. Boles said this will result in the creation of five additional parking spaces. Kim Zeigler, engineering coordinator for Colanero, said the surface aspects of the SEPTA Market-Frankfort Line stations at Fifth and Second streets will be redesigned as well. The project will not affect subway service. During the project, traffic will flow unabated through the area. "We're keeping traffic two-directional during the project," Boles said. "We hope it will not be disruptive to local merchants. There will be no work done during the holiday shopping season." Zeigler said she is optimistic about the project's potential impact on the area, which contains many unoccupied stores. "Hopefully, in the long run, it will be very good for the merchants in the area," she said.