The South Street Bridge had only been closed for five hours, but people on the west side of the Schuylkill were already anxious about the effect of the closure on their work commutes. The bridge closed at 9:30 a.m. yesterday so Driscoll Construction Company could begin its projected two-year reconstruction of the bridge.
The South Street Bridge will close at 9:30 a.m. on Monday so Driscoll Construction Company can begin its projected two-year reconstruction of the bridge. Since the entire structure will be demolished, no traffic - cars, bicycles or pedestrians - will be able to use the bridge after Monday morning.
Developers' plans to build an 11-story extended-stay hotel at 40th and Pine Streets received unanimous approval from the architectural committee of the Philadelphia Historical Commission last week. The committee's decision has no legal bearing on the hotel's construction, but its recommendation will be factored into the decision of the full historical commission.
Wharton sophomore Giresh Mirpuri isn't a serious gambler, but he visits Atlantic City about twice a month to bet $25 to $50 at its casinos. But if a casino is installed in Center City, as might happen next year, he won't have to make that commute anymore.
When the South Street Bridge closes for reconstruction in December, traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway will worsen and fewer taxicabs will prowl the streets of University City. But on the bright side, results from an ongoing traffic study indicate that the bridge is mainly used for short trips between University City and Center City - so most of its traffic can be diverted to the Walnut or Chestnut Street bridges.
Brandywine Realty Trust, with whom Penn is working closely to develop the postal lands, has indefinitely postponed work on an office complex next to Penn's territory because of the credit crisis, its CEO recently told reporters in a conference call. Penn officials say the announcement will not affect the University's own eastward expansion.
Driscoll Construction Company has been awarded a $67-million contract to reconstruct the South Street Bridge, Mayor Michael Nutter announced yesterday. Reconstruction of the bridge, which extends from 27th Street to Convention Avenue and connects University City to Center City, will begin with the demolition of the existing bridge in December and should be complete in two years.
More youth turned out to vote on Tuesday than in any other recent election, but the number still underwhelmed some experts. Only half of all eligible voters under age 30 voted Tuesday, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement.
Gov. Ed Rendell was jubilant, and Republican Sen. Arlen Specter more muted, as they discussed the outcome of Tuesday's presidential election. Before an audience of about 500 civic and business leaders, Rendell and Specter - Pennsylvania's most prominent politicians - made the differences in their views clear at a breakfast hosted by Philadelphia-based political watchdog group Committee of Seventy.
A few machine malfunctions and names missing from lists of registered voters held up the voting process at polls around campus yesterday. But most polling stations reported a smooth election day, and the long lines some had predicted didn't materialize. The Penn Care and Rehabilitation Center at 36th and Chestnut streets was the only polling place on or around Penn's campus to report significant glitches.
Solutions by The State News
