For the next seven months, motorists will have to find alternatives to using the southbound Cottman Avenue off ramp on I-95. (Photo courtesy of PennDOT)

PennDOT spokesman Gene Blaum says the Cottman Avenue off-ramp from southbound  I-95 will be closed through November.

“This is all part of the reconstruction and widening of I-95 through the Cottman Avenue interchange,” Blaum says.  continue reading »

Installation of a new water main continues at Wissinoming Street, south of Cottman Avenue on Feb. 14. Photo/PennDOT

The following is a news release from PennDOT regarding accessibility changes to I-95 during construction:

As part of the ongoing project to improve Interstate 95 and its interchange at Cottman Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia, the Princeton Avenue on-ramp to northbound I-95 will close Tuesday, March 5 for the relocation of a sanitary sewer main. The ramp is expected to reopen in late March. continue reading »

Princeton Avenue was to become a two-way street between Torresdale Avenue and State Road as of 3 p.m. today.

From PennDOT:

A seven-block section of Princeton Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia that currently carries only eastbound traffic will become a two-way street on Monday  when crews open it to westbound traffic between State Road and Torresdale Avenue.

PennDOT said the new westbound lane is scheduled to open by 3 p.m. Monday (Nov. 14). Prior to changing the street to a two-way pattern, crews will restrict eastbound Princeton Avenue to a single lane east of Torresdale Avenue to paint new traffic lines.

Once the new westbound lane is in service, Princeton Avenue will carry one lane of westbound traffic alongside a single eastbound lane. continue reading »

UPDATE — Police have identified the underage driver as Winston Charleston of the 7100-block of State Road in Tacony. He is charge with murder,aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle, accident involving death-no license, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and unauthorized use of an auto.

A 14-year-old boy is facing charges after he caused a fatal car accident early this morning on Academy Road. continue reading »

Image courtesy of Visit Philly

“Dear Philadelphia, You had me at yo!”

It’s short, sweet and so appropriate. Visit Philly has announced the winner of its billboard contest, which let anyone and everyone submit suggestions for the popular “With love, Philadelphia XOXO” marketing campaign. continue reading »

Frankford Arsenal will be home to a 500,000-square foot shopping center.

When the Frankford Arsenal reopened in 1984, neighborhood groups insisted the compound’s history — dating back to the War of 1812 — be preserved.

Now with plans for a 500,000-square foot shopping center, developers insist the Arsenal’s historical structures will remain intact. continue reading »

I think a lot about how drastic the difference seems to be between people from the Northeast and those from New Jersey in how they identify themselves.

Obviously, a lot of this has to do with the sheer difference in size between Philadelphia and most towns in New Jersey. People from the Northeast often distinguish themselves based on neighborhoods (or parishes, especially those who live in areas that are prominently Catholic; however, that is another column for another time), a point that can easily be proven by looking at the sidebar of this website. continue reading »

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

The Safety Ambassador Program has returned to the Frankford Business Corridor as of yesterday. The program — part of the Frankford Special Services District — was a part of Frankford in the late 1990s and will allow for of uniformed personnel to patrol Frankford Avenue in order to increase commerce on the corridor.

Keep reading for news on a police couple who saved the day, the first ever doctoral program at Holy Family, and more. continue reading »

Saturday — A multi-vehicle car accident shut down a portion of northbound I-95 just between Cottman Avenue and Academy Road. As many as six cars were involved, and three people were hospitalized following the accident, which happened around 7:30 p.m.

A watermain break shut down portions of Cottman and Rising Sun avenues in Burholme yesterday. The 20-inch break, which occurred on the 7200-block of Oakley Street, was discovered around 5 a.m. Several thousand gallons of water poured into the street, though no one in the neighborhood lost water. The areas shut down were:

• Cottman Avenue between Oxford Avenue and Oakley Street
• Rising Sun Avenue between St. Vincent Street and Cottman Avenue

It’s been revealed the bus that crashed on I-95 in Port Richmond Monday is owned by a company in Tacony.

Del Val Services on Torresdale Avenue and Knorr Street owns the bus, which was carrying a group of temporary workers returning from a day in Camden County, N.J. continue reading »