Pulaski Expressway

The Pulaski Expressway (or alternatively the Tacony Expressway or Tacony Creek Parkway) was a proposed expressway to have been given the designation Pennsylvania Route 90. It was proposed by the Regional Planning Federation (the predecessor agency to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission) around 1932 to have been a parkway built similar to Moses parkways in New York City. The highway was to have been routed through Northeast Philadelphia and was to have been divided into three sections.

For the elevated expressway in New Jersey, see Pulaski Skyway.

Pennsylvania Route 90 marker

Pennsylvania Route 90

Pulaski Expressway
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Existed1947–1980 (never built)
Major junctions
South end Route 90 at Betsy Ross Bridge in Philadelphia
Major intersections I-95 in Philadelphia
North end US 1 in Philadelphia
Location
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
Highway system
← I-90→ PA 91

Route description

The Pulaski Expressway was to begin at an interchange with I-95 and the Betsy Ross Bridge in Northeast Philadelphia, where the road continues into New Jersey as Route 90. The freeway was to continue north through residential and industrial areas before passing through Tacony Creek Park. The Pulaski Expressway would continue north to its terminus at an interchange with US 1 (Roosevelt Boulevard).[1]

History

In 1932, the Regional Planning Federation (the predecessor agency to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission) proposed the Tacony Creek Parkway to run along the Tacony Creek; however, this was never built.[2] In 1947, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission proposed the Tacony Expressway through Northeast Philadelphia, which was to run from the Delaware Expressway northwest to PA 309 (former US 309, Fort Washington Expressway) at the border of Philadelphia and Montgomery County, interchanging with US 1 (Roosevelt Boulevard).[3][4][5] Construction of the Delair Bridge (Betsy Ross Bridge) across the Delaware River was approved in 1964, with the Tacony Expressway planned to connect to the new bridge.[6] In 1966, the routing of the Tacony Expressway was modified to follow Adams Avenue instead of passing through Tacony Creek Park. At the time, the freeway was to cost $56 million and be completed in 1971.[7]

The Tacony Expressway was renamed to the Pulaski Expressway in 1969.[8] In 1971, a route farther from Adams Avenue was selected to avoid displacing residents and businesses. The routing had several alternatives including aligning with Adams Avenue (cutting through cemeteries or avoiding them), go through Tacony Creek Park, using the Reading Railroad spur east of Adams Avenue, or cutting through Simpson Memorial Park. At this time, the Pulaski Expressway north of US 1 was canceled.[1][9] During the 1970s, opposition grew toward the construction of the Pulaski Expressway. In 1975, the first two houses were demolished for the new freeway, and a group called United Communities Against the Pulaski Expressway erected a monument at the site that attacked Governor Milton Shapp and PennDOT.[10] In 1976, the Betsy Ross Bridge opened to traffic, with ramps to connect to the Pulaski Expressway.[11] The Pulaski Expressway was canceled by 1980 due to community opposition and financial troubles.[12] Vestiges of this extension can be seen from Interstate 95 in the form of stub ramps and the mainline coming to an abrupt end as a barricaded bridge.[13]

The unfinished barricaded bridge stub was demolished to make way for the Aramingo Ave-Betsy Ross Bridge connection project around 2015-2016.

See also

References
  1. Fensterer, Robert (December 20, 1970). "State Urged To Speed Up Work on Pulaski Route". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. NE1. ISSN 0885-6613.
  2. Regional Plan of the Philadelphia Tri-State District (Report). Regional Planning Federation of the Philadelphia Tri-State District. 1932. OCLC 1847779.
  3. Philadelphia Expressway System (Report). Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 1947.
  4. Schuylkill Expressway, Roosevelt Boulevard Expressway and Vine Street Expressway (Report). Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 1950. OCLC 4402498.
  5. McFadden, James P. (December 22, 1957). "Loop Highways To Cut Tie-Ups Urged for Area". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. A16. ISSN 0885-6613.
  6. "New Delair Bridge Site OK'd by Three Camden Lawmakers". The Philadelphia Inquirer (New Jersey edition). December 5, 1964. p. J19. ISSN 0885-6613.
  7. Philadelphia's Comprehensive Plan for Expressways (Report). Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 1966. OCLC 15383320.
  8. 1985 Regional Transportation Plan (Report). Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. 1969. OCLC 25700082.
  9. Fensterer, Robert (April 25, 1971). "Work Begins on Access Ramps for Bridesburg-Delair Bridge". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. NE1. ISSN 0885-6613.
  10. Camp, J. Harry (September 24, 1975). "50 Mourn Loss of Two Houses". The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. OCLC 2260925.
  11. "Delaware Bridge Opens May 1". The New York Times. March 20, 1976. p. 60. ISSN 0362-4331.
  12. Nussbaum, Paul (August 19, 1984). "Schuylkill carries the load of many routes left unbuilt". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. B01.
  13. Google (June 17, 2012). "overview of I-95 interchange at Betsy Ross Bridge" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
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