From Parking Lot to Plaza 

University City attracts a variety of people – students, residents, visitors, and commuters – and thanks to some spruced-up green space, their entrance from the South Street Bridge is all the more enjoyable.

Urban provided civil engineering design and traffic engineering services for a brand new Kane Park, formerly known as Spruce Street Plaza.  The Plaza rests on a former parking lot in front of the University of Pennsylvania Hospital between 33rd Street and 34th Street at Spruce Street.

The project entailed modifying curbs and constructing ADA-compliant ramps, new sidewalks, and pervious pavement. The pervious pavement provides a stormwater credit to the University while improving pedestrian safety and circulation in one of its busiest areas.

Redeveloping the Land 

Substantial planning, design, and coordination was required to obtain approval for a mid-block pedestrian crossing between Spruce Street and Convention Avenue across 33rd Street and 34th Street in front of the hospital.  We studied and modeled traffic at the proposed crosswalk to make sure it wouldn't hinder ambulance access, hosptial drop off areas, or surrounding traffic. Urban also performed a pedestrian safety audit to identify improvements at the intersections and along the roadways for inclusion in this project and future construction projects.  One outcome of the audit was the addition of the bicycle lane on 34th Street to further provide pedestrian access to the facility.

Relocation of a water main, fire hydrant, and stormwater pipe occurred under a private cost design, prepared by Urban. We also led the effort to obtain encroachment permits; zoning permits, including City Council Ordinances; and highway occupancy permits from the Philadelphia Department of Streets and PennDOT.