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State Route 291 in front of
Philadelphia International Airport is being Re-routed
Philadelphia - At that time, Bartram
Avenue, between Island Avenue and Scott Way will be designated as Route 291.
Motorists traveling from Philadelphia on Island Avenue can access the Airport
by following the signs for I-95 south and exiting I-95 at Exit 12A to the
Airport. Motorists traveling from Delaware County on Route 291 toward the
Airport will be routed onto Bartram Ave./Route 291 before the Airport entrance.
To enter the Airport, motorists can proceed east on the Industrial Highway, the
former Route 291.
Beginning on Monday, October 2nd, Bartram Avenue between
Island Avenue and Scott Way will be designated as State Route 291. The
re-designation of the state highway will result from the closure of a ½
mile portion of the existing Route 291 that runs parallel to I-95 adjacent to
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). The roadway will be shut down on
Sunday, October 1st at 10:00 PM to make way for the Runway 17-35 project, which
will extend the Airport's North/South runway by 1,040 feet.
The
Airport and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) are
collaborating on an informational campaign in anticipation of the re-routing.
On September 18th, after the morning rush hour, electronic signs will be
activated along the affected roadway, notifying motorists of the pending
re-routing. Maps detailing the re-routing project and alternative routes into
the Airport are being distributed.
"The runway extension project is
intended to reduce delays at the Airport," said Charles J. Isdell, the City's
Director of Aviation. "As with most projects of this magnitude, there may be
some inconvenience to the public. We hope to lessen the impact on the local
community by communicating pertinent information that will assist motorists
traveling through the area, including signs and directional maps for area
businesses, residents and Airport employees. PennDOT's efforts in this
initiative are acknowledged and appreciated."
Beginning October 1st at
10:00 PM, motorists traveling from Delaware County on Route 291 toward the
Airport will be re-routed onto Bartram Avenue west of the Airport entrance.
Motorists will still be able to proceed into the Airport, but will not be able
to exit toward Island Avenue. Instead, local Airport traffic will loop back to
the Scott Way intersection.
Motorists traveling from Philadelphia
County on Island Avenue or the Platt Bridge can access the Airport by following
the signs for I-95 South and exiting I-95 at the Airport, Exit 12-A.
"We are working closely with the Airport to make the re-designation of Route
291 as seamless as possible," said Rina Cutler, PennDOT Deputy Secretary for
Administration and Acting District Executive in Engineering District 6. "On
September 18th, a series of electronic message boards and highway signs will be
posted to ensure that motorists have sufficient awareness and understanding of
Route 291's new traffic pattern."
In anticipation of re-routing Route
291, numerous improvements have been made along Bartram Avenue. At 84th Street,
modifications entail the construction of a new turn lane, sidewalk and new
roadway striping. At Island Avenue, a turn lane was reconstructed from
eastbound Bartram Avenue onto southbound Island Avenue. In addition, the
intersection of Island and Penrose avenues has the reconfiguration of turn
lanes and new roadway striping.
The Runway 17-35 extension project is
scheduled to take 18 months to complete. The added surface will enable
narrow-body and regional jets that account for 75% of aircraft operations at
PHL to use the runway, thereby alleviating congestion and delays on the
Airport's two major runways.
For information contact:
Mark Pesce
(215) 937-6944
The Philadelphia Airport System is owned and operated by the City of
Philadelphia and is composed of Philadelphia International Airport and
Northeast Philadelphia Airport. The Airport System is a self-sustaining entity
that operates without the use of local tax dollars. It is one of the largest
economic engines in Pennsylvania, generating an estimated $14 billion in
spending to the regional economy and employing a workforce of nearly
34,000.
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