Stretch of Roosevelt Boulevard set to see changes in Philadelphia, including bus lanes

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Plans are in the works to change the far right lanes on either side of Roosevelt Boulevard into designated bus lanes, according to the city of Philadelphia.

State and city officials held a virtual meeting Wednesday night to discuss the project, which will impact the seven-mile stretch from Bustleton Avenue to Southampton Road.

"We project it will knock about three minutes and 45 seconds off of a bus trip through that stretch of the Boulevard," said Matt Wysong, the Roosevelt Boulevard Program Coordinator with the Philadelphia Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability.

Wysong said about 20,000 people ride buses on the Boulevard on a daily basis. The city says those buses are not able to stay on schedule in the current conditions. In fact, officials say the number of late buses doubled when traveling through the portion of Roosevelt Boulevard where bus lanes are being proposed.

According to the city, this stretch of road sees about 70,000 daily drivers. The city estimates adding these bus lanes will add about 30 seconds to someone's commute by car.

Starting in late 2026, the bus lanes will be marked and signs will go up.

"You are allowed to make right turns in this lane, either at a cross street or driveway into a shopping center," Wysong explained.

According to the city, state funding will cover the $1.7 million plan, which also includes lengthening the crossover areas along that stretch.

Wysong said, "You get the ability to stack more cars in there, but you also get more time to make that judgment about whether you want to shift into that inner or outer lane."

This is just one piece of the "Roosevelt Boulevard: Route for Change" program, which is a partnership between PennDOT, the city of Philadelphia and SEPTA. In 2021, a report was published detailing how to improve safety and traffic flow on Roosevelt Boulevard.

During Wednesday night's virtual meeting, officials said there were 52 deaths along the Boulevard from 2019 to 2023.

"Right now, we average about one fatality a month," Wysong told Action News. "And we attribute this to the poor design and functionality of the Boulevard. The moves we're making here are intended to make it safer."

"The Boulevard is currently the second most dangerous roadway in Philadelphia," Fernando Mascioli, the project manager, said during the meeting.

Action News spoke with both bus riders and drivers about the plans to change the bus lanes.

"I'm thinking about how much more backlogged the traffic could be, especially during rush hours, " Matthew Ridley, of Bustleton, said.

Michael Roberts, of Summerdale, added, "It's going to create a whole bunch of traffic and a whole bunch of mess."

The city says construction will begin late next year, and officials expect the project will be complete by late 2027.

In addition to the bus lanes and improvements to the crossover lanes, Wysong said the Woodhaven Road interchange is set to see changes, including a new traffic signal for drivers.

He said, "It will improve safety above Woodhaven Road, and allow people to go in between those inner and outer lanes a little bit more easily and safely."