Port Richmond trail project scheduled to begin this week
Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson announced Oct. 4 that work was scheduled to begin Tuesday on the Port Richmond Trail Project, which will become part of the Delaware River Greenway.
The trail will accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians along parts of Delaware and Allegheny avenues — the plan will see a multi-use recreational trail on one side of the street, complete with landscaping work.
The new trail, which is expected to be completed in September 2013, will connect Monkiewicz Playground at Richmond Street and Allegheny Avenue with Pulaski Park at Delaware and Allegheny avenues, and then extend north along Delaware Avenue to Lewis Street.
Construction funding is provided through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s TIGER program, which awarded funding in 2012 to 47 transportation projects in 34 states and the District of Columbia. ••
Philly officer who punched woman suspended with ‘intent to dismiss’
Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey said Thursday that he had issued a direct-action dismissal against Lt. Jonathan Josey, 39, a 19-year veteran of the department. Josey had been suspended for a month with intent to dismiss.
A now-viral video from a celebration at 5th Street and Lehigh Avenue following the Sunday, Sept. 30 Puerto Rican Day Parade shows Josey punching Aida Guzman, 39, of Chester, twice in the head.
Guzman was charged with disorderly conduct Sunday. She admitted that she was spraying silly string at the celebration. The charges against Guzman have since been dropped, according to District Attorney Seth Williams. Mayor Michael Nutter apologized to Guzman at a news conference Thursday. ••
FreshDirect in the neighborhoods
FreshDirect, a fresh food online grocer in the New York area, has expanded to Philadelphia. The company now has a refrigerated cross-dock and depot distribution center at 4235 Richmond St. in Bridesburg.
Founded in 2002, the company is continuing to expand partnership with produce and meat farmers throughout a 300-mile radius of the Philadelphia area.
On October 1, FreshDirect began delivering to eight zip codes in and around Center City, seven days a week, including Northern Liberties. ••
PennDOT awards $39 million contract for I-95 improvement
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation recently awarded a $39,259,503 contract to James J. Anderson Construction Co., Inc. to rebuild and improve Interstate 95 south of the Girard Avenue Interchange.
This contract is the third of six to move to construction as part of PennDOT’s program to improve the I-95/Girard Avenue Interchange and rebuild three miles of the interstate from Race Street to just south of Allegheny Avenue.
Construction will start later this fall to widen and rebuild I-95 immediately south of the Girard Avenue Interchange and replace three interstate bridges between Columbia Avenue and Shackamaxon Street. Work is scheduled to finish in spring 2015.
Crews will rebuild this part of I-95 in four stages over the next two-and-a-half years in order to keep three lanes open in each direction during peak hours. I-95 ramps at Girard Avenue will also remain open throughout construction.
PennDOT finished the first phase of work at the I-95/Girard Avenue Interchange in 2010. The second phase of construction began in December 2011 to rebuild and improve local surface streets, including Richmond Street, replace bridges and relocate several major utility lines near the interchange.
This work is financed with 90 percent federal and 10 percent state funds.
PennDOT reminds drivers they can visit www.511pa.com or call 511 from any phone to check traffic conditions on I-95 and other major highways. ••
NoLibs shooting leaves woman dead, man is in critical condition
A man is critically wounded and a woman was shot and killed Sunday night in what police have described as a “violent encounter” on the 700 block of North 3rd Street.
The woman, 65, has not been identified, but was pronounced dead at the scene around 9 p.m. Police said she was shot once in the head, and blood was splattered in the foyer and on the front steps of the house.
The man, 40, is in critical condition at Hahnemann University Hospital, police have reported. They say he may be related to the woman.
Police said the gunman was male and that they have no motive for the shooting. Blood was found on all three floors of the house.
Authorities were speaking to witnesses and reviewing surveillance video from local businesses nearby. ••
