Norristown Traffic-Calming Plan

The traffic-calming plan for Swede and Main streets in Norristown, Pa. follows a trend: curb bump outs, raised pedestrian crossings, reducing two lanes to one, green island medians, bollards and bicycle connector ways.

On July 17, Craig Bachik, a landscape architect for Kairos Design Group of Camp Hill, Penn., described to the Norristown, Pa. city council a $1 million traffic-calming plan for the a three-block section of Swede and Main streets.

The plan calls for a raised pedestrian crossing installed between the Norristown Courthouse (pictured) and One Montgomery Plaza. The two lanes of one-way traffic between West Airy Street and Penn Street would become one 16-foot wide traffic lane, but below Penn Street would widen to two lanes. A decorative pergola is also proposed for the Courthouse sidewalk on Swede Street. Main Street pedestrian traffic between the parking garage and the Courthouse would be redirected to cross at the Swede Street intersection.

The $45,000 design was funded by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission's Transportation and Community Development Initiative program.