Wood-Vine Connector Targeted for April Groundbreaking

A transportation improvement project in downtown Lansdale could begin as early as the week of April 17.

The Wood-Vine Connector—funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative program—looks to bypass the SEPTA tracks at Broad and Main streets in Lansdale by giving commuters a stop-sign-free and traffic-light-free thoroughfare from Broad and Vine streets to Wood and Main streets.

The project requires reconfiguring Derstine Avenue and Susquehanna Avenue into a more straight path. Property will be taken at the Lansdale Library and its entrance/exit will be moved.

A traffic light existing at Susquehanna Avenue and West Main Street will be moved to Wood Street. Susquehanna Avenue would then be right-turn only onto West Main Street.

See preliminary drafts of the project and read more on the project at this link.

Public Works Committee Chairman Steve Malagari updated Lansdale Council last Wednesday on the status of the project. 

Malagari said the public works department hoped for an early May start on the project.

"We're hoping to have a groundbreaking ceremony on April 17," Malagari said, albeit that date was not a definite as of last Wednesday.

Malagari said there is grading work planned soon for drainage for Derstine Avenue.

He said work would begin at Vine Street and Susquehanna Avenue first.

Right-of-way acquistions, including those for the Lansdale Post Office and Verizon building at Vine and St. Elmo streets, were completed in February, per Dan Sokil of The Reporter.