Monthslong reconstruction of Roxborough Avenue Stairway begins Tuesday
The existing stairway and some piers will be removed and intermittent road closures are scheduled.
Hidden among trees and undergrowth, the many steps of the Roxborough Avenue Stairway provide a shady shortcut to Pretzel Park and downtown Manayunk’s restaurants and shops during the warmer months.
This summer, however, neighbors will have a longer walk than usual because the stairway, which runs between Terrace and Boone Streets, will be closed for a monthslong reconstruction.
Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday and last through the fall. Pedestrians won’t be the only ones impacted. Detours planned for the area will reroute cars as well.
The staircase will be officially closed to the public on Wednesday, and intermittent road closures through May 17 are expected on weekdays for demolition purposes, according to a statement from the Philadelphia Department of Streets.
As part of the $1.3 million reconstruction project, the stairway and selected piers will be demolished and removed, while others will be repaired, according to the statement. Concrete stair treads will be replaced with steel treads. And, on Boone Street, the retaining wall is to be fixed, while other portions will be regraded, according to the streets department.
The expected closures April 7 through May 17, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Roxborough Avenue and Terrace Street
Roxborough Avenue and Boone Street
Mid-stairway entrance on Boone Street
Closures can happen as operations require, but detour signs will be in place around the area, according to the streets department statement.
The stairway is expected to remain off-limits until October.
Funds to finance the revitalization work will come from the city’s capital budget.