Valley Green Parking Lot to Reopen in Novemeber

The Valley Green Streambank Stabilization and Parking Lot Improvement Project is scheduled to be completed by November 15, 2013. Since work began in July, reports Henry Stroud, Project Manager for Friends of the Wissahickon (FOW), progress has been steady with contractors continuing construction of the stepped infiltration pools and stacked rock walls. Phase One of this project is scheduled to be completed by October 31, and Phase Two by November 15.    

The Upper Valley Green Parking Lot on Valley Green Road in Wissahickon Valley Park will remain closed during the length of this project. The two parking lots closest to Valley Green Inn are reserved for patrons with disabilities and families with small children.   

This two-phase project will improve water quality in Wissahickon Creek by helping to meet the EPA Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for sedimentation, improve parking conditions, and restore native vegetation. Phase One involves stabilizing the streambank along the parking lot. Phase Two involves resurfacing the parking lot itself. Construction dates are determined by the permitting process and weather conditions. 

The project will stabilize 350 feet of stream adjacent to the parking area by installing rock steps designed to dissipate high energy storm flows, resurfacing/restriping the parking lot, repairing broken wheel stops, and replacing invasive plant species with natives. This project is being conducted in partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) and the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) as part of the Wissahickon Stormwater Mitigation and Sediment Reduction Project, a collaborative effort to reduce erosion and the loss of forest habitat park-wide.     

Alternative Parking Available 

Park users are urged to bike, walk, or use public transportation to the park, and use alternative parking lots in the Wissahickon (see park overview graphic). A more detailed map of the park, trails, and parking areas can be found on FOW's new Map of Wissahickon Valley Park (available at www.fow.org/about-park/maps). For the safety of all park users, Park Rangers will patrol the park during the length of the project and cars parking in non-designated parking areas in Wissahickon Valley Park will be ticketed because emergency vehicles must have access to the park. 

About Friends of the Wissahickon 

The Friends of the Wissahickon, founded in 1924, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Wissahickon Valley. FOW works in partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to restore historical structures throughout the park, eliminate invasive plant species, monitor watershed management issues, and restore trails throughout the Wissahickon Valley Park with its Sustainable Trails Initiative. Follow FOW on Facebook and Twitter. For more information or to become a member, visit www.fow.org.