LOWER MERION — As part of the planned improvements to Ardmore’s Schauffele Plaza and the adjacent parking lot, Lower Merion officials will apply for grants for improvements along Cricket Terrace in Ardmore.

Schauffele Plaza and parking lot number six sits between Lancaster Avenue and Cricket Terrace. Along with the improvements to the plaza and parking lot, the township is also planning improvements along Cricket Terrace.

During its commissioner’s meeting this past week, the board adopted a resolution authorizing the township to submit a grant application to the Commonwealth Financing Authority Main Street Matters Grant program and for Cricket Terrace improvements. The commissioners also approved another township resolution allowing the staff to submit a second grant application to the Commonwealth Financing Authority Local Share Account Statewide program for Cricket Terrace improvements.

The redesign of Ardmore’s Schauffele Plaza was identified as a priority in the 2023 Ardmore Master Plan. In conjunction with Schauffele Plaza, the township is also exploring the improvements to Cricket Terrace.

“These improvements focus on enhancing walkability along Cricket Terrace, expanding public parking in Lot 5, and improving connectivity to the existing public parking garage to increase utilization. As a result, the improvements to Cricket Terrace have been identified as a key priority,” according to an issues briefing that was written to the township commissioners.

According to township officials, Lower Merion’s engineer estimates the Cricket Terrace improvements would cost $2,486,344, of which $1,000,000 will be covered by the requested grant funds.

Jillian Dierks, senior planner with the Lower Merion Building and Planning Department, outlined the township’s plans regarding Schauffele Plaza and Cricket Terrace during meetings earlier this month.

“There were a number of comments and opportunities to look at pedestrian and circulation improvements surrounding the Schauffele Plaza area, including along Cricket Terrace, and that included a road diet of Cricket Terrace narrowing the roadway to provide traffic-calming, expanding the parking lot — lot five which is growing by 10 spaces and including some pedestrian comforts, crosswalks, as well as trees, stormwater management [Best Management Practices] all of these elements contributed to a more comfortable and appropriate experience along this important corridor that really connects our commercial district to our very useful garage that we want to highlight, so both grant applications are seeking funding for those improvements,” Dierks said.

The idea to update Schauffele Plaza goes back to the early 2000s and then became part of the Ardmore Master Plan that was released in the summer of 2023.

Commissioner Maggie Epstein expressed her support for the planned improvements of Cricket Terrace.

“So the plans we saw were wonderful, and we had great participation. I think it was like two hours of comments, which was wonderful, and there were both sides, but what I heard, and I think what we all heard, was that there really is a need to address Cricket Terrace and that area and the road diet and the safety regardless of the details of the furniture and the plantings and things that might come, I think we can all agree that the residents would appreciate this it would be great for the township,” Epstein said.

Originally Published: October 21, 2024 at 9:41 a.m.