Cheltenham Avenue

Last updated

Cheltenham Avenue

Route information
Maintained by PennDOT, City of Philadelphia, and Springfield Township
Length9.0 mi [1]  (14.5 km)
HistoryCommissioned in 1682
Component
highways
PA-309.svg PA 309 between Ogontz Avenue and PA 611
Major junctions
West endPaper Mill Road in Flourtown
Major intersectionsPA-309.svg PA 309 in Cheltenham
PA-611.svg PA 611 in East Oak Lane
US 1.svgUS 13.svgPA-232.svg US 1  / US 13  / PA 232 in Lawncrest
East endKeystone Street in Wissinoming
Location
Country United States
State Pennsylvania
Counties Philadelphia
Highway system

Cheltenham Avenue is a major east-west road in Southeastern Pennsylvania. It is served by many SEPTA bus routes, trolleys, regional rail, and subway. Cheltenham Avenue is an unsigned quadrant route t routes in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It also is a major borderline; it defines the border between Springfield and Cheltenham townships, and Cheltenham Township and Philadelphia, define the border between Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. A section of the road along the Philadelphia–Cheltenham border is part of PA Route 309.

Contents

Route description

Cheltenham Avenue has two sections, divided by Tookany Creek and SEPTA's Fox Chase regional rail line.

Western section

Koreatown businesses along Cheltenham Avenue in Cheltenham Township CheltTwp 09.JPG
Koreatown businesses along Cheltenham Avenue in Cheltenham Township
Center City Philadelphia's skyline seen from Cheltenham Avenue CheltTwp 16.JPG
Center City Philadelphia's skyline seen from Cheltenham Avenue

Cheltenham Avenue begins in Springfield Township at the intersection with Paper Mill Road. It runs southeast up a hill, where it passes LaSalle College High School and forms the border between Springfield and Cheltenham Township. Following several steep ascends and climbs, Springfield Township ends on the south side of the road, and the road begins as a border between Cheltenham and the City of Philadelphia, right near the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Following a busy intersection with Easton Road, Cheltenham Avenue passes the Cedarbrook Shopping Center, and the Towers at Wyncote. Cheltenham Avenue then has another major intersection with Ogontz Avenue. This point begins the west end of the PA 309 overlap, as well as the end of the Fort Washington Expressway. The Greenleaf at Cheltenham shopping center also sits at the northeast corner of this intersection, as well as the Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop, a major terminus for several SEPTA bus routes.

After crossing over Washington Lane, Cheltenham Avenue passes many strip malls and busy residential neighborhoods. After passing a small cemetery on the right (where the skyline of Philadelphia is just visible), Cheltenham Avenue intersects with the northern terminus of Broad Street. Immediately following the Broad Street intersection is the southern terminus of PA 309. Soon after, Cheltenham Avenue intersects PA 611 and historic Old York Road.

After these intersections, Cheltenham Avenue goes under several overpasses and winds its way to its at Tookany Creek Parkway/Crescentville Road, near the Tookany Creek. Final elevation is 66 feet above sea level.

Eastern section

Cheltenham Avenue begins again in the Lawndale section of the city, just east of the Fox Chase Line. It continues southeast through and intersects with several major streets such as Rising Sun Avenue and Tabor Avenue, at which it intersects with a US Defense Industrial Supply building and Fels Samuel High School.

After several blocks of row houses, Cheltenham Avenue hits Oxford Circle, a major intersection of the Roosevelt Boulevard (which carries US 1 and US 13), Oxford Avenue (PA 232), and Castor Avenue. It then continues through more row houses and passes to the northeast of Frankford Transportation Center, a major SEPTA stop and terminal for the Market-Frankford Line.

After passing by several cemeteries and Wissinoming Park, Cheltenham Avenue has major intersections with both Harbison Avenue and Torresdale Avenue. Cheltenham Avenue then winds through a few more blocks of houses, before it comes to its terminus at Keystone Street, just west of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor tracks, Interstate 95, and the Delaware River. Final elevation is 29 feet above sea level.

Attractions

Rowhouses in Cheltenham Township along Cheltenham Avenue CheltTwp 18.JPG
Rowhouses in Cheltenham Township along Cheltenham Avenue

Public transportation

Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop, a major SEPTA bus terminal CheltTwp 25.JPG
Cheltenham-Ogontz Bus Loop, a major SEPTA bus terminal
Frankford Transportation Center located along Cheltenham Avenue, terminal for the El. WTP2 Mike Reali 10b.jpg
Frankford Transportation Center located along Cheltenham Avenue, terminal for the El.

Cheltenham Avenue is a major thruway for many SEPTA bus, Regional Rail, and Subway routes.

Bus

  • 1
  • 6
  • 14
  • 16
  • 18
  • 20
  • 22
  • 24
  • 25
  • 26
  • 28
  • 55
  • 56
  • 57
  • 58
  • 67
  • 70
  • 73
  • 77
  • 80
  • 84
  • 88
  • H
  • XH
  • C (formerly)

Trackless Trolley

Subway

Regional Rail

Education

Neighborhoods

History

The Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company (later became SEPTA) ran many trollies along Cheltenham Avenue, including the famous Route 6 which began service in 1907. It carried many Philadelphians from the Olney Transportation Center to Willow Grove Amusement Park. Trolley service from Cheltenham Avenue to Willow Grove ended in 1958, and the entire route was shut down and replaced by buses in 1985. [2] Today, the route is covered by bus route 22.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Springfield Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania</span> Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Springfield Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. The population was 20,993 in 2022 according the Census Bureau. It includes the villages of Wyndmoor, Erdenheim, Flourtown, and Oreland. The communities of Lafayette Hill, Fort Washington, Laverock, North Hills, Miquon, and Glenside are also situated partly inside the Township.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wyncote, Pennsylvania</span> Place in Pennsylvania, United States

Wyncote is a census-designated place (CDP) in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It borders the northwestern and northeastern section of Philadelphia. Wyncote is located 11 miles from Center City Philadelphia at the southeasternmost tip of Montgomery County. The Jenkintown-Wyncote SEPTA station is the fifth busiest regional rail station in the SEPTA system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 309</span> State highway in Pennsylvania, United States

Pennsylvania Route 309 is a state highway that runs for 134 miles (216 km) through eastern Pennsylvania. The route runs from an interchange between PA 611 and Cheltenham Avenue on the border of Philadelphia and Cheltenham Township north to an intersection with PA 29 in Bowman Creek, a village in Monroe Township in Wyoming County. The highway connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown and the Lehigh Valley, and Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre in Wyoming Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Oak Lane, Philadelphia</span> Neighborhood of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, United States

West Oak Lane is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The neighborhood was developed primarily between the early 1920s and late 1930s, with the areas near to Cedarbrook constructed after World War II. At the northeast corner of Limekiln Pike and Washington Lane was the site of the Cedar Park Inn, a historic tavern built in the early 19th century, which was torn down sometime after 1931 as the neighborhood was being fully developed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 611</span> State highway in Pennsylvania, United States

Pennsylvania Route 611 is a state highway in eastern Pennsylvania running 109.7 mi (176.5 km) from Interstate 95 (I-95) in the southern part of Philadelphia north to I-380 in Coolbaugh Township in the Pocono Mountains.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Broad Street (Philadelphia)</span> Thoroughfare in Pennsylvania

Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The street runs for approximately 13 miles (21 km), beginning at the intersection of Cheltenham Avenue on the border of Cheltenham Township and the West/East Oak Lane neighborhoods of North Philadelphia to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. It is Pennsylvania Route 611 along its entire length with the exception of its northernmost part between Old York Road and Pennsylvania Route 309 and the southernmost part south of Interstate 95.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frankford Creek</span> River in Pennsylvania, United States

Frankford Creek is a minor tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania. It derived its name from the nearby town of Frankford, Philadelphia County. The stream originates as Tookany Creek at Hill Crest in Cheltenham Township and meanders eastward, then southeastward, throughout Cheltenham Township, until a sharp bend near the Philadelphia border at Lawncrest, where the place names Toxony and Tookany were used in historic times; the stream is still known as Tookany Creek in this region, where it flows southwest. Turning south into Philadelphia at the crotch of Philadelphia's V-shaped border, the creek is called Tacony Creek; from here southward, it is considered the informal boundary separating Northeast Philadelphia from the rest of the city. The Philadelphia neighborhoods of Olney and Feltonville lie on the western side of the stream in this area while Northwood, Lawncrest, Summerdale, and Frankford lie on the eastern side. It continues to be called the Tacony at least until the smaller Wingohocking Creek merges with it in Juniata Park, within the city-owned golf course. Beyond Castor Avenue it is known as Frankford Creek until the stream's confluence with the Delaware River in the Bridesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia. The section of stream known as Frankford Creek is 3.1 miles (5.0 km) long, and the upstream section known as Tacony Creek, from Hill Crest, is 11.1 miles (17.9 km) long.

The Baltimore Pike was an auto trail connecting Baltimore, Maryland, with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 3</span> State highway in Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania, US

Pennsylvania Route 3 is a 24.3-mile (39.1 km) state highway located in the southeastern portion of Pennsylvania. The route runs from U.S. Route 322 Business in West Chester east to PA 611 in Philadelphia. The route begins in downtown West Chester and heads east out of the borough as a one-way pair of streets. Between West Chester and Upper Darby, PA 3 follows a four-lane divided highway named West Chester Pike through suburban areas. Along this stretch, the route passes through Edgmont, Newtown Square, Broomall, and Havertown. The route has an interchange with Interstate 476 (I-476) between Broomall and Havertown. Upon reaching Upper Darby, PA 3 heads into Philadelphia along Market Street. In Philadelphia, the route follows multiple one-way pairs, running along Chestnut Street eastbound and Walnut Street westbound in West Philadelphia before heading into Center City Philadelphia along Market Street eastbound and John F. Kennedy Boulevard westbound and ending at Philadelphia City Hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 320</span> State highway in Pennsylvania, US

Pennsylvania Route 320 is a north–south state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the 18.8-mile (30.3 km) long route is at U.S. Route 13 /PA 291 in Chester. The northern terminus is at PA 23 in Swedeland. The route passes through suburban areas in Delaware and Montgomery counties to the west of Philadelphia, serving Swarthmore, Springfield, Broomall, Villanova, and Gulph Mills. PA 320 intersects many important highways including US 13 Business and Interstate 95 (I-95) in Chester, US 1 in Springfield, US 30 in Villanova, and I-76 in Gulph Mills. PA 320 runs parallel to I-476 for much of its length and crosses it four times. Even though there are no direct interchanges between I-476 and PA 320, several roads that intersect PA 320 provide access to I-476.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 232</span> State highway in Pennsylvania, US

Pennsylvania Route 232 (PA 232) is a 25.2-mile-long (40.6 km) state highway located in southeastern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 1 (US 1)/US 13 at the Oxford Circle in Philadelphia. The northern terminus is at PA 32 in the borough of New Hope, Bucks County, on the banks of the Delaware River. The route passes through the urban areas of Northeast Philadelphia as Oxford Avenue, serving the Lawncrest, Burholme, and Fox Chase neighborhoods. Upon entering Montgomery County, PA 232 becomes Huntingdon Pike and through suburban areas, serving the communities of Rockledge, Huntingdon Valley, and Bryn Athyn. The route passes through more suburban development in Bucks County as Second Street Pike, running through Southampton and Richboro. In Wrightstown Township, PA 232 enters rural areas and becomes Windy Bush Road as it heads north to New Hope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 73</span> State highway in Pennsylvania, US

Pennsylvania Route 73 (PA 73) is a 62.32-mile (100.29 km) long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from PA 61 near Leesport southeast to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge over the Delaware River in Philadelphia, where the road continues south as New Jersey Route 73. The route passes through rural areas of Berks County, crossing U.S. Route 222 (US 222) in Maiden Creek before heading southeast through Oley and Boyertown. PA 73 continues into Montgomery County and intersects PA 100 in Gilbertsville and PA 29 in Schwenksville before it heads into the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia. The route passes through Skippack and intersects US 202 in Center Square, PA 309 in Springfield Township, and PA 611 near Jenkintown. PA 73 continues through Northeast Philadelphia on Cottman Avenue, crossing US 1 and US 13 before coming to an interchange with Interstate 95 (I-95) near the Tacony–Palmyra Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 1 in Pennsylvania</span> Highway in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 1 (US 1) is a major north–south U.S. Route, extending from Key West, Florida, in the south to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canada–United States border in the north. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, US 1 runs for 81 miles (130 km) from the Maryland state line near Nottingham northeast to the New Jersey state line at the Delaware River in Morrisville, through the southeastern portion of the state. The route runs southwest to northeast and serves as a major arterial road through the city of Philadelphia and for many of the suburbs in the Delaware Valley metropolitan area. South of Philadelphia, the road mostly follows the alignment of the Baltimore Pike. Within Philadelphia, it mostly follows Roosevelt Boulevard. North of Philadelphia, US 1 parallels the route of the Lincoln Highway. Several portions of US 1 in Pennsylvania are freeways, including from near the Maryland state line to Kennett Square, the bypass of Media, the concurrency with Interstate 76 and the Roosevelt Expressway in Philadelphia, and between Bensalem Township and the New Jersey state line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA City Transit Division surface routes</span>

The City Transit Division of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) operate almost all of Philadelphia's public transit, including all six trolley, three trackless trolley, and 70 bus lines within city limits. Some of the bordering municipalities are served by the City Transit division, despite not being part of the city. For example, Cheltenham Township has 13 city division routes and no Suburban Division ones. The City Transit division also operates the 400 Series routes which are designed to serve students attending schools in the city of Philadelphia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 463</span> A 12.9-mile-long (20.8 km) state highway completely in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Route 463 (PA 463) is a 12.9-mile-long (20.8 km) state highway completely in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Its western terminus is at PA 63 in Hatfield Township and its eastern terminus is at PA 611 in Horsham. PA 463 runs through the northern suburbs of Philadelphia and passes through the towns of Hatfield, Montgomeryville, and Horsham. The route intersects PA 309, U.S. Route 202 Business, and US 202 in Montgomeryville and PA 152 in Prospectville. Through its length, the route carries the names Forty Foot Road, Broad Street, Main Street, Cowpath Road, and Horsham Road. PA 463 was designated in 1928 and fully paved by 1940. In 2010, a portion of the route in Montgomery Township was widened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Route 152</span> State highway in Pennsylvania, US

Pennsylvania Route 152 (PA 152) is a 25.3-mile-long (40.7 km) state highway located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route travels north–south from an interchange with PA 309 located in the Cedarbrook neighborhood of Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County north to another interchange with PA 309 located northeast of Telford in Bucks County. PA 152 is known as Limekiln Pike for most of its length. From the southern terminus, the route passes through suburban areas to the north of Philadelphia, serving Dresher, Maple Glen, and Chalfont. North of Chalfont, PA 152 runs through rural suburbs of Philadelphia before reaching Silverdale. Past here, the road continues northwest through Perkasie, where it turns southwest and passes through Sellersville before reaching its northern terminus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">U.S. Route 13 in Pennsylvania</span> Highway in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 13 (US 13) is a United States Numbered Highway running from Fayetteville, North Carolina, north to Morrisville, Pennsylvania. The route runs for 49.359 miles (79.436 km) through the Delaware Valley in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route enters the state from Delaware in Marcus Hook, Delaware County. It continues northeast through Delaware County, passing through the city of Chester before heading through suburban areas along Chester Pike to Darby. US 13 enters the city of Philadelphia on Baltimore Avenue and runs through West Philadelphia to University City, where it turns north along several city streets before heading east across the Schuylkill River along Girard Avenue. The route turns north and heads to North Philadelphia, where it runs northeast along Hunting Park Avenue. US 13 becomes concurrent with US 1 on Roosevelt Boulevard, continuing into Northeast Philadelphia. US 13 splits southeast on a one-way pair of streets before heading northeast out of the city on Frankford Avenue. The route continues into Bucks County as Bristol Pike, heading northeast to Bristol, where it turns into a divided highway. US 13 becomes a freeway in Tullytown and continues north to its terminus at US 1 in Falls Township, near Morrisville. US 13 roughly parallels Interstate 95 (I-95) through its course in Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPTA Route 6</span>

SEPTA's Trolley Route 6, also known as the Ogontz Avenue Line is a former streetcar line and current bus route, operated by SEPTA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania</span> Place in Pennsylvania, United States

Cheltenham Township is a Home Rule Municipality and Township of the First Class located in the southeast corner of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It borders the City of Philadelphia to the south and east, Abington Township and the borough of Jenkintown to the north, and Springfield Township to the west.

Germantown Pike is a historic road in Pennsylvania that opened in 1687, running from Philadelphia northwest to Collegeville. The road is particularly notable for the "imposing mansions" that existed in the Germantown neighborhood in Philadelphia. The road was left in ruins after the British destroyed it in the Revolutionary War during the 1777 Battle of Germantown, and was not rebuilt until 1809. Portions of Germantown Pike were signed as U.S. Route 422 (US 422) before the latter was rerouted along a freeway alignment to King of Prussia.

References

  1. Google (January 14, 2017). "Cheltenham Avenue" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  2. SEPTA shuts down route 6