I write with two purposes.

First, I wish to express my thanks for the work the staff, contributors and volunteers do to produce the Chestnut Hill Local every week. In a world of diminishing (in both number and quality) big city newspapers and frequently mean-spirited social media, it is nice to see informative news about northwest Philadelphia that is seemingly well-researched and often about uplifting events and people. Even the advertisements provide a valuable service as a means of knowing what is available in our neighborhood.

My second and primary purpose – an expression of hope. As the renovation of the Bells Mill Road bridge moves forward, I hope the planners a safe pedestrian corridor over the Wissahickonhave recognized the need to have  at Bells Mill Road. I am sure the renovated bridge will retain the historic stone character of the old bridge, but it needs to be widened to accommodate all the people, dogs and strollers that cross the Creek at that same location.

As a regular user of Bells Mill Road, I cannot imagine how difficult the bridge reconstruction period will be for the thousands who use it every day. While we wait to see how the traffic engineers are going to facilitate the alternate routes we will be able to use during the bridge’s reconstruction, we also need to be assured that the dangerous condition confronted by pedestrians and drivers on the current bridge will be corrected by the new bridge.

Chris van de Velde

Roxborough