5 Things You Need to Know Today

1.  The first phase of a six-month road improvement at the intersection of Potter and Ellis streets will begin next Monday, June 20. The county road project will close Potter Street to traffic from Ellis, a street that connects Route 561, Haddon Avenue with Haddonfield-Berlin Road. After improvements to Potter street–which includes the installation of new turning lanes, new curbing with ADA compliant curb cuts and ramps, new storm water grates and streetscape improvements–Ellis will be closed to traffic. The project is expected to be complete in January 2012.

2.  Construction on Tanner Street is scheduled to resume this week. Streetscape improvements there include road widening to accommodate additional parking near the library. The next phase of the project, which previously included replacements of utility lines under the street, will remove 13 trees. Wendy Dawson Kates, a shopkeeper on Tanner has waged a petition drive to save a cherry blossom tree in front of her shop from being removed. The tree does not conform to the type of tree on a public sidewalk mandated by the borough's shade tree commission. Borough officials have ruled the tree must still come down. The next phase of the project has been delayed by final approval from the state historic preservation commission. The borough had failed to submit prove of an archaeological survey on the site. Borough Administrator Sharon McCollough said state approval is expected before the end of the week and the project will resume.

A public information meeting on the project will be held 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 15 at the Municipal Hall.

3.  The repaving in the PATCO parking lot at the Haddonfield station is scheduled to be completed on Friday, June 17.

4.  On the Walt Whitman Bridge today between 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. the right east eastbound lane will be closed for gantry removal. Tuesday through Thursday between 6:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. each day the right-hand eastbound lane will be closed for construction. On Friday, between 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. the right-hand eastbound lane will be closed for gantry removal.

5.  On the Walt Whitman Bridge today between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. the two right- hand westbound lanes will be closed for construction. On Tuesday, the right-hand westbound lane will closed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. for construction. On Wednesday and Thursday, the right-hand westbound lane will be closed between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. On Friday, the right-hand westbound lane will be closed between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.