There is a draft ordinance under review in Whitemarsh Township that would add an extension of Washington Street to Lee Street to the township’s map. Currently, the road dead ends as you drive past the Hines Rowing Center from the Borough of Conshohocken side of the border.

The effort to extend Washington Street to Lee Street has been underway for several years (and wanted for longer than that) as it would provide an additional crossing over the railroad tracks. Without the crossing, anyone entering the riverfront must utilize one of the crossings in the Borough of Conshohocken.

In 2022, the Whitemarsh Spring Mill Multi-Modal and Land Use Study commissioned by Whitemarsh Township recommended that Washington Street be extended. However, how to do so was an issue as a privately owned office building (David’s Bridal) sits close to the tracks and prevents two-way traffic (pictured at top of article).

In recent years, the township has approved a 62-unit townhouse community along the riverfront and a 598-unit apartment building that straddles the border with the Borough of Conshohocken.

In April, David’s Bridal filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is currently in the process of selling 49 leases it has across the country for stores and distribution centers. Among the 49 leases are the store in Plymouth Meeting and a warehouse in Conshohocken. It was also reported recently that there is a potential buyer that would save a majority of the stores. There has been no news on what possibly could become of the headquarters or whether the township is attempting to purchase it.

The proposed ordinance is not yet on a publicly available agenda.

More to come.