Historian Michael Tolle published an article on his blog last week that looks examines the potential impact the Lafayette Street project will have on traffic on Conshohocken, plus the potential benefit it will have on Norristown and Bridgeport. He believes that the new exit and entry point for the turnpike near Conshohocken Road and Ridge Pike has the opportunity to improve the traffic situation along Fayette Street and Matsonford Road in the Conshohockens.

Below are the two paragraphs from the article about Conshohocken:

Another—and much more significant—reason is that this project will definitely have a considerable effect on Conshohocken and perhaps even on Bridgeport. It will provide the former with a second access point to the Turnpike. That is definitely going to impact traffic on Fayette Street and Matsonford Road, as some drivers from both boroughs will discover that the new route is actually better for them. In the larger view, it will both relieve the fear of some about success “choking” Conshohocken, and may be the key to yet another surge of development (toward another “choking” perhaps?). It will open up Conshohocken Road for development , which means Plymouth Township may gain more than Conshohocken in such a new surge, but few will be unhappy about spreading the new wealth around, except those in the area during rush hour.

While the new interchange/road will directly affect Conshohocken, I’m keeping an interested eye on Bridgeport. Connections to major roads are coming closer and closer to the borough. A Lafayette Street connection to the Turnpike would be the nearest yet, just across the river, and promises a much quicker journey to the Turnpike than driving down U.S Rt. 202. Could a new travel route tempt more people to take advantage of the considerable price difference Bridgeport offers over its surrounding areas? The contrast between West Conshohocken and Bridgeport is remarkable, considering how close they are and is solid evidence that accessibility to major roads is a determining factor. Those roads are getting steadily closer to Bridgeport, and at some point may swing the pendulum of prosperity toward the borough. Time is money, which includes commuting time, so the appearance of a major new connection to the Pennsylvania Turnpike is going to have a much broader effect that just on Norristown. Count on it and plan for it; you know that the land development specialists are already doing both.

Read the entire article by clicking here.