City Avenue closed during pope's visit

With the exception of City Avenue, most Lower Merion streets will remain open during Pope Francis' visit, Police Superintendent Michael J. McGrath said Monday.

There will be some intermittent street closures throughout the weekend while the pope is in transit, McGrath said. But the only prolonged blockades will be on City Avenue and a five-block stretch of East Wynnewood Road directly fronting St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, where Francis will take residence during his weekend visit.

Lancaster Avenue (Route 30), a critical artery for regional traffic and access to Lankenau Medical Center, will remain open, McGrath said.

Traffic will be allowed to cross City Avenue at major intersections, including Belmont, Conshohocken State Road, and Lancaster Avenue.

McGrath said police have reached out to residents on the closed stretch of East Wynnewood Road - between City Avenue and Forest Road - and will grant them access to their homes during the pope's visit.  - Jessica Parks

Elmwood Zoo -- While the Philadelphia Zoo is closed for the pope's visit, its members can get their fur-and-feather fixes elsewhere.

Norristown's Elmwood Park Zoo is offering free admission to all Philadelphia Zoo members this weekend. The suburban animal park is smaller, and doesn't have fancy overhead highways for tigers and great apes. But it does offer hands-on experiences, such as giraffe and bison feeding, and the bald eagle, Noah, that appears at all Eagles home games.

Elmwood Park is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. For more information, call 610-277-3825, Ext. 222. - J.P.