Local
Radnor’s Wayne blueprint targets safer crossings, small-business stability and zoning changes
Radnor commissioners adopted a long-range plan for downtown Wayne, identifying Lancaster Avenue as a major barrier for people walking and warning that rising rents could squeeze independent businesses. The blueprint is conceptual; individual projects and policy changes will require separate approvals.
Radnor Township commissioners voted Oct. 12 to adopt a 144-page blueprint for downtown Wayne, setting out recommendations on transportation, land use, economic development and infrastructure through 2036. Township Manager William White said the plan is conceptual: Any development or policy change would still need approval through separate processes.
The plan’s resident survey found that 77% of respondents value Wayne’s walkability most, followed by its restaurants and shops (54%) and historic character (40%). It describes the borough’s compact, mixed-use layout and village character as central to its appeal.
But Lancaster Avenue, a regional roadway through downtown, presents the area’s most significant mobility challenge, the plan says. At evening rush hour, the intersection with Wayne Avenue handles about 2,130 vehicles an hour. Fast traffic, frequent driveways and difficult crossings can divide the business district, according to the document. Recommendations include traffic-calming measures, changes to traffic flow, fewer driving lanes and stronger speed-limit enforcement.
The blueprint also flags pressure on independent retailers as larger brands show greater interest in Main Street locations. It says Wayne has maintained a mix of chains and locally owned businesses, but rising rents and limited storefront turnover could give larger operators an advantage when leases expire. FP Movement and Ballard Designs moved to Wayne from King of Prussia last year, the report notes.
Parking remains a point of disagreement. A Walker Consultants analysis counted nearly 2,400 spaces in Wayne, most in private lots. At the study’s lunchtime peak in September 2025, about 1,550 spaces—66% of the supply—were occupied. The analysis recorded more than 80 open spaces in public off-street lots, 145 vacant on-street spaces and 550 open spaces in private lots, even as some downtown locations were heavily used.
A recommendation to convert part of the North Wayne Avenue municipal lot into a community park has drawn objections from some business owners, who say removing 24 spaces could burden businesses. The plan recognizes that parking availability can feel different from what overall figures show, particularly when spaces are unevenly distributed.
Other recommendations call for updating Wayne’s business overlay zoning district, including clearer design rules, support and incentives for varied housing, and explicit permission for everyday businesses such as grocery stores and fitness studios. The document also suggests streamlining municipal reviews for smaller projects, which it says can face multiple boards and lengthy approvals that delay investment and prolong vacancies.