By Mike Dunn

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - City Council this coming week is expected to give final approval to plans of the Philadelphia Zoo to construct a sorely-needed parking garage.

Council’s final scheduled meeting before summer recess this Thursday is expected to bring approval for the zoo’s first-ever parking garage. Currently all zoo parking is on surface lots. The zoo’s vice president, Kenneth Woodson, says the garage will be built on one of those lots.

“It will be a four-story structure with a ramp, and it will have 683 spaces.”

Woodson says plans to ease access to the zoo are also moving ahead.

“The 34th and Girard Avenue intersection is very busy. Its filled with rush hour traffic at all times. So we’re making major changes to the intersection that will improve access and traffic flow around the zoo.”

The changes include better synchronization of traffic signals and digital signs to direct zoo goers to parking.