The Rail Park Next Phase

Project Overview

The next phase of The Rail Park, the “Viaduct Greenway”, will convert an abandoned railroad viaduct, 6.8 acres of brownfields that run for 6/10th of a mile from Vine Street to Fairmount Avenue, into an elevated park that links diverse neighborhoods together, connecting them to downtown with an active transportation trail.  Initial improvements that link to Phase I of The Rail Park at Callowhill Street, include environmental remediation, structural repairs, a linear trail with basic lighting and safety elements and multiple points of access, with more amenities designed in partnership with adjacent community groups. 

Project Background

The viaduct was built in the 1890s to carry passenger and freight trains into Center City and consists of steel structures, elevated filled areas and arched masonry bridges that provide spectacular views of the city. The last train traveled its rails in 1984, and the viaduct was abandoned to weeds and disrepair.

The CCD completed the transformation of Phase 1 of The Rail Park in 2018. Building on that success, the CCD entered into a development agreement with the City of Philadelphia and has engaged Urban Engineers and Studio I Bryan Hanes to lead engineering and landscape design for the project. Construction bid documents will be completed by April 2025. CCD also retained Connect the Dots Insights to lead a community engagement process and received valuable suggestions from neighbors at public meetings as well as through online and intercept surveys.

With much of the land around the Viaduct Greenway remaining vacant and undeveloped, the opportunity exists to add residential and light commercial development and to create a unique, mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood that supports the aspirations of the Chinatown, Callowhill, West Poplar and East Poplar communities.

The CCD has committed to raise all the funds to complete the renovation of the Viaduct Greenway with initial work supported by a generous grant from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development - Industrial sites Reuse Program and additional grant support from PECO Green Region, Poor Richards Charitable Trust, William Penn Foundation and Wyncote Foundation.

To help support this important project, please consider donating to the CCD Foundation.

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Community Involvement

CCD and the project Steering Committee, which includes Friends of the Rail Park, West Poplar Neighborhood Association, Callowhill Neighbors Association, 14th Community Organization RCO, and Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation worked with community engagement firm, Connect to the Dots to solicit a broad range of opinions from the community and to produce a Statement of Values  [PDF] to guide project design.

Here are links to download the Viaduct Greenway Project Fact Sheet | 高架桥绿道项目概况介绍 | 高架橋綠道項目概況介紹 | Hoja informativa sobre el proyecto de la Vía Verde del Viaducto

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