About

Meet the Spring Garden Connector

The Connector will link the Delaware River and Schuylkill River trails. This contributes to the completion of the East Coast Greenway: over 3,000 miles of uninterrupted walking and biking trails connecting communities from Maine to Florida.

In 2021, the community selected a preferred design for the Spring Garden Connector. This next step will progress the design concept preferred by the community to final engineering plans and construction.

Planned improvements include the following:

Curb bump-outs
Green stormwater management
Traffic signal upgrades
Parking and concrete buffered bicycle lane
Median treatments
Street lighting upgrades and improvements
Streetscape improvements
Resurfacing and striping

CLICK HERE for Project Updates

Goals

Provide a safe and accessible corridor for all users — including pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and motorists — and for users of all abilities
Contribute to the sense of place on Spring Garden Street by building on the corridor’s strengths and promoting community health and wellbeing
Advance Philadelphia’s health, environmental, and traffic safety goals
Complete the Center City Philadelphia section of the East Coast Greenway to contribute to the broader vision for the East Coast

Project Timeline

2009

Alignment Study Completed

The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) launches study and identifies Spring Garden Street as the best connector between the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers.

Jan

2010

Stakeholder Meetings Begin

Meetings with neighborhood leaders, elected officials, and key stakeholders to discuss the project.

Jan

2011

Gathering Public Feedback

Community members attend public meetings to explore and inform design options.

Jan

2013

Greenway Leadership Group Formed

PEC establishes Steering Committee, made up of business, civic, and institutional leaders to guide project development.

Jan

Concept Study Released

PEC completes and releases an feasibility assessment with a summary of engagement and proposal for improvements to be made.

May

2014

Pop-up Greenway Event

One-day community event with ~1,000 attendees, music, food, trucks, and tours to promote the Greenway.

Jan

2015

Public Outreach Continues

PEC continues public outreach, community meetings, rides, and events along the corridor.

Jan

2016

Preliminary Funding through DVRPC Trail Fund and DCNR

$800,000 in grants secured for advancement of City-led alternative analysis study.

Jan

I-95 Underpass Improvements

Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and the Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association complete project to improve the underpass and connection to the waterfront.

May

2020

Spring Garden Street Improvement Project Launched

The City of Philadelphia launches project to include complete streets elements and infrastructure upgrades.

Jan

The Spring Garden Connector has been in the making for many years. Previously, funding for the design phase was obtained through private grants from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the William Penn Foundation. More recently, the city and its partners were able to secure funding for the construction phase of the project with $52 million officially programed on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for Pennsylvania (FY25 – FY28). Now that funding for both design and construction are fully secured, the project is progressing with the goal of compiling biddable construction documents. A call for contractors will be put out in 2028, and construction is expected to begin in the Spring & Summer of 2028. The construction process will take 3-5 years, with the project team working in sections along Spring Garden Street.