The Delaware River Trail: A Modal Shift

The Delaware River waterfront has been foundational to Philadelphia and a center of trade since the city was established in 1682. In recent decades, as industry declined, the waterfront became a patchwork of vacant properties and neglected, collapsed piers. One-off attempts to bring people back to the waterfront failed or faltered. Further, the construction of Interstate 95 in the 1960s and '70s created physical and psychological barriers between the waterfront and the walkable neighborhoods of Center City.

In 2012, the city of Philadelphia, led by the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), completed a two-and-a-half-year effort to publish the Master Plan for the Central Delaware. The plan featured a series of parks every half mile; dense, walkable, mixed-use infill development; sustainable design practices; and a nearly five-mile bicycle and pedestrian trail to connect all these attractions. The plan also dictated the location of connector streets — specific corridors tp facilitate seamless, multimodal connectivity between the main street grid and the waterfront.

At each stop along the tour, discuss the evolution of DRWC’s approach to engagement and economic opportunity, the lessons learned, and the methods used to increase inclusivity and diversity in the design and operations of public space.