A New Vision for the Ben Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia is planning a significant redesign of the Ben Franklin Parkway to transform it into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly urban park. This redesign aims to address the Parkway’s current issues as…
Philadelphia is planning a significant redesign of the Ben Franklin Parkway to transform it into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly urban park.
This redesign aims to address the Parkway's current issues as a dangerous, vehicle-centered thoroughfare by increasing safety, accessibility, and green space.
The plan for the project involves several components:
- Connect the Parkway to the Schuylkill
- Connect Eakins Oval to the Art Museum
- "Green up" the Parkway by closing the outer traffic lanes of the Parkway, converting the current lanes into green space
- Restore Logan Square by removing the traffic circle and uniting Logan Square with nearby Sister Cities, Shakespeare, Pennypacker, and Aviator parks to create a unique public space in the city
According to Philadelphia magazine, the city has already received a $23 million federal grant, and private donations are being raised for the effort. Discussions about sustainable maintenance and revenue models for the expanded park space are continuing.
Historically, the Parkway was envisioned as a grand boulevard connecting City Hall to Fairmount Park. However, delays in planning and other factors left the plans incomplete and underutilized. Efforts to make the Parkway more pedestrian-friendly date back to 1999 and the 2010s, but this work has faced challenges, including high costs and infrastructure hurdles.
Recent initiatives have helped build momentum, leading to the formation of the Parkway Council. Nick Anderson is the executive director and the sole employee of this nonprofit, which is directing the redevelopment planning for the Parkway.
“The goal is that it feels like this park space with this seamless connection to the Art Museum that really is the beginning of a continuous feeling of park into the city,” he said.
According to Philadelphia magazine, the first step in the project — connecting the Art Museum to Eakins Oval — could begin as soon as 2026 and is expected to take approximately five years to complete.
