Jump to content

Reading Viaduct

Add links
Coordinates: 39°57′36″N 75°09′32″W / 39.96°N 75.159°W / 39.96; -75.159
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the historic viaduct in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the historic viaduct in Reading, Pennsylvania, see Lindbergh Viaduct.

Reading Viaduct / The Rail Park
View of Phase I of the Rail Park from just west of the 12th Street overpass
View of Phase I of the Rail Park from just west of the 12th Street overpass
Map
TypeElevated urban linear park; public park
LocationPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Coordinates39°57′36″N 75°09′32″W / 39.96°N 75.159°W / 39.96; -75.159
OpenedJune 14, 2018 (2018-06-14)
StatusOpen

The Reading Viaduct, also called The Rail Park, is a disused elevated rail line in the Callowhill district of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that has been partly transformed into a rail trail. The viaduct opened on January 29, 1893, and originally led to Reading Terminal in Center City Philadelphia. It was abandoned in 1984 after Philadelphia's Center City Commuter Tunnel opened. In 2010, the Center City District and a new community organization, Friends of the Rail Park, began to evaluate options to convert the abandoned viaduct into an elevated park. Phase 1 of the park opened on June 14, 2018.

History

[edit]

Railroad use

[edit]
Reading Viaduct before transformation

The Philadelphia and Reading Terminal Railroad was incorporated on April 13, 1888, leased by the Philadelphia and Reading Railway on May 1, 1891, and soon began construction.[1] The viaduct was built by the Reading Company as an approach to the then-new Reading Terminal.[2] The viaduct and terminal opened on January 29, 1893.[1] The viaduct heads north from Reading Terminal and at Callowhill Junction, forks, with the Ninth Street Branch formally merging with the current SEPTA Main Line. The viaduct cuts through the street grid at a diagonal angle, creating several irregularly shaped lots.[3][4] The primary section of the viaduct, the Ninth Street Branch, has four tracks.[5]

In 1984, the Reading Terminal closed,[6] and Philadelphia's Center City Commuter Tunnel opened.[7] The southern section of the viaduct, south of Vine Street, was razed in 1990 to make way for the Pennsylvania Convention Center.[8] The section south of the Vine Street Expressway (I-676/US 30) was demolished to make way for the convention center.[3][9] The rest of the viaduct still exists, as it was too cumbersome to demolish the structure.[9] Additionally, the viaduct was full of pollutants that had to be removed before the structure could be demolished or repurposed.[4]

The viaduct includes a 1,000-foot-long (300 m) westward branch known as the City Branch.[4] The City Branch diverges from the Ninth Street Branch at Callowhill Junction, traveling toward the former Reading Company main line at Belmont Junction. West of 13th Street, the City Branch descends into an open cut known as the Cut, which was operated by the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. The Cut was used until 1992; the final freight customer on the Cut was The Philadelphia Inquirer.[10]

The Rail Park

[edit]

First phase

[edit]

By the 1990s, the Reading Company's successor firm Reading International Inc. had offered to give the Philadelphia government $2–3 million to take over the viaduct. The city government did not accept this offer.[3] In the 2000s, there were suggestions to convert the Reading Viaduct to a rail trail.[3][9] This effort was led by two local artists, John Struble and Sarah McEneaney,[4][11] who in 2004 formed a nonprofit called Friends of the Rail Park.[8] Students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Design suggested converting the viaduct into a rail trail similar to the Promenade Plantee in Paris.[4] The success of New York City's High Line, a similar rail trail which opened in 2009, encouraged further efforts to convert the Reading Viaduct to a park.[3][5][11] Although gates had been installed to prevent access to the decrepit viaduct, people still trespassed anyway, leaving debris and garbage there.[11] Planning for the park accelerated in 2009 after the Center City District joined the project.[12] The district's leader, Paul Levy, commissioned a study that found that it would cost $36 million to convert the viaduct into a park, versus $50 million to demolish it. In addition, Reading International owed $1.4 million in unpaid taxes and was required to conduct environmental remediation.[9]

In 2010, the Center City District and Friends of the Rail Park began to evaluate options to convert the abandoned viaduct into an elevated park.[13] They also began raising money for the planned park.[11] The next year, the planned park was included in a master plan for Philadelphia.[8] However, residents of the nearby Chinatown neighborhood preferred demolishing the viaduct, as they feared that it would lead to gentrification.[3][5][11] The Callowhill Reading Viaduct Neighborhood Improvement District was proposed to raise money for streetscape improvements around the viaduct,[8][14] but the district was not created due to local opposition.[15] The Philadelphia city and Pennsylvania state governments agreed in 2014 to provide money for the conversion of the Reading Viaduct into a park;[16] the city initially allocated $1.8 million to the project.[17] In 2015, the Center City District received another $1 million from the Philadelphia government.[18][19] After the city proposed acquiring the spur from Broad to Callowhill Street,[20] the City Planning Commission approved the acquisition in May 2015.[21]

Bryan Hanes was hired to design the first phase of the park,[22][23] and the Philadelphia Art Commission approved designs in June 2015.[24] The first phase of the project was originally planned to cost $9.6 million.[10][25] The commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided a $3.5 million grant in September 2016, which covered all remaining funding shortfalls.[26] Construction began on the Rail Park's first phase on October 31, 2016.[12][27] The Rail Park's first phase added a boardwalk, benches, landscaping, and swings.[23][28] The park's opening was delayed after workers discovered severe deterioration to the bridge that carried the park and Noble Street above 13th Street.[29] The first phase opened to the public on June 14, 2018,[30][31] having cost $10.3 million[8][32] or $11 million.[22] The city's mayor Jim Kenney predicted that the park would encourage development in the area.[8][30] The Rail Park began hosting public art festivals in 2019, starting with the Site/Sound festival that October.[33]

Second phase

[edit]
The Spring Garden Street station, which was formerly located on the viaduct
The Spring Garden Street station was located on the viaduct before being demolished in 2021.

Supporters of the Rail Park were raising $60 million for the second phase, including environmental work and land acquisition.[34] This was complicated by the fact that the route had never been formally abandoned; this meant that the viaduct could theoretically be reopened for rail service at any time, even though it had been partially demolished.[34] The old Spring Garden Street station, along the northern section of the viaduct, was razed in 2021.[35] Work on the second phase stalled for several years,[8] and the abandoned Ninth Street Branch portion was used as an illegal dumping ground.[36] In June 2022, Philadelphia City Council member Mark Squilla proposed legislation that would authorize the city to acquire the rest of the viaduct from Reading International.[8][36]

By 2024, Reading International wanted to sell the unused part of the viaduct for $50 million, a figure the Philadelphia government was unwilling to pay.[37] The William Penn Foundation gave a $2 million grant in August 2024,[38] and the federal government provided another $2 million for the park's second phase in January 2025, allowing design to proceed.[34][39] In addition, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania agreed to provide $475,000 for the project, and additional funds were being raised from private sources.[34] The second phase could connect with the proposed "Stitch", a highway cap above the Vine Street Expressway.[34]

Approaches

[edit]
Ninth Street Branch
Legend
mi
SEPTA Main Line
6.7
 Tabor
Newtown Branch
6.2
 Fern Rock
Bethlehem Branch
5.9
 Logan
Chestnut Hill East Branch
Low Grade Branch
5.1
 Wayne Junction
Richmond Branch
4.3
 Nicetown
4.0
 Tioga
Chestnut Hill West Branch
Norristown Branch
3.5
16th Street Junction
North Philadelphia
Northeast Corridor
2.9
 North Broad Street
1.8
 Temple University
Girard Avenue
Center City Commuter Connection
SEPTA Main Line
Reading Viaduct
0.8
 Spring Garden Street
Willow and Noble Street Branch
0.4
City Branch
0.0
 Reading Terminal
This diagram:

The main line of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway (originally the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and Northern Liberties and Penn Township Railroad) came into Philadelphia on the southwest side of the Schuylkill River and crossed at a point northwest of downtown (this line is now used only by freight). It then passed into a tunnel under Pennsylvania Avenue and turned east just north of Callowhill Street. The original alignment turned south along Broad Street, with a passenger station at Broad and Vine. The line continued east past Broad Street for freight to the Delaware River, using Willow Street. The passenger station was later moved to half a block east of Broad Street, on the old freight line. The spur from the viaduct was built just east of this station.[40]

The other Reading line, originally the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad, and now used for passenger service by SEPTA, ran north on 9th Street from the east-west line on Willow Street. Its passenger station was at Ninth and Green, again where the new viaduct merged with the old alignment.[40]

Park description

[edit]

The Rail Park's first phase stretches from Callowhill Street to Noble Street, along the former City Branch,[22][41] measuring 0.25 miles (0.40 km) long.[32] To the west, it is accessed from Noble Street, where that road and the former City Branch cross 13th Street on a bridge; this is the park's ADA-accessible entrance.[41][42] The bridge over 13th Street contains several planters. The rest of the park has wooden benches, trees, and raised gardens.[22] There is also a mural on the viaduct,[42] in addition to industrial-looking steel frames with swing sets.[22] At the east end of the park's first phase, there is a staircase descending to Callowhill Street between 12th and 11th streets;[41][42] a steel gate separates the park from the rest of the abandoned viaduct.[22] The park is open between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. each day.[42]

The Friends of the Rail Park's original plans called for renovating not only the Ninth Street Branch section of the viaduct from Vine Street to Fairmount Avenue, but also the City Branch to Girard Avenue.[10][22] The Ninth Street Branch section, known simply as "The Viaduct", extends about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) and creates a "V" shape with the City Branch.[32] West of the first phase is the Cut, an open cut from Broad Street to the Rodin Museum at 22nd Street.[41][32] This connects with the Tunnel, which extends further west to Brewerytown and the Philadelphia Zoo.[32]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Reading Terminal, Philadelphia
  2. ^ Pruden, Scott (October 26, 2018). "Philadelphia's new Rail Park is the city's answer to Manhattan's High Line". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Walsh, Thomas J. (August 28, 2009). "Reading Viaduct 'another opportunity lost'". WHYY. Archived from the original on October 8, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e Saffron, Inga (February 20, 2004). "Making an old viaduct viable again". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. E01, E05. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c Timpane, John (August 23, 2009). "Parkland in the air". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. C01, C06. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  6. ^ Robbins, William (November 7, 1984). "Old Station in Philadelphia Sees Its Last Train Pull Out". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  7. ^ "Despite snags, tunnel test is called a success". The Philadelphia Inquirer. November 12, 1984. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved July 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h Perez-Castells, Ariana (August 19, 2023). "A history of the nearly 20-year battle to transform the Reading Viaduct into a public space". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on January 26, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d Saffron, Inga (June 17, 2011). "A Park on High". The Philadelphia Inquirer. pp. E01, E07. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Burnley, Malcolm (April 5, 2016). "Reading Viaduct Park Would Make Getting Around Philly Easier". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e Loviglio, Joann (October 17, 2011). "Transforming Philadelphia's 'eraserhood'". Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era. p. 8. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Blumgart, Jake (October 31, 2016). "First phase of Rail Park construction underway". WHYY. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  13. ^ Patten, Zach (September 13, 2013). "Rally for the Rail Park to Fundraise for Philly's Own High Line". Curbed Philly. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  14. ^ Philadelphia, Metro (September 20, 2011). "City Council Amends Callowhill Viaduct NID Creation in Contentious Meeting – Metro Philadelphia". Metro Philadelphia. Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  15. ^ Brey, Jared (January 9, 2012). "Updated: Votes tallied, Callowhill NID is put to rest". WHYY. Archived from the original on October 13, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  16. ^ Carrión, Angelly (April 7, 2014). "Reading Viaduct Gets Funding". Philadelphia Magazine. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Graham, Troy (April 6, 2014). "Elevated park on rail viaduct finally firming up". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  17. ^ Graham, Troy (April 6, 2014). "Elevated park on rail viaduct finally firming up". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on September 16, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  18. ^ Saksa, Jim (June 10, 2015). "Councilman Squilla announces City giving Reading Viaduct Rail Park another $1M". WHYY. Archived from the original on February 9, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  19. ^ Carrión, Angelly (June 10, 2015). "Rail Park Project to Get Additional Funding from City". Philadelphia Magazine. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  20. ^ Jooste, Megan Ritchie (May 19, 2015). "The Gallery And The Reading Viaduct Are The Darlings Of Today's City Planning Agenda". Curbed Philly. Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Brey, Jared (May 5, 2015). "City moves to acquire part of the Reading Viaduct". WHYY. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  21. ^ Brey, Jared (May 20, 2015). "Planning Commission approves Reading Viaduct acquisition". WHYY. Archived from the original on October 12, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Jennings, James (May 21, 2015). "Headlines: The Rail Park Gets Go-Ahead from Planning Commission". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Hahn, Ashley (June 6, 2018). "In common: Rail Park opens, carrying the freight of a changing neighborhood". WHYY. Archived from the original on September 8, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  23. ^ a b Orso, Anna (June 16, 2015). "This is what the Reading Viaduct, Philly's new High Line-like raised urban park, could look like... someday". Billy Penn at WHYY. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  24. ^ Golas, Matt (June 4, 2015). "Art Commission grants final approval to Reading Viaduct Spur and Market St. Memorial". WHYY. Archived from the original on September 10, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Carrión, Angelly (June 4, 2015). "Rail Park Update: Philadelphia Art Commission Approves Design". Philadelphia Magazine. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  25. ^ Saffron, Inga (July 8, 2016). "Changing Skyline: Still not enough funding, but Reading Viaduct is a park in all but name". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  26. ^ Weckerly, Anastasia (September 30, 2016). "Center City District Could Begin Construction on Viaduct Rail Park This Autumn Thanks to $3.5M State Grant". NBC10 Philadelphia. Archived from the original on November 27, 2021. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Saksa, Jim (September 30, 2016). "Full funding secured for phase one of Rail Park". WHYY. Archived from the original on June 14, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  27. ^ "$10 million city park upgrade". 6abc Philadelphia. November 1, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Johncola, Amanda (October 31, 2016). "Old Train Tracks Turn Into Philadelphia's Own High Line". NBC10 Philadelphia. Archived from the original on October 9, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Bender, William (October 31, 2016). "Viaduct Rail Park project officially underway". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  28. ^ "The Park | Friends of the Rail Park". Friends of the Rail Park. Archived from the original on May 11, 2018. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  29. ^ Romero, Melissa (February 7, 2018). "Rail Park opening delayed until spring 2018". Curbed Philly. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Parent, Andrew (February 6, 2018). "Opening of Philly Rail Park's first phase of construction to be delayed". PhillyVoice. Archived from the original on October 15, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; "Scheduled Opening Of Center City Rail Park Delayed". CBS News. February 7, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  30. ^ a b Merriman, Anna (June 14, 2018). "Long-awaited Rail Park opens first phase". Curbed Philly. Archived from the original on July 23, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  31. ^ Sasko, Claire (June 14, 2018). "PHOTOS: Philadelphia's First Rail Park Is Officially Open". Philadelphia Magazine. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  32. ^ a b c d e Chernaskey, Rachel (June 10, 2018). "What to Expect at Philly's New Rail Park". Philadelphia Magazine. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  33. ^ Crimmins, Peter (October 4, 2019). "Here's what you'll see at the Philly Rail Park's first public art festival". WHYY. Archived from the original on June 22, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Brady, Shaun (October 2, 2019). "Explore the Rail Park of Philadelphia's future at this free two-week arts festival". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 10, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  34. ^ a b c d e Mosbrucker-Garza, Kristen (January 19, 2025). "Philly's Rail Park raises millions for next phase from state, federal grants". WHYY. Archived from the original on January 29, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  35. ^ Saffron, Inga (May 12, 2021). "As Philadelphia advances streetscape plan for Spring Garden, historic buildings fall to neglect". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021.
  36. ^ a b D'Onofrio, Mike (August 16, 2023). "New push to develop defunct railway viaduct into Philly's High Line". Axios. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  37. ^ Donahue, Gabriel (July 6, 2024). "Philly faces $50 million price tag for essential part in Rail Park extension". WHYY. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Toussaint, Jensen (July 16, 2024). "Reading International Puts New $50M Price Tag on Essential Component in Philadelphia's Rail Park Extension". PHILADELPHIA.Today. Archived from the original on July 17, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  38. ^ Blumgart, Jake (August 23, 2024). "Rail Park expansion one step closer to reality with William Penn Foundation grant". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 20, 2024. Retrieved February 12, 2025; Toussaint, Jensen (August 30, 2024). "$2 Million William Penn Foundation Grant Moves Rail Park Expansion Closer to Reality". PHILADELPHIA.Today. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  39. ^ Ciavolella, Zach (January 9, 2025). "Center City District awarded $2M for Rail Park redevelopment". Metro Philadelphia. Archived from the original on January 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  40. ^ a b Holton, James L. (1989). The Reading Railroad: History of a Coal Age Empire : The Nineteenth Century. Vol. 1. Laury's Station, PA: Garrigues House. p. 279. ISBN 0-9620844-1-7.
  41. ^ a b c d Lubetkin, Steve (October 1, 2018). "Video Tour: Philadelphia Emulates NYC's High Line Park, Opens First Phase of Philly Rail Park". GlobeSt. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  42. ^ a b c d "Rail Park Reviews". U.S. News Travel. January 1, 1970. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reading Viaduct (Philadelphia).
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reading_Viaduct&oldid=1275378804"