Renewing Race Street Project Updates

Renewing Race Street Project Updates

The City of Philadelphia is planning two-phases of multimodal improvements on Race Street between 8th Street and 5th Street beginning in the Fall of 2020. Building on a study completed by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) in 2015, the City’s plan includes multiple pedestrian improvements around Franklin Park, traffic calming measures, and a parking-protected bicycle lane.

Race Street is an important eastbound route in Center City. The segment between 8th Street and 5th Street connects Old City, Chinatown, Franklin Square, and Independence Mall. This section of Race Street is much wider than the rest of the street, becoming 71-feet wide between 8th Street and 6th Street. This width makes it uncomfortable for people walking and people riding bikes to use this important connection, limiting its multimodal connectivity and creating a barrier between Franklin Square and surrounding neighborhoods.

The project is still in the conceptual design phase, but preliminary surveying and engineering is expected to begin this summer, with final engineering and design completed next spring. Construction on Phase 1, which will consist of low-cost improvements using materials such as paint and flexible delineator posts, is expected to begin by Fall of 2020. Phase 2, which will build upon Phase 1 with permanent curb, will follow.

(Article provided by Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, & Sustainability)