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Philadelphia breaks ground on project to transform Delaware River waterfront at Penn's Landing
Wednesday marked the official start of a multimillion dollar project that will reconnect Philadelphia to the Delaware River waterfront.
PHILADELPHIA - Wednesday marked the official start of a multimillion dollar project that will reconnect Philadelphia to the Delaware River waterfront.
The ‘Central Access Philadelphia’ – or CAP project – has been years in the making and is part of a huge transformation that will coast nearly $330 million.
The project touts two main features, including a new 11.5-acre park at Penn’s Landing and new bridge at South Street. Both will also extend over Columbus Boulevard and onto the Delaware River Trail.
"The capped section is going to pick up the vibrancy of old city and pull that across to the waterfront," said Joe Forkin, President of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. "All ages playgrounds, spray grounds, the relocated ice skating rink, programs and festivals and an amphitheater."
PennDOT gave its contractor approval to begin work on covering I-95 between Chestnut and Walnut Streets to help connect Old City and Penn’s Landing back in March.
Work underway on project that will 'cap' I-95, redevelop Delaware River waterfront at Penn's Landing
Preliminary construction began this week on a project that would reconnect Philadelphia to the Delaware River waterfront and include a redevelopment of Penn's Landing.
Months later, Gov. Josh Shapiro joined Mayor Jim Kenney in Penn's Landing to break ground on the project as workers began drilling into Walnut Street.
Shapiro described the redevelopment as a "a big deal and a big thing" during a press conference Wednesday.
"Look I think we’ve shown that we can do big things in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. We can do big things here in this city and we got our A Team on it. The team that rebuilt I-95 in just 12 days, that’s the same team and the same materials that are out there doing this project," said Governor Shapiro.
City officials, along with construction and design teams, are excited for the day they get to finally bring their families to the newly constructed waterfront.
"I got my start digging that 95 project," said President Rob Buckley of Buckley & Co. "I was one of the construction workers that actually built it originally and now we’re tearing down stuff we did 50 years later."
"We talked all along about the ability to bring our families out to the site after it’s complete. That’s going to be really exciting," said Jesse Gormley, Senior Engineer for Pennoni.
However, the project will take several years to complete, with the park expected to open spring 2028.