Gateway to Philadelphia's Navy Yard reopens
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
A stretch of South Broad Street in the Navy Yard reopens to traffic today after years of closure.
Why it matters: The road is the main gateway to the South Philly business district, which is home to more than 100 companies and thousands of employees.
What's happening: The $22 million project increases the flow of traffic to four lanes on the roadway, known as the quay wall that neighbors the South Philly sports complex.
- A new pedestrian plaza and bike lanes, plus sidewalks along the water's edge, will be accessible.
- The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) completed the project along with the city, state and others.
Flashback: Before the project's groundbreaking in July 2022, the 734-foot stretch of South Broad Street, located between Crescent Drive and Intrepid Avenue, had only two lanes of traffic and no pedestrian access to the water's edge.
- That's because the roadway was built atop a more than 120-year-old timber bridge structure that was deteriorating.
The big picture: The project is part of the Navy Yard's bigger multi-year, $6 billion plan to transform the former military base into a business and residential hub.
- A private housing complex bringing more than 600 new apartments recently broke ground in the area, the first such housing in decades.
What's next: Landscaping along the stretch of road will occur in the spring or summer, PIDC spokesperson Kevin Lessard tells Axios.
What they're saying: Lessard says the completion of the roadway represents a critical step in restoring safe access to the Navy Yard and in its ongoing development.