Philadelphia Unveils Their Own Elevated Rail Park for the Abandoned Reading Viaduct

After the success of NYC's High Line Park, Philadelphia is planning its own elevated park on a spur of the abandoned <a href="http://www.centercityphila.org/about/viaduct.php">Reading Viaduct</a>. Last used in 1984, the Reading Viaduct once brought passengers and freight into Center City, but was then abandoned to weeds and disrepair. Now the city is collaborating with <a href="http://www.studiobryanhanes.com/" target="_blank">Studio | Bryan Hanes</a> and members of the community to develop a comprehensive plan for the quarter-mile park and revitalization of the space surrounding the viaduct. Although the Reading Viaduct isn't nearly as long as the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/high-line">High Line</a> or <a href="http://inhabitat.com/chicago-unveils-plans-for-the-elevated-bloomingdale-trail-park-in-the-sky/">Chicago's Bloomingdale Trail</a>, this park will be a fantastic project and an important step towards a more sustainable Philadelphia. We also chatted with Paul Levy of <a href="http://www.centercityphila.org/about/viaduct.php" target="_blank">Center City District</a> to hear how Philly's park is different from the High Line and when work will hopefully commence.

Planning for the Reading Viaduct park began in 2010 when the Center City District commissioned an environmental and feasibility analysis of the Viaduct to determine its fate.

The study revealed that it would be far less costly to transform the quarter-mile spur of the viaduct into an urban green space than demolish it and deal with any contaminated soil, which could be buried underneath.

This information then encouraged the district to work on a plan for the park with Urban Engineers, Cecil Baker + Partners, and Friends of the High Line, and New York City.

In 2011, the Center City District commissioned a concept design from Urban Engineers and Studio| Bryan Hanes.

The team conducted extensive analysis and community surveys to determine preferences.

The results of the study revealed that the community participants "strongly favored making the park an informal, leafy green space with plenty of grass and flowering plants, and with room to walk and sit."

As a result, the design for the park includes wide shady, tree-lined walking paths, seating, accessible entrances, an outdoor classroom and even a place for dogs.

Night time view of the Reading Viaduct turned park at night.

Overhead view of the proposed park.

Map of the quarter-mile spur with relationship to the city.

Program areas for the Reading Viaduct park.

Location of the spur (on the left) and the rest of the viaduct in relationship to the city.