Creating a new recreational and educational resource

City of Philadelphia Dept of Parks & Recreation - Kensington & Tacony Trail

This new multi-use trail design will give the community increased opportunity for recreation, education, and enjoyment of the North Waterfront in Philadelphia. Our design and construction documents include an approximately 9,000 foot-long by 12 foot-wide section of a much larger trail system. It was constructed largely on the right-of-way of a former industrial branch line railroad known as the Kensington & Tacony, and was purchased by the City of Philadelphia. The trail features new landscaping, rest areas, and informational signage that will describe natural features and the historical heritage of this portion of the waterfront.

The project also involves the restoration and conversion of a former railroad bridge as part of the trail, repurposing it to become part of multi-use trail design. One component of the project includes significant alteration to property belonging to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, which will remove a large area of underlined parking surface to reduce storm water runoff from the site. The project builds on our previous work designing a trailhead at a location known as Lardner's Point, where the Philadelphia Water Department has a major pump station.

The result? A new trail system that unites a growing community.