The Reading Viaduct: Walking Through the Philadelphia Skyline

There is an incredible feeling I get when I manage to find my way outside of a city, a sense of tranquility much needed in the hustle and bustle of city life. Sometimes I do not have to venture too far to find these places, for they can often be quiet little crannies found in the middle of all the commotion. This was the case with my recent experience walking through the Reading Viaduct.

The elevated railroad tracks, abandoned since 1984, are covered with overgrown vegetation, garbage and graffiti, yet the Reading Viaduct has potential to be an urban renewal success story like that of the High Line in New York City. The Viaduct is located just north of Philadelphia’s Center City, near the “Callowhill” or “Chinatown North” area and it is easy to see how the space can become one of Philadelphia’s most unique public spaces. As you walk up the first section of the Viaduct, you reach a platform with vistas of the Philadelphia skyline, including City Hall. The train tracks continue further north, crossing over Spring Garden and up to Fairmount, a walk that was surprisingly peaceful given the traffic below.

Our tour guide for the morning was Sarah McEneaney, co-founder of the Reading Viaduct Project, an advocacy group dedicated to the development of these abandoned train tracks. McEneaney briefly chronicled the history of the rail line from when the tracks were first built in the mid 19^th century and closed in 1984, to the founding of the Reading Viaduct Project in 2003 and the group’s progress ever since. McEneaney is excited about the potential of the Viaduct to transform the surrounding neighborhood and offer residents and visitors a unique and beautiful green space. However, not everyone agrees that a park is the best use for this area.

To stop the formation of a Callowhill Reading Viaduct Neighborhood Improvement District (NID), more than half of the neighborhood’s property owners sent letters of opposition to the Office for Chief Clerk of City Council by the December 12th deadline. Opposition over the proposed Neighborhood Improvement District comes in response to the fact that property taxes for its residents and commercial property owners will be raised by seven percent in the first year and another five percent for the next five years.

As with many development projects, there are differing views as to what should be done with the land and how that process should work out. The Reading Viaduct is no exception. The development of the Viaduct certainly has the potential to transform that area north of Center City and possibly bring more activity that would benefit local businesses, something that Empowerment Group wholeheartedly supports. The question remains, however, over whether a project can be designed to address everyone’s interests.

If you are interested in the Reading Viaduct, I strongly encourage you to click on the links below to the Reading Viaduct Project’s web pages and additional articles written on the Viaduct:

Reading Viaduct Project Website

Reading Viaduct Project Facebook Page

Weekly Press: “Fate of the Callowhill Reading Viaduct NID still hangs in the balance”

Philly.com: “City negotiating with viaduct owner”

NewsWorks: “‘Neighborhood improvement’ plan divides Philadelphia neighbors”