Philadelphia Launches $150 Million Streetscape Project with New Green Median

Philadelphia has unveiled a new landscaped median on South Broad Street, marking the first phase of a $150 million renovation project aimed at transforming the busy corridor. The median, which stretches 230 feet between Spruce and Pine streets, features plantings of canopy trees and blooming flowers, along with lighting and safety improvements.

City leaders and project partners gathered outside the Kimmel Center on June 24 to celebrate the completion of the median, part of the Avenue of the Arts 2.0 initiative led by Avenue of the Arts, Inc. The project aims to create greener, more pedestrian-friendly spaces along a 10-block stretch of South Broad Street from City Hall to Washington Avenue.

Carl Dranoff, board chair of Avenue of the Arts Inc., described the median as a 'beta project' intended to showcase future developments. The project follows the installation of speed cameras on Broad Street last fall, which was identified as Philadelphia's most dangerous road in a 2024 report.

The overall renovation will take several years, with sidewalk reconstruction on the 300 block of South Broad Street scheduled to begin in 2027. The plan includes redesigning parking, drop-off zones, loading zones, and bus stops, as well as addressing underground utility systems and subway infrastructures.

Collaboration with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is required, as South Broad Street is part of Pennsylvania Highway 611.