Great cities have great parks. They are essential to the health and well-being of communities and are a locus of city pride and joy. Philadelphia has an extensive and beloved park system. It includes thousands of acres of protected forest, meadow, and wetlands. But there’s room for even more high-quality, accessible, high-amenity urban parks. The Parkway can serve this need with the input of the public.
Together, the City of Philadelphia and the Parkway Council are working to unlock the Parkway’s potential as a vibrant urban park in the heart of one of America’s greatest cities. As we celebrate the city’s historic place in America’s story, this is an opportunity for a lasting legacy aligned with 2026 festivities, placing Philadelphia again at the forefront of vision and lasting action.
With nearly 60,000 residents living nearby (within the transit shed) and millions who can easily access Philadelphia’s grand boulevard and green spaces, the Parkway has the potential to be a more active, safe, and beautiful public space.
Over the last nine months, the design team led by international planning firm Design Workshop has taken community feedback from the first round of engagement activities and worked with technical experts and stakeholders, such as engineers, community advocates, public art experts, and others, to establish ideas that are data-driven, achievable, and functional for the purposes of additional public feedback to incorporate into the plan.
Through a series of community-centric engagement events, individuals will have opportunities to voice their opinions on some of these initial concepts and ideas for the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Feedback is essential to ensure the Parkway is reflective of its immense potential.
Take the survey!
To provide feedback on design, transportation, amenities, and programming ideas, take Benjamin Franklin Parkway Survey II from now until September 18th.
As you take the survey, please note that this survey and the renderings found within are for feedback purposes only and intended to inform the design process.
Visit with the team at in-person events!
The planning team is back on the Parkway for the 2023 Oval Pop-Up Festival! Learn more about the project and provide feedback in-person.
* Saturday, August 19th, 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
* Saturday, August 26th, 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
* Sunday, August 27th, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
* Saturday, September 2nd, 2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
* Sunday, September 3rd, 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Or visit the team at the Parkway Council’s Parkway Presents program in Shakespeare Park.
* Thursday, September 14th, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Want to know more?
Visit the project’s website to learn more about the planning process and the current ideas. There will be additional opportunities to learn about important specifics, including traffic studies, economic impact, event logistics, impact on current usage, access to institutions, and more announced in the coming months. Be sure to sign up for the project’s newsletter by emailing us at reimagine.the.parkway@gmail.com to receive these announcements.
The Parkway planning process is a partnership between the City of Philadelphia and Parkway Council and is led by Design Workshop, with support from the Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation at Drexel University. The project is made possible by a grant from the William Penn Foundation.
