The Chinatown Stitch project, which will aim to reconnect the north and south sides of the neighborhood through the Vine Street Expressway, recently received a $158 million federal grant, writes Michael Tananbaum for PhillyVoice.

The grant came from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and is expected to cover the entire cost of the project, according to state and local leaders.

Construction could begin as soon as 2027, and could be completed within 4 to 5 years.

The construction of the I-676 in the 1960s carved Chinatown in two. 

In December, planners selected a design to construct two caps above I-676 with a gap between them, enabling construction to be completed in phases.

The first cap would span between 10th Street and a point midway between 11th and 12th streets, while the second cap would be built between 12th and 13th streets. The project will also redesign Vine Street to improve road safety.

“Vine Street will continue to exist, but not as you see it today,” John Chin, executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, said at a press conference. “There will be less lanes traveling, less speeding cars, more people and more activities.”

Read more about the Chinatown Stitch project and how it will reshape this area of the city in PhillyVoice.

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