Back in mid-January 2026, Philadelphia officially broke ground on its new $150 million Avenue of the Arts 2.0 campaign to revive the one-mile stretch of South Broad Street.
While the goal is to turn the street into a more pedestrian-centric and green boulevard, it may not be so simple, writes Michael J. Lewis for The Wall Street Journal.
The Avenue of the Arts 2.0 campaign would see planters with native trees introduced in the central median and along an expanded sidewalk. In addition, new light poles with festive banners would complement the trees.
However, it would remain to be seen whether this would have the desire effect on pedestrians, due to the need for commercial activity to supplement the cultural life of the area.
Broad Street is 100 feet across with 20-foot-wide sidewalks on either side. Expanding them for pop-ups would mean narrowing the areas that are often used for parking, loading buses, and turning.
A 1961 book authored by Jane Jacobs, titled, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, details how urban planning should never ignore people’s behaviors.
This project puts Jacobs’ insight to the test.
The first block of the project will see a new median installed by June 15.
Read more about the risks that may come with the Avenue of the Arts 2.0 project in The Wall Street Journal.
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