Getting the Transportation Glue Back in Philly's Waterfront

Transportation has been called the glue that hold cities together. This oped argues that Philadelphia's waterfront is sorely missing that glue.

1 minute read

January 29, 2010, 6:00 AM PST

By Nate Berg


"To make the area the economic engine that waterfronts have become in other cities, three kinds of transportation are required:

Simple, direct links to Center City and adjacent neighborhoods.

Seamless connections among existing and potential waterfront attractions.

Convenient links between the Philadelphia and Camden waterfronts, because Camden has attractions of interest to the Philadelphia population, and vice versa."

A new plan from the Delaware River Port Authority could bring that glue back to the area, with a strategy for several miles of the city's waterfront.

Thursday, January 28, 2010 in The Philadelphia Inquirer

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

October 28, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

A car drives through a puddle, making a large splash. Rain pours down.

California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour

If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.

October 28, 2026 - Grist

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

: Construction of massive Samsung semiconductor fabrication plant

In Texas, data centers are swallowing promised parkland

Residents who moved to Taylor, Texas for a rural community now have to contend with three data centers in their backyard.

November 3 - Inside Climate News

A construction crew working on SunZia.

How a Chicago-sized wind farm beat the odds and powered on

The project spanned five presidential administrations and a standoff with a U.S. military base.

November 3 - Grist

A rendering of the basketball court, a green court under a blue sky.

MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court

The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.

November 3 - Gothamist