Urban was proud to attend the groundbreaking of the Broad Street Quay Wall Reconstruction at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Reconstruction of the critical 734-foot section of Broad Street – also referred to as the Quay Wall – officially started in the summer, but the ceremony was held later to welcome distinguished guests and partners to the event. Urban provided engineering design services for the project.

“This project started with a vision and PennDOT is proud to be part of that vision,” said Lou Belmonte, PennDOT District Executive. “The Navy Yard is a truly unique place and there is tremendous work happening here as it continues as a thriving center for businesses, innovation, investment, talent, and jobs.”

“The U.S. EDA is proud to make these investments in regional growth and prosperity,” said Linda Cruz-Carnall, U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Regional Director. “We appreciate the spirit and history and continued resiliency at this site and of all of its stakeholders. Together we are united in pride and hope.”

The reconstruction of the Quay Wall is imperative to ensure safety and to increase accessibility for the public and the 150 businesses and 15,000 employees at the Navy Yard. The Quay Wall overlooks the Navy Yard River Basin and sits on top of a more than 120-year-old timber bridge structure that has largely been submerged in the Delaware River and subject to the elements. An underwater inspection was performed to determine the exact construction of the existing structure. There were no drawings of the site as it was built sometime in the early 1900s. A new bulkhead structure was designed that would retain the adjacent sidewalk and roadway. New streetscaping and drainage infrastructure were also incorporated into the project.

Attendees of the groundbreaking ceremony included Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson. The project’s cost is in part funded by PennDOT, the U.S. EDA, the City of Philadelphia, and PIDC.

“Without these partnerships, none of this would be possible,” said Kate McNamara, PIDC’s senior vice president, Navy Yard. “This has been a very complex project that has been in planning and procurement for several years.”

The Quay Wall project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023. When complete, it will have four lanes for vehicles, a two-way raised bike lane, and a new, scenic pedestrian plaza overlooking the Reserve Basin. This construction project will take approximately 12 months to complete.