Construction on South Street Pedestrian Bridge starts in 2026, to be completed in 2027

The $329 million I-95 cap project will create nearly 12 acres of parkland and connect Old City to the Delaware River waterfront.

Cory Sharber

December 28, 2025

Construction will start summer 2026 on the South Street Pedestrian Bridge, and it will open to the public in 2027. This is part of the $329 million I-95 cap project. (Renderings by Pennoni)

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The South Street Pedestrian Bridge over Columbus Boulevard in Philadelphia will undergo construction in 2026.

The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation will begin construction next summer, and it will open to the public in 2027. The bridge is part of the $329 million I-95 cap project that will create nearly 12 acres of parkland and connect Old City to the Delaware River waterfront at Penn’s Landing.

Work has been underway on the eastern abutment and support pier for the extension of the I-95 cover over Christopher Columbus Boulevard. Once complete, PennDOT will place steel deck beams over northbound and southbound I-95 in three phases from February to November 2026.

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Construction will start summer 2026 on the South Street Pedestrian Bridge, and it will open to the public in 2027. This is part of the $329 million I-95 cap project. (Renderings by Pennoni)
Construction will start summer 2026 on the South Street Pedestrian Bridge, and it will open to the public in 2027. This is part of the $329 million I-95 cap project. (Renderings by Pennoni)

After that, the Columbus Boulevard deck installation is scheduled from November 2026 through February 2027. Lane shifts for motorists will be in place during construction on I-95 and its adjacent ramps, and lane restrictions will occur on Columbus Boulevard and Front Street during construction.

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PennDOT expects the entire cap to be completed in 2029. The DRWC will work with the city to build the new park, with roughly a third of it sitting on top of I-95 and Columbus Boulevard.

The park will feature a “natural woodlands” playground, café space and an amphitheater. The Blue Cross RiverRink will also be relocated to the cap. Construction is expected to take a year to complete, meaning the park could open to the public in 2030.

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