Came across these blog posts. Seems like it could significantly increase waterfront accessibility in Center City, at a lower cost than entirely capping I-95.

http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/...ap_sketch.html
http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/.../i670_cap.html

__________________
Welcome to Philadelphia. Here's how you can help us make our great city even better:

• Write to your state and local elected officials
• Report suspicious activity to the police department

They would only physically be possible from about Market st to Bainbridge St. The problem is that the rest of 95 is at or above street level. There are already overpasses at Market, Chestnut, Walnut, and Spruce where 95 was lowered deep enough to allow them. The problem isn't "capping 95" it is that you'd have to significantly lower 95 in order to build over it. Then on the East side, along Columbus, the street level is WAY beneath what it is at say, Front and Market Street. In the photos you posted, the land on both sides of the highway were at the same height.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is any good solution to connecting the waterfront, at least from Christian up to Arch.

Yeah, like I said it would only be for Center City. The Market St, Chestnut St, etc bridges are there, but there isn't retail along them, as is the case with the Columbus overpass. I think adding that could make a big difference, if feasible from an engineering standpoint.

Then there's also stuff like these houses in Rotterdam. They're basically on a bridge over a highway.

__________________
Welcome to Philadelphia. Here's how you can help us make our great city even better:

• Write to your state and local elected officials
• Report suspicious activity to the police department

As I said, the real problem is that the river side of 95 is significantly lower than the west side. There would still be that huge dropoff which results in ramps or stairs and creates the divide that no one wants to cross.

Tim, I don't understand your point about the "drop-off" being a great encumbrance toward bridging I-95 with buildings. In the past, before I-95 was constructed, the "grid" went all the way down to Delaware Ave. — despite the slope.

Front Street was originally laid out on a high line of hills and cliffs above the river. In time, the cliffs were leveled and smoothed out, while the river was filled in to create docking areas below. Water Street, and later Delaware Ave., were laid out on the newly created flat land below Front St. Thus, many old buildings were five stories high on Water St. and only three stories high on Front. St., to allow for the slope. Public stairways connected Front. St. and Water St. in some locations (one remains today at Wood St.).

Today, I-95 has obliterated Water St. and pushed the "drop-off" a block closer to the river than it used to be. But that should have no bearing on whether, let's say, the Chestnut St. bridge over I-95 should have shops constructed bordering it and spanning the highway.

Nanyika

It could work, but what's the point? The problem with I-95 isn't the crossings, it's that there's nothing on the other side. The Seaport Museum is trip worth making, but only once or twice. The same for the Olympia and Becuna. The Ice Rink is nice enough, but that's three, maybe four months out of the year. Otherwise, it's a pretty dreadful destination. The Great Plaza is at best an okay plaza. The park space is massive tracts of brick, with some grass and a few token trees here and there. Most of the space is occupied by vast, mostly empty, parking lots. Right now, the biggest attraction is the view....of Camden? Ick. And as long as long as Penn's Landing is run by Vince Fumo and his cronies, not much is going to change. Build those bridges, or even cap 95. It won't make a difference. Chickens may cross the road for the sole purpose of getting to the other side, but people won't. You've got to give them a reason.

__________________
“Stupidity has a certain charm - ignorance does not”

Ahh, bike paths, didn't you know.

__________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0x-fkSYDtUY

"Censorship is free advertising by the government"--Federico Fellini

"Do you mind if I smoke while you eat?"

Oh, come on. What about the Sheet Metal Workers' Hall and the Penn Warehousing pier. Perfect place to take the kids on a cold winter's day.

Because the point the OP made about bridging 95 with shops was as a way to connect the rest of the city to the waterfront. With a 60ft dropoff shops aren't going to connect market street to the waterfront. Regardless of what you put over 95 there....shops, parks, courtyards....even if you completely cover it over....at the end you are still left with a 40-60ft dropoff. There would have to be a smooth transition from Front and Market to Columbus blvd to really get people to walk down there. People aren't going to use ramps, stairs or elevators. I think you'd have to bury 95 completely and gradually slope Market, Chestnut, etc. down to Columbus if you ever want to truly "connect it" to the rest of the city.

Sounds like someone in Columbus took a stroll on Florence's Ponte Vecchio. It's had shops hanging off each side since the 14th Century.

http://concise.britannica.com/ebc/ar...ge-in-Florence