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Tue
Jul 26
2011

Sweating While Exploring the Dupont Crescent

The orange line is the new section of the trail

 

Running from Wharton St., under Grays Ferry Ave., and terminating at 34th St., the Dupont Crescent is the newest section of the Schuylkill River Trail. This section is not likely to get much attention or attract many visitors in the near future mostly due to its access points being in the middle of a little-known neighborhood and off the heavily trafficked 34th St. Also, because it lacks a connection to the existing trail which ends on Locust St., no one is likely to stumble upon this attractive slice of park next to the river.

Schematic for the park

We decided to check the new park out for ourselves. While the greenery seemed a little thirsty, and some details seemed unfinished, the park was a wonderful breath of green space in the middle of what is otherwise an industrial wasteland. And while we’re at it, can we get a huzzah for SRDC for creating most of this park on what was once a polluted and unusable tract of land?

 

Entrance at Wharton St.

In the distance, an old rail bridge that's no longer in use

 

Going under Grays Ferry Ave.

 

Looking up at 34th St.

 

Looking down from 34th St.

 

Looking north on 34th St.

Hopefully, with this isolated section of the trail nearly complete and the South St. boardwalk project coming up, the political will and financial wherewithal will materialize to fill the trail’s gap between 34th St. and South St. Fingers crossed, Philadelphia. Toes too, while you’re at it.

7
COMMENTS
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Posted in Grays Ferry | Tagged , , | 7 Comments
  • 3rd&Brown

    Didn’t Penn just buy the old Dupont Marshall Lab there? Hopefully they will redevelop the site intelligently and make sure their facilities embrace this trail. I think this would also be an interesting pocket of the city for redevelopment on a larger scale a la Toll Brothers, if any of this parcel which fronts the river could be rezoned residential (I assume not all of it belongs to Penn).

  • qguy

    I just walked the length of the trail in the crescent last Thu for the first time since last Sep. This should really develop beautifully as the landscaping matures. It’s very well done indeed.

    I only wish that more river views had been opened up. There’s only one place where you can actually amble over to the river and enjoy the scenic quality of the river. Even though the river is just a few feet away, it’s nearly completely hidden from the entire strip by existing dense tree and plant cover which extends to the ground. Those mature trees along the river are great. I’d just like to see a few spots where they were thinned slightly so we could enjoy the river more.

  • Vieux Pays

    I wouldn’t hold your breath on Penn.  Their plans for the lab are very long term.  And it may be nothing more than storage for maintenance equipment for foreseeable future.

  • Sarah C. Stuart

    For those of you interested in knowing more about how this trail segment (it’s officially called the Gray’s Ferry Crescent) will connect up with existing and future segments, please check out http://www.completethetrail.org 

    The Gary’s Ferry Crescent has its own page http://completethetrail.org/trail-segments/grays-ferry-crescent/  and does everyother segment from Cobbs Creek to the section up in Shawmont.

    Schuylkill River Development Corporation is embarking on a feasibility study to figure out how people can walk and bike from the South Street bridge down to this segment. http://completethetrail.org/trail-segments/west-bank-connector/

  • MauMauNation

    You are on to something here. This is an area I’ve been watching for a long, long time. I think you will see the redevelopment floodgates open once a deal can be negotiated to close the trash transfer station that is adjacent to the property now owned by Penn. As a matter of fact, the properties in the surronding neighborhood, many of them lots or abandoned houses, are showing increased activity in change of ownership. So, it looks like the speculators are getting interested.

  • http://nakedphilly.com/fishtown/tires-everywhere-in-empty-lot-in-fishtown/ Tires Everywhere in Empty Lot in Fishtown | NakedPhilly

    [...] all be better off if we have improved access to our rivers. With the Schuylkill River Trail growing in recent years, and continuing to expand in future years, things appear to be moving in the right direction to the [...]

  • http://nakedphilly.com/grays-ferry/something-brewing-in-forgotten-bottom/ Something Brewing in Forgotten Bottom? | NakedPhilly

    [...] features a newish baseball field, a rather large FedEx building, and the year-old entrance to the Dupont Crescent section of the Schuylkill River Trail. Neighborhood [...]

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