Chinatown Stitch project in Philadelphia uncertain after Trump administration appears to strip federal funding
A transformational effort to reconnect Philadelphia's Chinatown may be in jeopardy after a Republican-backed federal bill, signed into law by President Trump, appears to have stripped nearly all of the project's promised funding.
The Chinatown Stitch project, first announced in 2023, aimed to cap the Vine Street Expressway (I-676) between 10th and 13th streets, creating new public green space, safer streets, and better access to jobs, schools, and services in one of the city's most historic neighborhoods.
The Biden administration had pledged nearly $160 million toward the project. But now, only $8.3 million in planning funds have been officially released; enough to keep design efforts underway, but not nearly enough to break ground.
"It's really disappointing that the funding is not there right now," John Chin, the executive director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Coalition, said.
Advocates like Chin said the project has far-reaching potential, not just for urban planning, but for equity and economic revitalization in Chinatown.
"It can create jobs, better neighborhood conditions, and improve the quality of housing," Chin said. "That's what we really want from this project."
Despite the funding setback, City Councilmember Mark Squilla, who represents Chinatown, remains hopeful.
"Let's move forward," Squilla said. "We have the money for the design. Let's make sure we get the best possible project … We are not going to let this project die."
So far, neither PennDOT nor the City's Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) has received official guidance from federal authorities about the impact of the new legislation.
In a statement to CBS News Philadelphia, the city said: "The City has been encouraged by the level of support for the Chinatown Stitch Project from other intergovernmental stakeholders at the federal and state level, and as always, we will energetically be looking for additional funding sources in the future."
The design and engineering phase is expected to continue over the next 18 months. Chin said in the meantime, they'll pursue alternative sources of funding.
"Our hope is that we will finish up the design and construction drawing process in the next 18 months," Chin said. "In the meantime, we will apply for other money that still exists."
The Chinatown Stitch has long been viewed as an opportunity to heal the scars left by the construction of the Vine Street Expressway, a project that physically divided Chinatown decades ago. For now, the future of the stitch remains uncertain, but the fight to reconnect the community continues.
