Editing Philadelphias Grid Plan (section)

== Major Streets and Layout ==

The plan's two principal streets—Broad Street and High Street (Market Street)—were significantly wider than the others, intended to serve as the city's main arteries. High Street, running from the Delaware River to the Schuylkill, was designed as the commercial spine of the city, with a market established in its center from the earliest days of settlement. Broad Street, running north-south, was envisioned as a grand ceremonial avenue, though it would not be fully developed as such until the late 19th century. The intersection of these two streets at Centre Square marked the geometric center of Penn's plan, the site he intended for public buildings and eventually occupied by [[Philadelphia City Hall]].<ref name="gallery">{{cite book |last=Gallery |first=John Andrew |title=Philadelphia Architecture: A Guide to the City |year=1994 |publisher=Foundation for Architecture |location=Philadelphia}}</ref>

The numbered streets of the grid begin at the Delaware River and increase westward: Front Street (originally First Street, but renamed because it fronted the river), then 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on to the Schuylkill. The major cross-streets—Market, Chestnut, Walnut, and Locust—were wider than the minor streets between them, creating a hierarchy of thoroughfares that distinguished commercial from residential areas. This basic framework remains intact today, though the city has expanded far beyond Penn's original boundaries and development has long since filled in the lots Penn hoped would remain garden plots. The numbered street system has extended into North, South, and West Philadelphia, providing a consistent address system across much of the city.<ref name="weigley"/>