Editing Rail Park (section)

== Park Development ==

Friends of the Rail Park, a nonprofit organization, championed the viaduct's conversion to park use, advocating for the vision while raising funds and building community support. The group's efforts eventually secured public and private funding for design and construction of the first phase. Studio Bryan Hanes designed the quarter-mile initial segment, creating accessible pathways, seating areas, and overlooks while preserving the structure's industrial character and the vegetation that had colonized it during years of abandonment.<ref name="railpark"/>

The park's design balances multiple objectives that might conflict in other settings. The preserved vegetation provides greenery and habitat that formal landscaping would not match. Industrial elements—rail tracks, steel structure, utilitarian details—remind visitors of the site's history. Accessible pathways allow use by people with mobility limitations. Overlooks provide views of the surrounding neighborhood and Center City skyline. The design achieves a distinctive character that derives from the site's specific conditions rather than generic park conventions.<ref name="gallery"/>