City of Philadelphia, PA
01/09/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/09/2026 12:36
Mayor Cherelle Parker, City and State Officials Announce the “Gateways to Philadelphia” Anti-Graffiti & Highway Beautification Project on Interstate 76
Philadelphia - Today, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and the Office of Clean and Green Initiatives in partnership with Mural Arts Philadelphia and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society announced the launch of the "Gateways to Philadelphia" Anti-Graffiti & Highway Beautification Project, a major component of Mayor Parker's commitment to position Philadelphia as the safest, cleanest and greenest big city in the nation in time for the celebration of America's 250th birthday. The City of Philadelphia's Office of Clean and Green Initiatives in partnership with city, state, nonprofit, and private partners, will implement a comprehensive set of highway beautification and landscaping improvements to major entryways and interchanges along the highway corridor from the airport and 30th Street Station to Independence Hall in advance of the nation's 250th birthday celebrations.
"Our highways serve as both literal and symbolic entryways to our city and downtown," said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. "They provide a canvas through which Philadelphia can welcome the world, immediately immersing visitors in our unique urban landscape, and ultimately exciting them for their stay. Moreover, investing in our highways now will spur long-lasting impact for Philadelphians. Businesses and residents care deeply about the cleanliness, appeal, and environmental quality of our city. Our leading non-profit partners Mural Arts and PHS have provided their expertise in designing and executing this comprehensive highway beautification and landscape project. Special thanks go to our philanthropic partners including the Pew Charitable Trusts, Neubauer Family Foundation, Connelly Foundation, Philadelphia Foundation, and the Funder Collaborative. Through this partnership the City of Philadelphia is creating a unified, Philadelphia-specific design and landscaping aesthetic to increase civic pride, stimulate tourism, and offer a platform for workforce and economic development for Philadelphians to benefit from well into the future."
In 2026, Philadelphia is projected to welcome over 1 million tourists and visitors from across the country and world to celebrate the United States' semi-quincentennial, the FIFA World Cup, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and other marquee events. The 250th anniversary of the nation's founding affords Philadelphia a generational opportunity to shine on the international stage - and the first impressions these visitors will have of our city matter to make them feel welcome, excited for their visit, and likely to come again. This comprehensive initiative targets key transportation gateways, addressing long-standing graffiti removal needs and delivering significant landscape enhancements to priority traffic corridors and spaces.
"This year, Pennsylvania is expecting more than 209 million visitors," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. "Under Governor Shapiro's leadership, we're hard at work making sure the Commonwealth is ready for folks across the world to visit and celebrate Pennsylvania's integral role in the founding of our country 250 years ago. Our highways are critical entry point to the region, and we're excited to work with the City of Philadelphia and our other partners to give visitors a warm welcome to Philadelphia."
The project encompasses graffiti abatement, highway beautification, visually and environmentally impactful gardening and landscapes and the integration of public art, most notably a seminal 250th-themed mural on the wall abutting I-76 at Spring Garden Street.
"Our goal is not just to clean up but to transform these spaces," said Carlton Williams, Director, Office of Clean and Green Initiatives. "Through our collaboration with long-standing state, non-profit, corporate and community partners, we are replacing blight with beauty and fostering community pride. This project is a tangible example of how Mayor Parker's administration is delivering lasting improvements in every neighborhood. It aligns perfectly with our ongoing citywide cleaning and greening programs and strengthens our shared commitment to a revitalized Philadelphia that every resident and business can be proud of. It is a direct investment in our communities and a critical step in preparing Philadelphia to shine on the world stage for America's 250th anniversary."
The Concept and Vision
The Gateways to Philadelphia reimagines seven major gateways to the city to ensure visitors coming to the city experience a welcome that is bold and vibrant. The vision is to create a consistent color scheme for the gateways and install a high-quality planting design from the airport to key locations downtown. Consistency of design and improvements at each location ensures that visitors arriving by plane, train, or automobile all experience the same high-quality introduction to our city.
The targeted list of priority locations includes:
- 26th Street Gateway at Penrose Avenue
- South Street Bridge, walls, medians and on/off-ramps
- 30th Street Station walls, medians and ramps
- I-76 and I-676 interchange at 15th and 16th Streets and Vine Street
- I-76 and I-676 interchange at 6th and 8th Streets and Callowhill/Vine Streets
- I-76 and I-95 interchange at 2nd and 3rd Streets and Callowhill/Vine Streets
- CSX/Amtrak wall at Spring Garden Street
Work for the project began fall 2025 and will progress through May 2026. Improvements will include ongoing graffiti abatement and litter-clean up, painting of walls, overpasses, and on and off-ramps, and visually striking landscaping of medians and highway entrances, exits, and planting areas. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society will oversee the design and maintenance of new gardens and landscape features throughout these sites. This project unites two visionary local nonprofits to re-imagine what these highly visible urban corridors can be.
"This project reflects a shared vision for transforming Philadelphia's most visible spaces expanding on PHS's long-time commitment to making our gateways and public spaces beautiful," said Matt Rader, President of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. "This spring and for years to come, Philadelphians and visitors alike will experience the impact of that vision. With more than 85 trees, 500 shrubs, nearly 2,700 ornamental grasses, and over 96,000 bulbs planted, this holistic effort brings partners together around a common goal and creates a landscape that is greener, more resilient, and welcoming to everyone who enters the city."
The project will also feature a transformative, 250th-themed mural on the existing, heavily graffitied wall abutting I-76 at Spring Garden Street. Mural Arts Philadelphia will oversee the design and installation of this mural, which will celebrate Philadelphia's unique urban fabric and role in the nation's history.
"Mural Arts is deeply grateful to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and to the many partners who made this work possible," said Jane Golden, Executive Director of Mural Arts Philadelphia. "This is one of the most complex and ambitious projects we've undertaken, with work being created in active highway and rail corridors. It requires careful planning, night work, and close coordination-and we are up to the challenge. Beginning this spring, Philadelphians and visitors alike will enjoy the result: incredible new artworks by local artists that bring artistry, vitality, and beauty to the spaces we pass through every single day."
The estimated total cost of the initiative is $11.5 million from city, state and philanthropic funding to support project installation and long-term maintenance.
"2026 is a monumental year for both Philadelphia and the nation," said Donna Frisby-Greenwood, the senior vice president who leads Philadelphia work for The Pew Charitable Trusts. "As the country marks its 250th anniversary, this is a significant opportunity to showcase Philadelphia, the birthplace of democracy and Pew's hometown. We are thrilled to support the Gateways project to beautify the city's highway entry points-from the airport and 30th Street Station to Independence Mall-through landscaping, murals, and design enhancements that reflect a bold and vibrant Philadelphia for the millions of visitors we expect this year and for Philadelphians as well."
"The Gateways to Philadelphia initiative represents a meaningful investment in our city's identity and future," said Pedro A. Ramos, President and CEO of Philadelphia Foundation. "By transforming the corridors that welcome residents and visitors alike, we are strengthening Philadelphia's reputation as a vibrant, world-class city while fostering the civic pride that drives lasting community impact in our region."
"On America's big birthdays, the nation looks to Philadelphia, the place where the United States was born," said Christopher Levenick, Program Director of Civic Renewal at the Connelly Foundation and the Administrator of the Funder Collaborative. "Those big birthdays have in turn shaped Philadelphia, from the Centennial District to FDR Park and Independence Mall. Thanks to the Gateways project, 2026 will be no different. Local philanthropy is delighted to support this effort to beautify high-traffic areas in the city, for the benefit of visitors and residents alike."
The project is being delivered through a robust network of city, state, private and nonprofit partners, including the Office of Clean and Green, Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP), Streets Department, Managing Director's Office, Office of Strategic Partnerships, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Mural Arts Philadelphia, PennDOT, CSX, Amtrak and HRP Group. Landscape architectural firm Ground Reconsidered and engineering consulting firm Pennoni have been retained to guide the design and engineering phases from development through execution, ensuring that installations meet high standards for sustainability and impact. Philanthropic investors include Pew Charitable Trusts, Neubauer Family Foundation, Connelly Foundation, Philadelphia Foundation, and the Funder Collaborative.
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City of Philadelphia, PA published this content on January 09, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 09, 2026 at 18:36 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]