Background/Analysis/Issues:

PennDOT has requested, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, that DVRPC amend the FFY2025 TIP for Pennsylvania by removing $138,037,000 of rescinded federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) grant funding from the Construction (CON) Phase of the Reconnecting our Chinatown (MPMS #119896) project and replacing the rescinded $12,477,000 RCP Final Design (FD) funding with $12,500,000 ($10,000,000 NHPP/$2,500,000 LOC) in FFY26. This action was tabled at the February 2026 RTC meeting.

On March 11, 2024 the project was awarded a 100% federal grant in the amount of $158,911,664 from the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) program in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. However, all unobligated grant funding from the NAE program was rescinded on July 4, 2025 by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This included all FD and CON funding for the Reconnecting our Chinatown project ($150,514,056). This proposed TIP action would replace the $12,477,000 FD funding that was rescinded to allow the project to continue to advance. Approximately $8,400,000 has been obligated for the Preliminary Engineering (PE) phase and was not rescinded, but the project cannot receive NEPA approval unless the FD funds are programmed on the TIP.

The project is located in the City of Philadelphia and is designed to mitigate impacts to the Philadelphia Chinatown community created by the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676). It will involve constructing a 1.3-acre, 730-foot-long cap over the Vine Street Expressway between 10th and 12th Streets, with green space and other community amenities. The project will also feature construction of a signature pedestrian bridge at 9th Street over the Vine Street Expressway as well as rehabilitation of the 10th and 11th Street bridges, including rehabilitation of the sidewalks and ADA curb ramps.

NEPA approval for the PE phase is anticipated for spring of 2026. There is significant support for this project from the Chinatown community, the City of Philadelphia, regional partners, and federal and state elected officials. This proposed TIP action would allow the project to avoid losing momentum and delays, by providing funding for the FD phase. Construction funds are included on the DVRPC Long-Range Plan, Update:

Connections 2050, and are assumed to be local funds at this time.

Financial Constraint:

Financial constraint will be maintained by making adjustments to other existing TIP projects whose schedules or costs have changed. The attached fiscal constraint charts
provided by PennDOT show all of the adjustments taking place in accordance with the TIP Memorandum of Understanding. All projects listed contribute to fiscal constraint.

Conformity Finding:

The TIP's current conformity finding will not be impacted by this amendment as this project is exempt from air quality analysis.

Cost and Source of Funds:

$12,500,000 ($10,000,000 NHPP/$2,500,000 LOC)

The Regional Technical Committee recommends the DVRPC Board approve TIP Action PA25-084, PennDOT’s request, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, that DVRPC amend the FFY2025 TIP for Pennsylvania by removing $138,037,000 of rescinded federal Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) grant funding from the Construction (CON) Phase of the Reconnecting our Chinatown (MPMS #119896) project and replacing the rescinded $12,477,000 RCP Final Design (FD) funding with $12,500,000 ($10,000,000 NHPP/$2,500,000 LOC) in FFY26.