After $18 million and almost two-and-a-half years, the people of Philadelphia no longer have to travel to the Jersey Shore to take a stroll on the boardwalk.
The new boardwalk extends over the Schuylkill River and has been hosting about 19,000 visitors per week since the opening at the end of September.
The 2,000-foot extension to the Schuylkill River Trail is a concrete boardwalk that connects the trail from Locust Street to the South Street Bridge.
President and CEO of Schuylkill Banks, Joseph Syrnick discusses the importance of using concrete.
“We didn’t want to use wood on the boardwalk because…it is going to be underwater from time to time. Wood gets to be a real maintenance problem,” said Syrnick. “Wood warps, wood decays. Our boardwalk won’t do that, and it’s easier to clean up.”
The boardwalk was built to withstand the force of the Schuylkill in the most extreme conditions.
The pillars are driven 15-feet into the rock and the solar-powered lights are designed to keep working, even when fully submerged.
Schuylkill Banks is not finished expanding the trail yet. Syrnick claims the trail will eventually run from Valley Forge to Fort Mifflin.
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