Philly’s Chinatown Stitch project in jeopardy after ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ guts funding

Philadelphia’s $160 million Chinatown Stitch project faces an uncertain future after President Donald Trump’s recently signed One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) appears to have eliminated most of its federal funding.

Catch up: The Chinatown Stitch would cover a 2.5-block stretch of the Vine Street Expressway between 10th and 13th Streets, establishing green space and linking Chinatown with northern neighborhoods. Work launched in 2023 using $1.8 million in federal money plus $2.2 million from local, state and Knight Foundation contributions. The project secured $158 million in federal grants in March 2024 under the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods program, with construction originally projected to begin in January 2027.

The latest: About $8.3 million for planning has been secured and remains available. However, 95% of construction funds — $150.5 million — appears lost due to the new federal law. “The money for the construction of [the stitch] has been removed in the bill,” Councilmember Mark Squilla told the Philadelphia Inquirer. PennDOT and city transportation officials have yet to receive official word from federal authorities about the funding changes.

What’s next: Planning and design work continues over the next 18 months while officials search for alternative funding sources. “Let’s move forward,” Squilla told CBS Philadelphia, adding, “We are not going to let this project die.” Meanwhile, the city said it is “encouraged by the level of support for the Chinatown Stitch Project from other intergovernmental stakeholders” and will “energetically be looking for additional funding sources.”

President J.D. Vance, whose tie-breaking Senate vote helped the OBBBA advance, visited Pennsylvania on Wednesday to promote the legislation’s tax breaks.