ICYMI: Boyle Leads Effort to Restore Funding and Advance Path Forward for Chinatown Stitch Project

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) today brought together local officials, community leaders, and advocates at the Crane Center to outline a path forward for the Chinatown Stitch project following the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans' decision to rescind roughly $150 million in previously awarded federal funding.

Boyle, who spent years lobbying senior officials in the Biden administration to secure the funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, reaffirmed his commitment to the project and announced that he is serving as a lead cosponsor of the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient Infrastructure (REPAIR) Act, legislation that would restore billions in funding nationwide for projects like the Chinatown Stitch.

"I worked damn hard to get that $160 million grant, and I'm still upset that this president took this money from Philadelphia and took this money from those who live in and around this community," said Congressman Boyle. "But the good news is, and why we're standing here today is to say, this isn't the end of the project. We're not giving up, we're not quitting. I feel confident we have a very good plan B, and we're going to keep working at it until we are here celebrating in a few years."

The Chinatown Stitch project would cap the Vine Street Expressway (I-676), reconnecting both sides of Chinatown with new green space, safer streets, and a direct link to the Rail Park. The project was awarded nearly $160 million through the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to repair damage caused by past transportation decisions that divided neighborhoods and harmed local economies.

"Thank you, Congressman. You have been a huge supporter of Chinatown and this Chinatown Stitch project," said John Chin, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. "Imagine what this community could be if we can get the Chinatown Stitch built and the cap to cover it. It reconnects this community, but also expands the opportunity for small businesses to grow economically and create new jobs for this community and the city of Philadelphia."

Earlier this year, that funding was rescinded as part of a partisan Republican reconciliation bill that zeroed out unobligated funds from the program to help finance tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy - costing Philadelphia a once-in-a-generation opportunity to heal a highway that has cut Chinatown in half for decades.

Before the press conference, Boyle convened an off-the-record meeting with city and state officials and community leaders to assess the project's current status and identify next steps. The discussion focused on continuing progress using remaining obligated funds, exploring additional funding sources, and coordinating efforts to restore the lost federal investment.

Participants at today's event included John Chin, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation; State Senator Nikil Saval; Councilmember Mark Squilla; and additional state, local, and community leaders.

###