The city of Philadelphia wanted to highlight a trail next to the Schuylkill River but could not connect it to the newly re-built South Street Bridge because the land between the railroad tracks and the river becomes too narrow to continue the Schuylkill River Trail southward. To solve this problem, the City of Philadelphia and SRDC built a 2,000 foot long concrete structure running parallel to the eastern shore of the river from Locust Street to the new stair tower South Street Bridge. Spanning the length of the trail and connecting the path to University City is 4,600 feet of continuous galvanized rail. 

The ramp and boardwalk are designed to accommodate emergency and maintenance vehicles. The boardwalks 15 wide pathway is supplemented by four widened overlooks that allow people to rest and enjoy the views along the boardwalk without blocking the trail.  The on-land trail seamlessly connects to the over-the-water boardwalk and runs to the South Street Bridge. There are two access points on the South Street Bridge: a 460? long ramp for bikes connects to the north side of the South Street Bridge, while a stair tower for pedestrians connects the boardwalk to the south side of the bridge. 

Although galvanizing would prevail as the preferred coating, the city did entertain the thought of a painted application. However, the durability of a painted product was questioned. Could a painted surface withstand the harsh northeast winters, sweltering summers, and continue to provide a durable coating aesthetically pleasing to the public? Understanding the characteristics and performance of galvanizing made its maintenance free longevity a clear cut winner in the coating decision. Through the corrosion resistance of hot-dip galvanizing, 19,000 weekly consisting of runners, walkers, and bikers now enjoy the pleasant appeal that the shinny metallic coating provides complimenting the length of the trail for decades to come.