PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia is receiving federal funds to dredge the Schuylkill River near Boathouse Row, and work could start this summer.
While standing on the banks of the Schuylkill on Monday, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, detailed a $13 million investment over the course of two fiscal years from the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act signed into law in November.
Casey's office had previously announced $5 million for that project in January, with another $8 million unveiled in March.
He said the project is designed to help remediate flooding on the Schuylkill River by Fairmount Park. In September 2021, the remnants of Hurricane Ida led the Schuylkill River to rise to its highest flood level in 152 years.
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“This money, for this dredging project by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, will preserve the health of the river and make it more navigable, so we can continue to see the benefits of all that happens behind me,” said Casey.
“This infrastructure law, when you look at it more broadly, is an investment in the people of Pennsylvania and the people of our country.“
Crews will focus much of their efforts on the Boathouse Row area, at a time when numerous events like the Dad Vail Regatta have returned to the Schuylkill River rowing calendar after postponements from COVID-19.
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“Obviously it’s a huge investment in the rowing community and Boathouse Row, which are the pride of Philadelphia and known all over the world,” Casey said. “But this investment also helps drive the economy of the entire region, and drive the tourism economy as well.”
“This critical funding, whether for the dredge or other projects to protect the Delaware River, is critical to Philadelphia’s climate resiliency,” said Mayor Jim Kenney, “and is only possible because of the hard work being done in Washington by Sen. Casey and the Biden/Harris administration.”
The mayor said since the bipartisan infrastructure law was passed, Philadelphia has received $20 million in federal funding to support rivers, roads, and bridges.
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