Experience Trolley Portal Gardens at 40th and Baltimore!

Trolley Portal Gardens, UCD's brand new public space at 40th and Baltimore, is the culmination of years of fundraising, planning, and construction to transform the 40th Street Trolley Portal into a welcoming, inclusive neighborhood amenity. The space is also home to the brand new Trolley Car Station restaurant, which is officially open to the public! 

Through a unique public-private partnership with SEPTA, the City of Philadelphia, and neighborhood stakeholders, UCD raised $2.1 million to transform the 40th Street Trolley Portal, the busiest at-grade rail station in the city. By combining great urban design, infrastructure renewal and community engagement, UCD transformed the space from an unsightly expanse of concrete into a vibrant and social space featuring beautiful landscaping, movable seating, and a new restaurant that serves as a community asset for thousands of neighbors, commuters and local employees. Trolley Portal Gardens serves as a beautiful gateway for West Philadelphia trolley passengers and a welcoming public space for neighbors.

The new establishment, Trolley Car Station, will be an eastern anchor on the fast-growing Baltimore Avenue business corridor, where tens of thousands of neighbors, commuters, university students, and employees from the nearby VA Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia converge. The site design emphasizes safety and comfort for the estimated 5,000 riders who board or exit trolleys at the Portal each day. The project improves pedestrian circulation while using cutting-edge stormwater management techniques that replace impervious surfaces with lush wildflower meadow-like mounds planted with native species. The overall aesthetic improvements will enhance the commutes of nearly 60,000 riders who pass through the Portal each day.

Green City Works, UCD’s full service landscaping social venture, will maintain the space, ensuring that the neighborhood’s beautification is tied to growth and opportunity for local residents. Thank You! This project would not be possible without the support and collaboration of the neighborhood. UCD is excited to realize the dream of upgrading this area into a magnificent public space for thousands of neighbors, commuters, and local employees