Burying the highway has also opened up thousands of acres in the old dock lands to development, he argued. Standing on the greenway, the area's new federal courthouse and new Institute of Contemporary Art beckon from across the channel.
"Taking down the elevated structure that was separating the waterfront from downtown was a renaissance event," Dimino argued. "It opened view corridors we're only beginning to feel and understand."
He and Mullen concede that the turnpike authority is still stuck with a massive debt. "But I think it would be wrong to blame the artery project alone," Dimino said. "We haven't raised the gas tax since 1991, and toll increases were deferred for years."
Cutler isn't convinced. "I can't really answer the question, 'Is it worth it?' The Big Dig wasn't done to knit back the city," she said. "It was done because rush hour was horrible."
Greenberger hopes the waterfront master plan will help break the impasse in Philadelphia. "I want the planners to tell us who is using this road, and do we really need it?"
"We understand," he continued, "that this is a balancing act, between the needs of traffic and the needs of waterfront development."
Cutler offered proponents this glimmer of support: "If an earthquake takes out I-95," she said, "I promise not to rebuild it."
Contact architecture critic Inga Saffron at 215-854-2213 or isaffron@phillynews.com.
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