Mayor celebrates new "Gateways to Philadelphia" mural and highway beautification improvements

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The city of Philadelphia is making sure visitors experience a welcome that is bold and vibrant ahead of America's 250th Birthday celebration.

A dedication ceremony took place at Fairmount Water Works in the Fairmount Park section of Philadelphia on Tuesday for the new "One Philly, United City, with Love" mural.

The massive mural spans the wall along the Schuylkill Expressway near Spring Garden Street.

It's one of 7 sites part of the "Gateways to Philadelphia" project.

"This has been designed to ensure that you, the people of the city of Philadelphia, that we get accustomed to a higher standard," said Mayor Cherelle Parker.

Work for the project began in fall 2025 and includes ongoing graffiti and litter-clean up, painting of walls, overpasses, and on and off-ramps, public artworks, and landscaping from the airport to key Center City locations.

The targeted list of priority locations includes 26th Street Gateway at Penrose Avenue, South Street Bridge, 30th Street Station, and several interchanges along I-76 and I-676.