Philly Safe Streets Advocates Want What San Francisco and New York Are Having

The idea of blocking major streets to private automobiles is making advocates envious in cities that have yet to implement the idea. A petition is circulating to give the car-free treatment to Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.

1 minute read

February 25, 2020, 10:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Center City, Philadelphia

Natalia Bratslavsky / Shutterstock

"Philadelphia should outlaw private cars on Chestnut Street," writes Randy LoBasso. "That’s become increasingly obvious to anyone who’s sat in a bus on that street, driven on it, walked it, or experienced the Center City corridor by any other means of travel."

LoBasso is taking cues from San Francisco and New York City—both of which have recently banned cars from major thoroughfares for the sake of all forms of non-automobile traffic. Others in Philadelphia have taken notice too, and have begun to coalesce grassroots support for the idea of blocking cars on Chestnut Street. City officials, however, are not as enthusiastic about the idea, according to LoBasso.

Friday, February 21, 2020 in Billy Penn

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I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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