PHILADELPHIA- Following on the success of the inaugural event in 2016, the City of Philadelphia will host its second Philly Free Streets program on Saturday, October 28, 2017, from 8AM to 1PM.
The 7-mile roundtrip route, between 3rd & Chestnut to 5th & Indiana, will create a car-free connection between Philadelphia’s Historic District and several diverse neighborhoods, then north to El Centro de Oro (“The Golden Block”) in the Fairhill neighborhood of North Philadelphia. A map of the route can be found at www.PhillyFreeStreets.com.
Led by the Managing Director’s Office of Transportation & Infrastructure Systems (oTIS), Philly Free Streets temporarily closes streets to cars, inviting people to walk and bike. Philly Free Streets highlights these active transportation options, as well as neighborhood walkability and its positive impacts on public health, the environment, business, and the community.
The October 2017 Philly Free Streets program is generously sponsored by Visit PHILADELPHIA and AARP Pennsylvania. Additionally, with the support of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the October 2017 Philly Free Streets will include programming that highlights the ways in which street design can promote healthy, livable neighborhoods by making the choice to walk and bike easier for Philadelphians.
“My commitment to improving neighborhoods and bettering the futures of children does not stop with the new Community Schools or expanded Pre-K,” said Mayor Kenney. “Philly Free Streets will transform our streets into a safe environment for physical activity and learning and further my commitment to improving neighborhoods and bettering the futures of children.”
People are invited to join the route at any point—there’s no formal start or finish. During the program, people are encouraged to support businesses along the route and to participate in the programming throughout. Additionally, there will be family-friendly programming along the route. Stay tuned for more details.
“The City of Philadelphia is committed to finding new and innovative ways to use our streets,” said Mike Carroll, Philadelphia’s Deputy Managing Director for Transportation & Infrastructure Systems. “Philly Free Streets will bring people together to experience our streets in a new way, while having fun, being social, and engaging in healthy activities.”
For more information regarding Philly Free Streets, including the map and program, details on volunteering, and how to become a Philly Free Streets sponsor, go to www.PhillyFreeStreets.com.