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Cyclists and joggers use Martin Luther King Drive on March 11, 2021, which has been closed to traffic since the start of the pandemic. (Emma Lee/WHYY)
Days after City Hall announced that Martin Luther King Drive will reopen to auto traffic in August, bicycle and pedestrian advocates say the future of the scenic roadway is still in play.
To them, the news came as a defeat after months of advocacy to make the closure permanent and a related petition that has drawn more than 5,000 signatures. But Randy LoBasso, from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, which authored the petition, said his group isn’t giving up their efforts. The group is planning a rally to highlight the success of the temporary closure to traffic and says if they can’t stop automobiles from returning, they want to see a mutually acceptable compromise –– perhaps splitting up the roadway to allow for car lanes while also expanding bike and pedestrian areas.