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

"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.