Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Open Streets

Miraculous! Philly’s Open Streets Open Eyes During Papal Visit

2:56 PM EDT on September 29, 2015

Father-son soccer in the street on 16th near Spruce pic.twitter.com/Mt47dbiHJo — Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) September 27, 2015

The official name for it was the "traffic box" -- the 4.7-square-mile chunk of center city Philadelphia where incoming motor vehicles weren't allowed when Pope Francis was in town this weekend. But rather than the traffic nightmare some anticipated, something wonderful happened: #popenstreets.

Suddenly the streets felt public. Neighbors were hanging out together. Kids played. Holly Otterbein at Philadelphia Magazine called it "an urbanist utopia":

Blissed-out pedestrians are walking down the middle of roads as big as Broad and Market, and hordes of people are crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Cyclists are giddy by the extra room. Some residents are even turning the streets into impromptu picnic spots and playgrounds.

The local media, and a lot of residents, were generally euphoric about the situation. In another article, Philly Mag listed "10 Reasons Why Philadelphia Is a Better Version of Itself Right Now." One reason being: "There's none of the undercurrent of anger and tension that you see when bikes and cars are on the road at the same time."

This whole #PopenStreets thing is phenomenal. @JimFKenney seriously this plus @septa let's ban cars all the time pic.twitter.com/ko1D0CxRfZ — Victoria (@108_Victoria_St) September 26, 2015

"It's like a block party," one reveler told the City Paper, which was a common sentiment. The Inquirer wrote that the closed Ben Franklin Bridge was "one big block party."

Biggest crowd of the day so far...Priests playing frisbee on 2nd. @CBSPhilly #CBSPhillyPope pic.twitter.com/5t08Ylb8qE — Michael Cerio (@TheMichaelCerio) September 26, 2015

Large group of pilgrims from Newark makes its way crossing BFB to attend #PopeInPhilly (photo for @NewsWorksWHYY ) pic.twitter.com/soA49bSFgM

— Bastiaan Slabbers (@BasSlabbers) September 26, 2015

Rebuilding the Rust Belt said the car-free days enabled "people to experience human-oriented streets, the sudden and widespread freedom from cars had an effect no amount of logic, graphics, advocacy, or public meetings could achieve."

Photo: Patrick Miner
Photo: Patrick Miner
Photo: Patrick Miner

There was even a Pope Ride, where swarms of people on bikes took advantage of the absence of cars to take part in a 10-mile group ride.

Following the PopeRide, the city's likely next mayor, Jim Kenney, said Philly should open its streets "even when the pope's not here." Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron agreed.

Hat tip: Plan Philly

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Don’t Feel the Need for Speed

Tell me again, which constitutional amendment is it that gives people the right to drive as fast as they want?

December 1, 2023

Talking Headways Podcast: The Sexy World of Bus Speeds

When you start to add up the numbers, you can see why agency leaders would be interesting in finding ways to reduce those costs.

November 30, 2023

Thursday’s Headlines See Daylight

Daylighting, or removing parking near intersections, is an often overlooked way to improve pedestrian safety.

November 30, 2023

Why So Many U.S. Drivers Think Speeding Is Perfectly Safe

Do Americans hit lethal speeds because they're in a rush, or because they have no idea that they're increasing their chances of death with every tick of the odometer?

November 30, 2023

Highway Boondoggles 2023: Habitat Devastation in the Hoosier State

Plans for a new 54-mile highway in southern Indiana threaten thousands of acres of forests, farmland and wildlife habitat. So why is Indiana forging ahead anyway?

November 30, 2023
See all posts