Keep MLK Drive Closed! (Philadelphia, Allentown: how much, construction, taxi driver)

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

As you said, the driver will be employers, not employees. 36 Million people have received pink slips in the past 2 months. They will not be driving this decision.

And corporate execs see a cost/benefit to a WFH workforce, which is why FB, Dell, Microsoft, Twitter and others are moving to make it permanent.

Pertaining to the original post, it will take a whole lot of WFH to make sense taking an artery like MLK offline...

Sure, the main driver will be employer cost savings, but it will also be talent recruitment and retention. The best and brightest will simply refuse to go to an office every day and find a company which enables more flexible working. Bottom line though it's very likely that millions of workers will be driving a whole lot less Monday-Friday. Is it enough to make 76 palatable for daily driving? Hopefully...

[eliza61nyc]

Or maybe extend the time it's close until say November

[TownDweller]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

Sure, the main driver will be employer cost savings, but it will also be talent recruitment and retention. The best and brightest will simply refuse to go to an office every day and find a company which enables more flexible working. Bottom line though it's very likely that millions of workers will be driving a whole lot less Monday-Friday. Is it enough to make 76 palatable for daily driving? Hopefully...

I agree, there will be millions driving less Monday-Friday and less congested rush hours after this is over. But the Schuylkill palatable for daily driving.... Lol

[Pennsport]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

I agree, there will be millions driving less Monday-Friday and less congested rush hours after this is over. But the Schuylkill palatable for daily driving.... Lol

LOL... you could be right. The Schuylkill is the absolute worst.

[Muinteoir]

It's been fantastic to see the number of people out enjoying the generous amount of space to bike, run, and walk this week. It's crazy, because this part of West Fairmount used to be quite vacant of pedestrians. This is a once in a century opportunity to drastically improve Philadelphia's park space and bike accessibility. Let's not miss this opportunity. Keep it closed!

[Redddog]

Welp. All the speculation of an institutional shift to Work From Home is all for naught.

I have to go into Conshy three times a week for work. The insanity on the Schuykill is as bad as it ever was pre-covid.

People around here are absolutely nuts behind the wheel.

[Muinteoir]

For those who agree with keeping it closed, sign here: Reimagine MLK 2021 -

[Redddog]

You have to fix 76 before you redirect ANY traffic to that stretch.

And, as it has been stated many times before, fixing 76 is nearly impossible. Mainly, in my opinion, because of the insane idiots that drive that road.

[rowhomecity]

I like how MLK was closed on Sundays Pre Covid. And I think that was smart programming.

Lets be honest though. During the week... Monday - Friday during the day not a lot of people are out on Kelly Drive or MLK drive for recreation purposes. Most are out around 4PM - 7 PM.. sometimes 8PM in the summer months.

The majority of people using Kelly and MLK drive are out on the weekends or the hours of 4PM - 7PM during the week.

MLK drive is 100% used as a reliever road to 76 during the weekdays Pre Covid and congestion on 76 would even be worst than it is if MLK were to close. Many people will take MLK to Bellevue and then cut across Fairmount Park to get to Montgomery Ave and City Ave to access the Lower Mainline suburbs as a 76 alternative route.

Saturday's Pre Covid the city would attract many suburbanites into Center City...so again 76 would usually be back logged.

I say keep the Sunday closure but otherwise I do not see a need to extend that further...

[Muinteoir]

I mean, we have Kelly Drive as an alternative route. The only other exits off of MLK are into West Fairmount or Wynnefield, and Wynnefield is accessible from the Falls Bridge.

As a driver who lives in NW Philly and drives to West Philly somewhat often, I just don't understand favoring high-speed congested traffic running through our amazing parks. I'd rather be inconvenienced and have that space. Us Americans are way too addicted to our vehicles.