Dear and clear

Though she loves living on the 800 block of Fitzwater Street because she can quickly walk to South Street, Maxine Latimer has always felt tense about the latter thoroughfare’s role in causing discord among pedestrians and drivers. Wishing that fewer cars would cover the expanse, the Bella Vista resident will have her wish from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday when the City of Philadelphia, through the Managing Director’s Office of Transportation & Infrastructure Systems, holds Philly Free Streets, an invitation to enjoy a nearly 10-mile expanse minus the presence of automobiles.

“When I heard in August that [Mayor Jim] Kenney would be making this a reality, I thought it would be a huge step toward appreciating what our blocks can offer without the impediment of cars on them,” Latimer said of the decision by Kenney, who will lead a mile-long power walk . “I think of cars as a necessary evil and clear space as an absolute treat, so this should be fun.”

The City had intended the occasion to run slightly more than seven miles but expanded the route thanks to what it dubbed “an overwhelming response” from communities eager to promote the benefits of walking and biking. The impressive expanse will run from Front and South streets to the South Street Bridge, hit the Schuylkill River Trail, venture into West Fairmount Park, and continue on to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to the Falls Bridge. That huge chunk of South Philly turf greatly appeals to Latimer and boyfriend Byron Altasair, both health care workers.

“Like Maxine said, you can’t escape cars, but it’s’ great to be a bit more active,” the resident of the 1300 block of South Fifth Street said, touching on the Philly Free Streets website’s Frequently Asked Questions section, where one can learn that among large American cities, Philadelphia, sadly, has the highest rates of diabetes, hypertension, and premature cardiovascular death. “So what if people have to move their cars for a day. That’s not the proper movement to be concerned with anyway.”

In prohibiting parking and driving along the aforementioned stretches, with some exceptions explained through phillyfreestreets.com, the day’s overseers are hoping to highlight the impact that active transportation has on businesses, communities, the environment, and public health, with the expanded route set to “engage more neighborhoods and communities and make this event even more impactful,” according to Deputy Managing Director Clarena I.W. Tolson, who stated Philly Free Street attendees will have a chance to earn rewards by completing challenges, participating in activities, or exploring the city through our scavenger hunt.”

While motorists, who can take solace in knowing the City will relax parking river to river from Locust Street to Washington Avenue and that zone parkers can go outside of their boundaries along the same perimeter, might find themselves miffed, those eschewing engines will spend five hours of bike riding lessons, boot camps, group rides and runs, interactive educational games, mural mazes, and music performances.

“Think about the length of all of this,” Altasair said of the South Street inclusion. “You’re going to want to take advantage of it all. If I were making a slogan, I’d say ‘Forget your keys, and move your knees.’” SPR

Visit phillyfreestreets.com.

Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com.