Mayor Jim Kenney says scheduled street cleaning will be back in every neighborhood in the city by the time his second term, which began yesterday, ends in 2023. If he follows through, Philadelphia will no longer be the only major U.S. city not to have regular street sweeping.

Budget cuts that began in the 1970s spelled the end of street sweeping across the city by the late 90s. Since then, vocal concerns over neighborhood residents having to move their cars on possible cleaning days have, in part, prevented a sweeping program from coming back.  Continue Reading

If you’re looking for something to do this New Year’s Eve and on New Year’s Day, check out information below on New Year’s Eve fireworks and the 2020 Mummers Parade. If you’re planning to use public transportation for any of these events, check out information on SEPTA’s Holiday service. More events can be found here.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks on the Waterfront

2020 is coming and you can ring it in twice on the Delaware River Waterfront on Tuesday. As always, there will be two firework shows  – at 6 p.m. and midnight, each about 15 minutes long. The best places to watch the fireworks are the Delaware River Waterfront, both Philadelphia and New Jersey sides. On the Philly side, you can get a great view from Penn’s Landing, at the Blue Cross RiverRink WinterFest, near the Battleship New Jersey, and more locations. One of our favorite places to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks is Race Street Pier near Ben Franklin Bridge (check out the map here).  Continue Reading

City Council voted this week to change the 10-year tax abatement that has helped spur development in West Philly and elsewhere.

The abatement, which has been in place since 2000, exempted property improvements from taxes for 10 years, making property value increases on big improvements, like ground-up rehab or construction, virtually tax free.

Under the bill passed on Thursday, the tax abatement on residential properties would start at 100 percent and decrease 10 percent per year. The modified abatement will go into effect on Dec. 31, 2020.  Continue Reading

The City Council on Thursday passed a bill banning “single-use” plastic bags in the city.

The ban means that places like supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations, take-out restaurants, farmer’s markets and even food trucks will have to either switch to paper bags or offer their customers an option to buy a reusable bag. A similar ban already exists in other cities, like New York.

If signed into law by Mayor Jim Kenney, the ban would go into effect on July 2, 2020.  Continue Reading

2019 Philadelphia Marathon course map (click to enlarge).

The 2019 Philadelphia Marathon will be held this weekend, with some events, including a half-marathon, scheduled on Saturday, Nov. 23 and the main event on Sunday, Nov. 24 (beginning at 6:55 a.m.). The event attracts over 30,000 runners and 60,000 spectators,  so road closures and detours begin as early as Friday. If you’re planning to drive in the area this weekend, check out the details below.

The following road closures have been announced ahead of the 2019 marathon:

Friday, November 22

The inner-drive lanes (both directions) of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway will be closed, from 9:30 a.m. until 2:45 p.m.. At 2:45 p.m., all lanes will be opened for the afternoon rush hour. Inbound, inner lanes from Binswanger Triangle to 22nd Street will remain closed.

Saturday, November 23

Motorists and pedestrians can expect significant delays when trying to cross roads or streets that are adjacent to the course. The following streets will be affected across the city on Saturday from 2 a.m. until 3 p.m.:

• 17th Street, from Arch Street to Vine Street
• 18th Street, from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 19th Street, from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 20th Street, from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 21st Street, from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• 22nd Street, from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th Street to 22nd Street
• Market Street, from 6th Street to 16th Street
• Chestnut Street, from 5th Street to 8th Street
• 6th Street, from Market Street to Chestnut Street
• 5th Street, from Chestnut Street to Race Street
• South Penn Square
• Juniper Street, from Chestnut Street to Market Street
• John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from Juniper Street to 17th Street
• 15th Street, from Race Street to Chestnut Street
• 16th Street, from Chestnut Street to Race Street
• Race Street, from 6th Street to Columbus Boulevard
• Columbus Boulevard (southbound lanes), from Vine Street to Washington Avenue
• Southbound off-ramp, from I-95 at Washington Avenue
• Washington Avenue, from Columbus Boulevard to Front Street
• Front Street, from Washington Avenue to South Street
• South Street, from Front Street to 7th Street
• 6th Street, from Bainbridge Street to Locust Street
• Lombard Street, from 5th Street to Broad Street
• 13th Street, from Bainbridge Street to Chestnut Street
• Walnut Street, from 12th Street to 34th Street
• 33rd Street, from Walnut Street to Spring Garden Street
• 34th Street, from Spring Garden Street to Girard Avenue
• Spring Garden Street, from 32nd Street to 34th Street
• Girard Avenue, 33rd Street to 38th Street
• 33rd Street, from Girard Avenue to Cecil B. Moore Avenue
• Reservoir Drive from 33rd to Diamond
• Mt. Pleasant Drive
• Fountain Green Drive
• Kelly Drive

Sunday, November 23

The Parkway (22nd Street to Eakins Oval) will be closed from 2 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Sunday. Other streets along the race course will reopened as runners pass by and the streets are cleaned.

The following streets will be affected across the city on Sunday:

• 17th Street, from Arch Street to Vine Street
• 18th Street, from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 19th Street, from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 20th Street, from Arch Street to Callowhill Street
• 21st Street, from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• 22nd Street, from Arch Street to Spring Garden Street
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway, from 16th Street to 22nd Street
• Arch Street, between 3rd Street and 16th Street
• 4th Street, between Arch Street and Vine Streets
• Race Street, from 6th Street to Columbus Boulevard
• Columbus Boulevard (southbound lanes), from Vine Street to Washington Avenue
• Southbound off-ramp, from I-95 at Washington Avenue
• Washington Avenue, from Columbus Boulevard to Front Street
• Front Street, from Washington Avenue to South Street
• South Street, from Front Street to 7th Street
• 6th Street, from Bainbridge Street to Market Street
• Chestnut Street, from 6th Street to 23rd Street
• 22nd Street, from Locust Street to Market Street
• Walnut Street, from 21st Street to 34th Street
• 33rd Street, from Walnut Street to Chestnut Street
• Chestnut Street, from 33rd Street to 34th Street
• 34th Street, from Chestnut Street to Girard Avenue
• Lansdowne Drive, from Girard Avenue to South Concourse Drive
• South Concourse Drive, from Lansdowne to West Memorial Hall Drive
• East Memorial Hall Drive, from South Concourse to Avenue of the Republic
• Avenue of the Republic, from East Memorial Hall Drive to Catholic Fountain
• Belmont Avenue, Montgomery to Parkside Avenue
• States Drive to Lansdowne Drive
• Lansdowne Drive to Black Road
• Black Road
• Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
• Kelly Drive
• The Falls Bridge
• Ridge Avenue, from Schoolhouse Lane to Manayunk Avenue
• Main Street, from Ridge Avenue to Conarroe Street

All streets are scheduled to be reopened by 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24.

For information on SEPTA bus detours on Saturday and Sunday, go to septa.org.

For additional information, including course maps, schedules, and cheer zones, visit the official Philadelphia Marathon website.

The City once again is offering residents an opportunity to recycle fall leaves. The 2019 Leaf Recycling Program begins Tuesday, Nov. 12 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 21. During this time, residents have a few options to participate in the program.

Bagged leaf drop-off will be offered citywide on Saturdays (except for November 16th and 30th) at 13 designated locations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the duration of the program. The locations in West Philadelphia are:  Continue Reading