Philadelphia's Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge reopens to drivers after 2 year restoration project
The Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge in Philadelphia has fully reopened after a long restoration project. The 60-year-old bridge, which connects Eakins Oval and Martin Luther King Drive, reopened to cars at 7 a.m. Monday, after being closed for more than two years.
On Friday, the bridge reopened to pedestrians and bicyclists. A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the end of the more than two-year-long construction project. The bridge has several new features, including a shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists with a safety railing.
City officials and bike advocates couldn't hold in their excitement, and neither could Chrissie O'Brien.
"I was hopeful," said bicyclist O'Brien. "I knew it was coming, but it's nice that it's finally here."
The reopening ceremony drew a large crowd on Friday afternoon, from city leaders to bicycle advocates. Mayor Cherelle Parker and other city and state leaders were some of the first to walk on it. Then, of course, dozens of bicyclists together made their way across the newly constructed bridge deck.
"We've been waiting for it for a long time, so there will be a lot of people very happy with today's bridge opening," said Chuck Herbert, president of The Bicycle Club of Philadelphia.
Built in 1965, the bridge was closed to cars in 2020, and it has been closed to foot traffic since March 2023.
The project has forced drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to take detours to get from the Art Museum area to Martin Luther King Drive along the west side of the Schuylkill River.
The $20.1 million construction project was fully funded with federal money, according to the city. The rehabilitation was initially slated for completion by spring 2025, but was postponed because cold weather in the winter delayed crews from pouring cement.
Structural elements of the bridge were repaired, and the concrete bridge deck was widened. The bridge now has three lanes for vehicles and the 10.5-foot shared-use path.
But for others like Sidney Ozer, this was also a somber moment. Thinking of his son, Samuel, an avid biker, who he said was killed on Father's Day in 2020 when he was hit by a car on Henry Avenue.
Ozer said the last time he rode bikes with his son was on this bridge.
"We rode to the Reading Terminal Market that day, and we had this wonderful lunch at our great treasure in our city, and on the way back, before we left, he bought a bunch of fruit to give to the homeless encampment that was right on the parkway at that time," he said.
The MLK Bridge was a major artery for thousands of cars daily going in and out of Center City, according to the city.
"I don't care if you walk, if you bike, or if you drive this bridge," Parker said, "it gives you another way for commuting and that means options for us, that gives us alternatives to be able to travel in a way that is accommodating for our respective lives."
This year marks the 30th anniversary of MLK Drive closing for recreational use on weekends from spring through fall, according to the streets department. The City of Philadelphia said that weekend closures for recreation will continue through November and then restart in March.