The MLK Drive bridge reopens to rave reviews from runners, bikers, and pedestrians

Runners, cyclists, and pedestrians returned to the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive Bridge along the Schuylkill this weekend, which reopened after being closed for more than two years.

The weather cooperated as well, providing warm, sunny days to welcome people back to the popular walkway.

The 690-foot structure, which connects Eakins Oval to MLK Drive, was inaugurated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, leaving it open only for cyclists and pedestrians over the weekend. Cars will have their chance to set tires on the fresh pavement come Monday morning.

The updated bridge features a wider deck with three car lanes, as well as a new 10½-foot shared-use path to MLK Drive Trail, with two rows divided by a yellow line, and a longer and sturdier railing.

“I love that it’s super wide and I can’t trip on anything,” said Brewerytown resident Anna Raykovska, 29, who came with her fiancé, Julian Weiss, and his mother, Jill, to check out the bridge on Saturday.

The couple prefers to walk instead of drive whenever possible, especially because with the bridge closed, traffic in the area was awful, Raykovska said.

They often opted to cross over the Spring Garden Bridge, but with the updates to the MLK Drive Bridge, “that one is not really as nice as this bridge,” said Julian Weiss, 30.

And it wasn’t just the fresh pavement that enhanced the appeal for them as nearby residents.

“It’s kind of nice to have the railings here just in case,” Raykovska said. “I am excited to see what it’s like in the evening, because it looks like there is going to be nice lighting here, so it’s going to feel safe.”

The updates were made as part of a $20 million restoration funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Formula Program.

The railing, in particular, was also an upgrade that caught 51-year-old runner Gregory Isaac’s eye, making him a little less upset to have to eventually give space back to the cars.

“Selfishly, I am sad the cars are coming back because it has been so nice to have this over for the bikes and the folks that have been running over here,” Isaac said Saturday during a pause on his run.

For 17 months, the drive had become a buzzing recreation area for anyone not in a 200-pound metal vehicle. Advocates pushed to permanently ban vehicles, but cars returned on much of MLK Drive in the summer of 2021.

The bridge remained closed to vehicles due to deterioration, and MLK Drive is closed to cars on weekends from March to November.

“At least we still have our bike lane over here on the side. I am glad they saved room for us when they finished the renovation,” Isaac added.

The bridge was originally set to fully reopen in the spring, but Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced in March that the deadline was moved back to September.

For Brent Ryan and his brother, Byron, the wait was long but well worth it.

The biking enthusiast siblings rushed to the bridge to be the first in their biking group to ride on the updated structure.

Byron Ryan, 48, said he had missed feeling the wind on his face, the adrenaline of cycling on the bridge, and above all, biking without having to look over his shoulder for cars.

The pair had not biked near the bridge since it shut down, looking instead for alternative trails.

While taking a moment Saturday to absorb the scene and listen to the birds chirp, high school algebra teacher Brent Ryan said he felt grateful.

“For just a moment, everybody is on the same page, trying to be healthy,” Ryan said. “It’s one of those things where the city lives up to its name of being a city of brotherly love.”