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Sixers’ arena protesters offer ‘small preview’ of potential traffic problems

Opponents of the planned stadium gathered for a “mass caravan” hours after the vote to give the project initial approval. Traffic continued to move, and no arrests or major incidents were reported.

Protesters against the arena stage a "car caravan" to simulate gridlock.
Protesters against the arena stage a "car caravan" to simulate gridlock.Read moreCharles Fox / Staff Photographer

The protesters aimed to give the city a “small preview” of the potential traffic headaches to come with the construction of a $1.3 billion new arena for the 76ers near the Chinatown neighborhood.

So, several hours after the City Council gave preliminary approval to the project on Thursday, dozens of vehicles with horns honking and protest signs in their windows gathered for a “mass caravan” in the vicinities of City Hall and 11th and Market Streets, the proposed arena site.

“Today’s vote was a demonstration of the city’s failure,” said Anlin Wang, who had grown up in Allentown. Wang, who said the protesters wanted to offer just a “small preview” of possible traffic messes in the future, recalled that when he first set foot in Chinatown, he felt a sense of community and that he had come home.

Now, said Wang, an anti-arena activist, he feared for the future of the neighborhood.

» READ MORE: City Council members approved the 76ers Center City arena proposal in a preliminary vote

The Sixers have insisted that impacts on traffic congestion and parking could be mitigated by the fact that about 40% of event attendees would use public transportation to get to the arena. Currently, about 85% of spectators drive to events at the Wells Fargo Center, where the Sixers are tenants, according to facility owner Comcast Spectacor.

But gridlock issues, protest organizers countered, would create headaches for commuters and make accessing nearby Thomas Jefferson University Hospital more difficult.

» READ MORE: Inside the 76ers arena agreement approved by Philly City Council members

Extra police were on hand for the protest, but traffic continued to move, and no arrests or major incidents were reported.

The vehicles gathered around 5:30 p.m. and continued their protest for about an hour.

Around 6:30 p.m., the sound of the honking horns began to fade as the protesters wrapped up the demonstration.

On a final lap around City Hall, synchronized beeps provided the rhythm for a last chorus of “no arena” chants.

Wang suggested the issues involved transcended traffic.

He said that he hopes the city doesn’t have to “lose Chinatown to value it.”