🪧 Rooting on the Philly Marathon | Morning Newsletter

Good morning.

More showers are possible Friday, with wet snowflakes possible.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to participate in the Philadelphia Marathon this weekend. Our spectator’s guide helps you navigate the 26.2 miles of crowds and road closures — plus fun things to put on your motivational signs.

Let’s get into the news to start your weekend.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

P.S. Friday means new games! Test your Eagles players know-how with a new Bird Box, then take our latest news quiz, including questions on the SS United States, local holiday festivities, and much more.

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This year’s Philadelphia Marathon is sold out, with 37,000 people taking part, making it the largest anticipated attendance in race history. Marathoners will start from 7 a.m. in waves.

Whether you’re supporting someone in the race or want to watch from the sidelines, here’s everything you need to know:

🚌 Getting around the city might be tricky due to road closures. You can get around on a bike, or take SEPTA or the Regional Rail to the start line.

🪑 Popular places to watch include Chestnut Street (at Mile 1) and Manayunk’s Main Street (between Miles 19 and 21). Kelly Drive (Miles 22 to 24) is usually a more quiet stretch of the course.

🥶 Besides the party, bring layers, snacks, noisemakers (like a cowbell), and a sign!

🪧 Speaking of signs, they are the best part of running and watching a race. Use our sign generator to get ideas for yours. My personal favorites: “You’re looking H-O-T-T-O-G-O,” “Don’t block the box,” and “Proud of you, perfect stranger.”

Explore the route, get parking suggestions, and much more in our full spectator’s guide to marathon weekend.

The Sixers’ proposal to build an arena above SEPTA’s Jefferson Station could cost the transit agency millions of dollars. A key lawmaker says City Council may approve the plan anyway.

The likelihood that the arena would add costs to SEPTA undermines the team’s repeated contention that the project will cost local taxpayers nothing.

Notable quote: “I’m not sure that we are going to ask every developer who comes and would add more transit riders ... to pay for it because our goal is to get everybody on to public transit,” said Councilmember Mark Squilla, whose district includes the proposed arena site and who introduced the legislation to authorize the project. “I don’t think that particular operating cost is going to be a sticking point.”

There are concerns that the 76ers’ project could be another burden to SEPTA as the beleaguered transit agency faces a $240 million annual deficit projected for next year. Agency leaders have called it a “death spiral.”

Sean Collins Walsh and Jake Blumgart explain why SEPTA is key to the Sixers’ plan for a new Center City arena.

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.

This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from Patricia Madej on why some street signs across Philadelphia have a Liberty Bell symbol, but others don’t.

The formula is simple: It’s determined by how many letters the name of the street has. Here’s the full explanation.

Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.

Which pop star may have been the catalyst for getting a Brooklyn priest demoted?

A) Olivia Rodrigo

B) Taylor Swift

C) Sabrina Carpenter

D) Charli XCX

Think you know? Check your answer.

🍺 Hopping into: A Philadelphia sports bar on wheels.

👀 Watching: What’s next for Matt Gaetz after withdrawing as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general.

🫀 Exploring: The Franklin Institute’s new permanent exhibits ahead of Saturday’s reopening.

📰 Reading: Columnist Devi Lockwood’s latest on what third-party voters in Pa. might tell us about the future of close elections.

Hint: Pennsylvania-born pop artist whose distinctive style became known worldwide

HEART HIKING

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Terry Dzelzgalvis who solved Thursday’s anagram: Miles Teller. A look-a-like contest for the Chester County-born actor will be held in Rittenhouse Square on Sunday.

👋🏽 Thanks for spending some time with The Inquirer this morning. Have a great weekend when you get there.

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