PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Not all of Martin Luther King Drive is ready to reopen to cars as promised.
Philadelphia previously said MLK Drive would reopen to vehicular traffic on Wednesday at 5 p.m., but due to repairs needed on MLK Bridge, the city is pushing back the reopening on one stretch of the roadway.
MLK Drive will remain closed south of Sweetbriar Drive until construction is completed. The rest of MLK Drive will be open for vehicles.
Officials said a connection on the bridge’s steel framing is 75% deteriorated. It’s safe for pedestrians and bicyclists, but not for cars.
The bridge is expected to be completed in 2024.
MLK Drive will also continue to close on the weekends for recreational use and city holidays, starting this weekend through the end of October.