The third annual Women's March on Philadelphia will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19, and in preparation for the event, we have the details you'll need whether or not you're planning to go.
This year's theme is "We Shall Be Heard" and the major walking/rally points are: gun violence, racism, antisemitism and Islamophobia. The march is also walking in support of the #TimesUp movement and for women's reproductive rights.
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On Facebook, nearly 3,000 people have already expressed interest in the event and at least 1,000 are expected to show up.
In 2018, thousands showed up in Philly as part of the national movement that was taking the country — and world — by storm. The movement began in 2017 to protest for women's rights and against President Donald Trump.
WHERE TO GO
Two rallies in support of the march will take place at opposite ends of the Ben Franklin Parkway: One will start at 10 a.m. at LOVE Park, and the other will occur at Eakins Oval, near the Philadelphia Museum of Art following the march. Both locations will feature local speakers.
The official march will assemble and begin on 1700 block of the Parkway and will end around 2 p.m. at the art museum, according to the organization's website.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
SEPTA Bus Routes 2, 7, 27, 32, 38, 43 and 48 will be detoured from their normal routes on Saturday to avoid the Ben Franklin Parkway area beginning at 5 a.m.that morning. The detours will remain in effect until approximately 5 p.m.
Detours will be posted and specific route changes are available on SEPTA's system status page.
WEATHER
Keep an eye on Saturday's forecast. The National Weather Service is predicting rain and snow all day Saturday with a high near 40 degrees, and an additional chance of sleet into the evening hours. If you cannot view the weather widget below, the latest weather predictions for Center City are available on the NWS forecast page. Also, check back here for weather updates later in the week.
ROAD CLOSURES
The following streets will be closed starting at 5 a.m. until approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19, during the Women's March
• Arch Street between 15th Street and 16th Street • 16th Street between JFK Blvd. and Cherry Street
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 16th Street and 17th Street
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway between 22nd Street and Eakins Oval (all lanes)
• 23rd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Spring Garden Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Benjamin Franklin Parkway
• Kelly Drive (outbound) from Benjamin Franklin Parkway to Fairmount Avenue
• Kelly Drive (inbound) between 25th Street and Fairmount Avenue (local access maintained to Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive)
• Martin Luther King Drive between Eakins Oval and Montgomery Drive
• Spring Garden Street Bridge at 31st Street (Local access maintained to Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive)
Beginning at 5 a.m. Saturday, inbound (eastbound) traffic on Kelly Drive must exit Kelly Drive at Fairmount Avenue due to the closure of the outer lanes on the Parkway.
Those wishing to access the west side of the Philadelphia Museum of Art may continue to 25th Street and turn right on Anne d’Harnoncourt Drive, which wraps around behind the art museum.
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Those wishing to access the Barnes Foundation should follow Fairmount Avenue and then turn right on Pennsylvania Avenue, taking it to 21st Street. Turn right at 21st Street and make the first left onto Callowhill Street to enter the Barnes Foundation parking lot.
Streets will be serviced and reopened as attendees disperse. It is expected that several of the impacted streets listed above will reopened to vehicular traffic prior to 5 p.m.
Vehicles will be permitted to cross the Benjamin Franklin Parkway on the following numbered streets as conditions allow:
• 17th Street
• 18th Street
• 19th Street
• 20th Street
• 21st Street
• 22nd Street
PARKING
The following streets will be posted as “Temporary No Parking” zones from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday during the Women's March.
• Benjamin Franklin Parkway from 16th Street to Eakins Oval (all lanes, both sides) • 20th Street from Race Street to Benjamin Franklin Parkway (east side of the street)
• 22nd Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Winter Street (both sides of the street)
• 2100-2200 Spring Garden Street (north side of the street)
• 1400-1500 JFK Blvd. (both sides of the street)
• Arch Street between 15th Street and 16th Street (both sides of the street)
• 16th Street between JFK Blvd. and Cherry Street (both sides of the street)
• 15th Street between Arch Street and JFK Blvd. (both sides of the street)
Vehicles parked in "Temporary No Parking" locations during posted hours will be relocated.
ADDITIONAL INFO
The Philadelphia Museum of Art and other Parkway institutions like The Franklin Institute will remain open for business on Saturday.
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