Car-free streets will return to Philly’s Rittenhouse Square this winter. Here’s what to know

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Holiday shoppers interested in local retailers in Center City’s Rittenhouse Row without the stress or vehicle traffic will be able to stroll in December for two Sundays in a row. 

After a similar program conducted in September, business owners surveyed saw an average increase in sales of 68%, Center City District CEO Prema Katari Gupta told Billy Penn. 

Several streets near Rittenhouse Square will become temporarily pedestrian-only on Dec. 8 and Dec. 15 for holiday shopping. 

“Last September’s pilot program saw nearly 90% of businesses reporting increased foot traffic, some by as much as 300%,” according to a LinkedIn post by Center City District on Nov. 12. 

When retailers were surveyed, about 92% reported they wanted the program to continue. 

There are approximately 50 retail storefronts along Walnut Street between 15th and 19th Streets. The area will be reserved exclusively for established retailers – mobile food trucks, street vendors or pop-up markets are not permitted to participate.

The retail corridor includes a smattering of clothing stores, coffee shops, restaurants and specialty retailers which could see a boost in sales as pedestrians stroll, shop and dine without the stress of traffic. Existing restaurants can extend their tables onto the sidewalk for customers as a pop-out streetery.

The Center City District, the Rittenhouse Row business group and the city of Philadelphia collaborated on the program as one way to improve pedestrian traffic for retailers on the commercial corridor.

“I think the hypothesis is that people walking down the street benefits retailers more than people driving down the street,” Katari Gupta told WHYY News several weeks ago. “This is something that we’ve seen in a lot of different cities. I’m hopeful that we will be able to develop a little bit of a case study around it in Philadelphia.”

Home to about 75,000 people, Center City has seen overall pedestrian traffic — which includes visitors — has returned to roughly 84% of levels last seen in 2019. All visitors are encouraged to ditch their vehicles for the events.