Philadelphia may be called a "city of neighborhoods,” but it’s also a city of robust public spaces. From Dilworth Park to the four original “squares,” The Porch to Penn’s Landing, they are the lifeblood of our walkable, human-scale city.

But often missing from this conversation is another important public space — our streets. This has been brought into sharp focus in recent weeks by a debate over a proposed driveway on 9th Street in the Italian Market. Criticism has manifested in a petition started by 5th Square, which as of April 11 had more than 500 signatures from Philadelphians calling for relocating the proposed driveway entrance to Washington Avenue to preserve a walkable, pedestrian-friendly market.