🚦 Gridlock | Morning Newsletter

Happy Thursday, Philly.

The cooldown has arrived, with today’s temps expected to hover near 80. That’s a slight reprieve for students in the 63 city schools without air-conditioning — as well as for those in schools deemed to have “adequate cooling,” but that still feel uncomfortably hot.

The long-awaited Sixers arena studies dropped this week, including two focused on the design and traffic implications of the proposed downtown venue. Below, we break down what the reports say about parking, pedestrians, and SEPTA.

And ahead of Labor Day, we have a rundown of concerts, kid-friendly activities, and what’s open and closed this long weekend. Here’s what you need to know today.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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With the release of four city-sponsored impact studies, City Council is preparing for potential political gridlock over whether to allow the Sixers to build an 18,500-seat arena at 10th and Market Streets.

Meanwhile, Philadelphians — especially, perhaps, those who live and work near the proposed site — should brace for another type of gridlock if plans move forward.

🚦 The design and traffic reports address the Sixers’ plan for pedestrian traffic control, where event attendees would park, and how car traffic would change.

🚦 The Sixers proposal assumes 40% of attendees would drive to the venue. The report agreed this figure is “attainable but not a forgone conclusion.” (An estimated 75% of fans drive to the team’s current home, the Wells Fargo Center.)

🚦 But it also notes that any marginal increases in car trip percentages would result in gridlock at “critical intersections” in Center City.

Designer Charmaine Runes explains what that would look like in this interactive story.

Plus, drive further into the impact studies with The Inquirer’s plain-speak explainer on the findings across all four categories, and check out a slew of charts that contextualize how the arena would impact tax revenue, Chinatown, and more.

Another Labor Day weekend without the Made in America festival is upon us. It’s not clear if Roc Nation’s hip-hop fest marking the unofficial end of summer will return after being canceled for the second consecutive year.

But despair not, culture-seekers: You have plenty of other options in the meantime. Here’s what to do, hear, and know in Philadelphia over the next few days as you celebrate the contributions of American laborers.

🎸 Music notes: Big-name performers including R&B crooner Usher, singer-songwriter James Taylor, country star Miranda Lambert, and pop-rocker Avril Lavigne (see you there!) are all in town this weekend. The annual Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival and Patty Jackson’s Party in the Park return, too. Critic Dan DeLuca has the full calendar.

🎉 For the kids: Keep it fun for the whole family with fireworks at a theme park, free admission at the Museum of the American Revolution, or the ending-soon “Art of the Brick” exhibit.

📪 Open and closed: As with all federal holidays, trash collection and mail service will be delayed by a day. Liquor stores and most food markets will operate on a modified schedule.

Pop-up courts for which sport are coming to Dilworth Park next month?

A) Squash

B) Pickleball

C) Beach volleyball

D) Basketball

Think you know? Check your answer.

🐎 Admiring: The Philly photographer who spent decades photographing Black cowboys.

💩 Proud of: Lucy May, the Phillies’ minor league team bat dog who went viral for her chaotic debut.

🤘 Celebrating: Twenty years of Decibel, the Philly-born heavy metal magazine.

The international sporting event that kicked off this week in Paris.

CAMPY SPIRAL

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Jordan Linhart, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: “New Heights.” The Kelce brothers just landed a nine-figure partnership with Amazon for their podcast.

👋 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Back at it tomorrow.

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