As a member of the Reading community, the gates being installed on Skyline Drive and Duryea Drive strike a deeply personal chord. They do not just block our ways of traveling that we enjoy, they inhibit our constitutional right to travel freely, and inhibit our way to appreciate our own beloved city. The culture of Reading is intricately woven with sightseeing and traveling the roads leading to the Pagoda. The gates imposed on us, however, choke off these avenues of discovery and enjoyment.

Many of us disagree with these new restrictions. The city’s administration needs to consider that these are not just roads; they are public roads generously funded by the taxpayers, including those who now face the difficultly of finding a new way to commute due to the locations of their homes in the back roads. Though the city might justify the barriers on the basis of traffic regulation or neighborhood peace, these concerns should not outweigh the resident’s constitutional right to travel freely, and should not hurt the responsible residents that appreciate the beautiful landmark we have here. There are different ways to go about this.

Furthermore, the roadblocks pose a potential threat to public safety. In case of emergencies such as a wildfire, they might significantly hinder evacuation efforts and access for emergency vehicles. This situation is particularly unfavorable for Reading, a city with an above-average wildfire occurrence compared to the rest of Pennsylvania (source: Pennsylvania Dep. of Conservation and Natural Resources). I understand there are safety measures included, such as being able to be controlled remotely from City Hall, and also if a vehicle approaches from the inside of the gate, it will be opened but these things are subject to failure, especially if they are damaged in a fire.

We call upon the city administration to remove these roadblocks and respect our constitutional right to travel because these are public roads funded by the taxpayer. To add to this, the smaller gates at the entrance, and exit of the Pagoda have had significant success at stopping the late night activities. Moreover, the administration should engage in an open dialogue with its residents to find less invasive solutions to the issues at hand. Join us in demanding that our taxes are spent on serving public interests, not in partitioning our community. Please sign the petition, as our right to free movement must not be restricted.