August 30, 2024
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
Philadelphia officials say they are considering safety improvements to the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine streets, including possibly adding concrete barriers that would separate the designated bike paths from the rest fo the roadway.
Cycling activists delivered a petition for safer streets to Mayor Cherelle Parker and the City Council a few weeks ago, and it appears they are listening to the group's recommendations.
On Friday, Parker was joined by representatives from the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, members of City Council and Managing Director Adam Thiel to offer an update on bike lane safety efforts.
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With over 6,000 signatures and 4,000 comments, the petition requested adding protective concrete barriers to the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine streets and Allegheny Avenue, ending parking in bike lanes on weekends and replacing all "No Parking" signs with "No Stopping" ones along protected bike lanes. Activists asked for changes to those lanes after Dr. Barbara Friedes was killed by a suspected drunk driver while biking on the 1800 block of Spruce Street on July 17.
Parker, who admitted she is not a cyclist, and her administration offered up some movement toward improvements.
Thiel said the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems developed proposals for the concrete barriers for Spruce and Pine streets and is discussing the idea with City Council members and the community. He also said parking will be relocated away from those bike lanes, though that will take several more weeks to finalize that plan. Finally, the city intends to replace the signs on Spruce and Pine streets, like the Bicycle Coalition requested, and is looking for other areas to replace signage, but that requires more community engagement.
"We appreciate the Bicycle Coalition's continued dialogue around traffic safety and look forward to working alongside you and all other partners toward our goal, our shared goal, of zero traffic deaths," Thiel said.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia ultimately seems onboard with the city's current efforts.
"We, the Bicycle Coalition, are committed to working with the mayor and council because only together can we make our streets safer for everyone," said Chris Gale, the coalition's executive director.
Meanwhile, Parker also wanted to take the opportunity at this news conference to clarify disputes about funding surrounding bike safety initiatives. Though some bike activists claim she removed $1.25 million for Vision Zero, the effort to end traffic deaths, the mayor said that money was reallocated to the Streets Department for speed cushions, a traffic-calming measure.
"It was never a cut of the goals and vision for the priorities of Vision Zero, and I reject that line of thinking or rhetoric," Parker said.
