Philadelphia cyclist advocates say concrete barriers would prevent deaths on Spruce Street
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Thirty-year-old Barbara Friedes, a doctor at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, was hit and killed while riding her bike in Rittenhouse Square Wednesday evening. It marked the first cyclist death of 2024.
Since 2020, 27 people have been killed while cycling in the city of Philadelphia.
Some advocates say Spruce Street has one of the most popular bike lanes in the city, but it's too dangerous for cyclists. Spruce is a one-way, one-lane street running east to west. The parking lane is to the right of the lane of traffic. To the left of the road is a small buffer lane, and a bike lane is on the far left next to the sidewalk. Advocates say the buffer lane is not enough to protect people on bikes.
News that a cyclist had been killed on Spruce Street was a gut punch to Laura Fredricks, whose 24-year-old daughter Emily Fredricks was riding her bike to work in 2017 when she was hit by a trash truck and killed. Seven years later on the same street just seven blocks away, Friedes died.
In the aftermath of Emily Fredricks' death, the city moved the bike lane on Spruce Street from the right side of the road to the left side in an effort to make cyclists more visible to drivers.
"It wasn't enough, but it helps. You know, it slows down the drivers making the left-hand turn. There is this level of visibility because you're right next to the bicyclist," Nicole Brunet, policy director with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, said.
Some advocates say the painted buffer area and flex posts installed at some intersections aren't enough.
"Paint is not protection," Laura Fredricks said.
The Bicycle Coalition is calling on city leaders to:
- Fully protect the Spruce and Pine streets bike lanes and other protected bike lanes throughout Philadelphia with permanent concrete barriers;
- End the legacy practice of allowing parking in bike lanes on weekends;
- Replace all of the "No Parking" signage with "No Stopping" signage along protected bike lanes.
"If there was a concrete barrier between the driver and Barbara yesterday, Barbara would be alive today," Brunet said.
The white flex posts easily bend and cars can run right over them. Some cyclists say another problem is cars blocking the bike lane often forcing cyclists into the flow of traffic.
CBS News Philadelphia reached out to the Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems about adding concrete barriers to Spruce Street. A spokesperson said they have no comment at this time.