Philadelphia has a plan for concrete-protected bike lanes in Center City, officials tell residents
Concrete-protected bike lanes might soon be a reality for Center City's most-used biking corridor after months of outcry from cyclists in the wake of a crash that killed a Children's Hospital of Philadelphia doctor.
The city's Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) is recommending additional protection, including concrete curbs and potentially planters, for bike lanes on Pine Street and Spruce Street. Other recommended changes include adding more daytime loading zones to parking lanes, adding "no stopping anytime" zones along the bike lanes, relocating church parking and increasing PPA enforcement in the area.
In a statement, Mayor Cherelle Parker referenced a petition with over 6,000 signatures that cycling advocates delivered to City Hall in late August.
The upgrades cost $4.8 million. Planters would only be added if the city can find a partner to maintain them and receive annual funding.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, an advocacy group, and others have called for years for concrete barriers to protect the bike lanes along major corridors like Pine and Spruce — where in July, Dr. Barbara Friedes was riding her bike when police said a speeding driver entered the bike lane and struck and killed her.
Friedes might have survived had the lane been obstructed from vehicle traffic by a barrier, cyclists have said.
Nicole Brunet, policy director for the BCP, said OTIS met Tuesday night with members of the Center City Residents' Association and presented a plan for bike lane improvements that includes concrete protection along Pine and Spruce.
Brunet called the plan "really exciting" and said it "sets a precedent for bike lanes all across the city."
Additionally, Brunet said Pennsylvania's Senate Transportation Committee just passed HB 1283, which would allow parking-protected bike lanes to be built on state roads. The next step is a vote by the entire Senate. If it passes, the bill just needs Gov. Josh Shapiro's signature.
What OTIS is recommending is not a done deal as the city is still soliciting feedback from residents in the neighborhood.
The city, Washington West Civic Association and Society Hill Civic Association are hosting a stakeholder meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17. The meeting is at 7 p.m. at the Jefferson University Bluemle Life Sciences Building on 10th and Walnut streets. The meeting will garner feedback from residents on how to make the bike lanes safer.
"OTIS and my office want to hear from all residents living on Spruce and Pine streets in order to create the best solution possible," City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who represents the 2nd District, said.
"I am pleased that OTIS is engaging the community to finalize the proposed changes to bike lanes on Pine and Spruce streets, so that these streets will be safer for ALL users," Councilmember Mark Squilla said.
A webpage is set up on the "Complete Streets" section of the city website, and anyone who wants to get involved should contact their registered community organization if they live in a neighborhood bordering the Spruce and Pine corridor.
Investigation finds drivers parking in bike lanes
For months, CBS News Philadelphia has reported on efforts to make biking and bike lanes safer in the city. After more than a decade, a church in Center City decided to stop using a city-issued permit that allowed churchgoers to park in bike lanes for Sunday services. Several other houses of worship have also stopped using those permits.
Advocates have said, and our investigation found, that obstructions in the bike lanes — whether they're delivery trucks, ride-share vehicles or residents making quick stops — divert bicyclists into the street where they risk getting hit by a driver or a suddenly opened car door.
Over the summer, the deadliest time for cyclists, CBS News Philadelphia observed several obstructions in bike lanes along Spruce Street, which currently has just painted lines as the only separation between traveling cars and the bike lane.
Most signs in the city say "no parking" rather than "no stopping," which means drivers can legally block the lane for up to 20 minutes before being ticketed.
Some residents along Spruce Street said they need to park there at least for a short time to drop off items or unload groceries.
Still, our investigation found numerous cars parked for more than 20 minutes and up to 75 minutes with no driver inside.
After our investigation, Johnson introduced a "Get Out The Bike Lane" bill.
Johnson presented the legislation in September, on the first day of the fall session, that would increase fines for parking or stopping in the bike lanes. Fines would go from $75 to $125 in Center City and University City and from $50 to $75 in other parts of the city. Johnson's bill also proposes changing many signs along bike lanes to "no stopping."
No timetable has been released for when the barriers might be built and completed in the bike lanes.
