Philadelphia City Officials Announce Plans to Build Protected Bike Lane

Protected bike lanes are a concept that bikers have always wanted, the South Street Bridge had the most pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the state of Pennsylvania, with approximately 1,000 cyclists crossing the bridge each day. The portion of South Street that feeds into the bridge, from 21st Street to 27th Street, will be getting a significant upgrade in 2018. City officials have announced that they will be building a protected bicycle lane, which will include the installation of flexible, reflective delineator posts made of polymers and plastics. They will be built along the six-block stretch of South Street.

For years, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has been urging city officials to make the roads safer for cyclists. After a 24-year-old woman was fatally hit while riding her bike, the Coalition renewed their push for protected bike lanes. In December 2017, city officials announced that they would proceed with plans to build a protected bike lane. Crews will begin to restripe the existing lanes and install the posts within the painted buffer on South and 27th Streets, which are major routes to the South Street Bridge. The Bridge is also one of the access points to the Schuylkill River Trail, which extends along the river to Valley Forge National Park.

Major Step Towards Safer Streets for Cyclists

According to Michael A. Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for Transportation & Infrastructure, this project is a culmination of months of community outreach. Lombard Street residents are against the project because it will prevent them from being able to use the bike lane to double park and unload their car near their homes. Carroll feels it is important to move ahead with the project so that they can provide safer streets for the hundreds of cyclists who cross the bridge every day. They expect the project to be completed by mid-2018.

In addition to the commuters who ride their bikes to work or school every day, the protected bicycle lanes will build a safer bicycle network for cyclists of all ages and abilities. The City’s Director of Complete Streets reports that bicycle lanes will make the streets safer for all cyclists by clearly separating bicycle space from vehicle space. In addition, other vehicles will be prevented from unloading or double parking in the bicycle lane. The recent fatality is a stark reminder of how important it is to make the streets safer for cyclists.

Philadelphia Bicycle Accident Lawyers at Galfand Berger LLP Represent Injured Cyclists

If you or someone you know has been seriously injured in a bicycle accident involving another vehicle, it is in your best interest to contact the Philadelphia bicycle accident lawyers at Galfand Berger LLP. We will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your accident and determine who is responsible for your injuries. We will continue to fight for you until we have secured the maximum financial compensation you deserve. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 800-222-USWA (8792) or contact us online. Our offices are in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, Pennsylvania, and we serve clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.