Staff Blog
The Early Results: Bike lanes are working!
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| Full results at blog.bicyclecoalition.org |
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia released its preliminary data on the controversial bike lane pilot program on Pine and Spruce, and early results indicate that the lanes are definitely increasing bike traffic on the streets (up about 90 percent overall) and, just as importantly, DECREASING the number of bikes on the sidewalk.
WHYY's Elizabeth Fiedler reported yesterday that the city has thusfar received slightly more positive feedback than negative. In her report, she quotes Andrew Stober, Director of Strategic Initiatives in the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities:
We're hearing from drivers and neighborhood residents who are pleased with the bike lanes and they find traffic moving in a more orderly fashion. We're also hearing from some drivers who are complaining about cyclists behavior and who are complaining that they only have one lane to drive in.
Which leads me to wonder how many of the negative comments address the actual bike lanes and how many are just anti-cyclist.
Previously: The New Bike Lanes: They're real and they're spectacular!
these bike lanes are AWESOME. they DO need some repaving.. it’s really really bumpy, but it DEFINITELY makes me feel safer riding in the streets of philadelphia near cars
I hope the city starts actively enforcing the rules and fining cyclists for riding on sidewalks. And I’d like all the cyclists who whine about drivers’ behavior to think about their own behavior in relation to pedestrians. I’m sick of cyclists blowing the lights and only looking for vehicles, not pedestrians.
Fair points, Anne. As a cyclist who does his best to look out for pedestrians and cars, I’d like to add that I wish pedestrians would think twice about popping out from between parked cars mid block — aka jay walking — without looking. I say this as someone who’s twice ended up on the asphalt — once with a ruined pair of brand new Pumas and once with a separated shoulder — as the result of a pedestrians essentially jumping out in front of me.
I enjoyed my encounter last night at 5th & Arch Streets when the bike rider heading northbound on 5th did not feel the need to stop at the red light as the cars were doing. My companion and I were crossing on the green light and she rode right through the two of us in the crosswalk, she only slowed down for a second in the middle of the intersection to wait for cars to pass and then proceeded on, still on a red light. I guess this is the illegal rolling stop that is the norm for bicyclists in this city to perform. The only reason I refrained from calling her a cunt was that my companion had one and she may have refused me some later. I forgot to mention there is a very nice and clearly marked bike lane on 5th Street. Maybe the bike lanes at all intersections in Philadelphia should have stenciled in “STOP HERE AT RED LIGHT”.
I have to say that I’ve seen no lessening of bikes on sidewalks. I saw an old woman mowed down today as she was about to cross 15th & Spruce with the light and a bike came between pedestrians on the sidewalk and rammed right into her. Not sure if she’s ok–the fact that it was really slippery & nasty didn’t help.
I’m all for bikers’ rights being respected by cars, but I’d like to see more attention to pedestrian rights. (admittedly, I do jaywalk but with caution…and I don’t object to bikes rolling through red lights as long as they use similar caution, though the police may disagree).
I think police have a lot better things to do than ticket bicyclists. Anyone who thinks it is a priority that needs to be set for the police should really look at the motivation they have for thinking so.
Whatever form of transportation anyone is using they are sure to violate laws, whether in a car, on a bike or walking. Unfortunately some think only cyclists should be punished for it.
Yes, riding on the sidewalk is wrong. Yes, blowing stops light is wrong. Bicyclists are not above tha rules but neither is everyone else.
Charming, JohnWa.
[...] up by people on the “cyclists are scofflaws” side of the urban biking argument whenever these things are hollered [...]