City Council may extend bike lanes to three Philly streets

Expanding Philadelphia’s bicycle lanes is often a contentious yet vital topic, especially in the wake of a series of high-profile bicyclist and pedestrian deaths that left advocates pushing for action.

In January, City Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. introduced three bills to add bike lanes to streets in his Council district — in Center City, near Temple University, and in the Spring Garden neighborhood. The latter could also undergo a “road diet,” reducing motor vehicle travel lanes from two to one.

The pressure to pass traffic safety legislation intensified last summer when three people were struck and either killed or severely injured by drivers within three hours of one another in different parts of the city. Later that week, a man and a 22-month-old child were killed in separate crashes just hours apart.

Philadelphia stands out among its East Coast peers, with drivers involved in fatal crashes at double or triple the rate of those in Boston and New York, respectively, according to city traffic safety studies. An Inquirer report found that between 2020 and 2023, nearly 600 people in Philadelphia were killed in crashes involving drivers.

Following last year’s string of fatal crashes, City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to ban drivers from stopping or parking in any of the city’s bike lanes. These moves did not come without pushback, with residents and businesses citing a desire to continue temporarily parking in front of their properties for deliveries and unloading. They also claimed it would negatively affect older and disabled residents who they say rely on the ease of moving to and from loading zones.

Young’s legislation would extend existing bike lanes and create a new lane in one of the city’s most congested areas.

“We were pleasantly surprised to see the bike lane bills introduced and applaud Councilmember Young’s push to add bike lanes to these streets,” said Chris Gale, the executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. “Anyone should be able to both choose their mode of transportation and have a reasonable expectation to arrive safely to their destination.”

All three bills have passed out of committee and are waiting to be voted on by City Council.

The bill would authorize the city to remove one motor vehicle travel lane and replace it with a buffered bike lane on North 23rd Street between Race and Market Streets.

“The 23rd Street bike lane helps connect cyclists to the Market Street Bridge and to calm traffic on a wider road,” Gale said. “We are hoping that PennDot and Streets extend the bike lane south to Walnut, providing a detour to cyclists who want to connect to West Philly during the reconstruction of the Market Street Bridge project in 2026.”

The bill would authorize the city to remove one parking lane and replace it with a buffered bike lane on the west side of North 13th Street between Cecil B. Moore Avenue and Diamond Street. “No Stopping Anytime” signs would be posted along the corridor. According to WHYY, flexible posts and planters would be used as barriers along the bike lane in partnership with Temple University.

“The 13th Street bike lane extends the already existing lane. Thirteenth Street provides a safer alternative between Center City and Temple University than Broad Street,” Gale said. Broad Street is the city’s most dangerous roadway. “With the extension, the 13th Street bike lane will offer cyclists a safer northbound route from South Street to Diamond Street.”

The bill would authorize the city to reduce the two travel lanes along North 22nd Street, from Spring Garden Street to Green Street, to one lane for motor vehicles and add a bike lane. This would extend an existing lane that connects South Philadelphia with Spring Garden.

“The 22nd Street bike lane addresses a need for improved design. Currently, SEPTA buses, personal vehicles, and cyclists are forced to merge together and share the vehicle lane.” Gale said. “Extending the bike lane north of Spring Garden to Green Street will allow for all road users to share the road in a safer way than currently exists.”