Philadelphia Bicycle News

Parking Authority and Airport Installing Bike Racks

2009-11-23T16:06:00.005-05:00

KYW is reporting that the Philadelphia Parking Authority has awarded a $130,000 contract to convert 1500 naked meter poles with post rings to secure bicycles.

Full Story.

In other news we have received eyewitness reports that bike racks have finally been installed at Philadelphia International Airport. Details are sketchy but we are inquiring with PHL staff asking for details about the racks. The racks were spotted near SEPTA's R5 Terminal D and E rail station.

Advocate Develops a Bike Lane Plan For Collingswood

2009-11-21T08:13:00.000-05:00

Local champions are key to making our first generation suburbs bicycle friendly. Case in point is Collingswood Streets founder Stella Bonaparte who has completed a bike lane evaluation study for the borough of 17,000 in Camden County. Bonaparte looked at the existing conditions and a history of bicycle crashes on Haddon Ave and Collings Ave as well as parallel streets such as Maple Street and found that bike lanes are indeed feasible on both Haddon and Collings. Bicycle parking and access to the PATCO High Speed Line was also looked at.

While this evaluation was only a feasibility study it deserves to be integrated into the County's growing list of local bicycle and pedestrian planning projects such as the Central Camden County Bicycling and Multi Use Trail Plan and the Camden GreenWay trails plan.

You can access the report on the Collingswood Streets website on the Livable Streets Network.

View Larger Map

The intersection of Haddon and Collings Ave in Downtown Collingswood

And Now Exhale, Bicycling Is Still Fun

2009-11-20T22:56:00.003-05:00

"Signs" a video with a positive bike message from Transport for London from 2007.

Music Credit: "Straight Lines" by Dawn Landes which was recently used in a Chrysler Town and Country commercial. It still sounds better in the "Signs" ad.

Where are the Bicycle Bills Now?

2009-11-20T20:21:00.007-05:00

Two separate actions - The introduction of bicycle bills in City Council and the Police bicycle enforcement campaign of existing laws has generated anger, some confusion and a bit of a media circus. Thankfully however the legislative process is about to slow to a crawl and hopefully reduce the level of anxiety that many bicyclists have been experiencing.

The three bicycle bills introduced into City Council yesterday were referred to committee. The next step will be public hearings, perhaps more than one on the bills. Councilman DiCicco's office stated in the Inquirer today that hearings will be held in the New Year. It is possible however that amendments will be made to the bill before or as a result of the public hearings.

After the hearings the Committee will then have to vote it out of Committee. It will then be read for a second time in City Council and put up to a vote. Finally the Mayor will have to sign the bills before they become law.

A more technical document describing the Rules of City Council is here.

Philadelphia Police Launch Enforcement Campaign

2009-11-20T16:40:00.006-05:00

Philadelphia Police kicked off its enforcement campaign at Rittenhouse Square this afternoon. 9th District Captain Dennis Wilson led roll call. Philadelphia bicycle messengers attended to demonstrate their concerns with the enforcement campaign.

Bicycle Ambassadors fanned out on the streets of Center City warning bicyclists of the police presence and providing cycling information to interested passers by. Bicycle Coalition staff members were interviewed by KYW, Fox 29, Philadelphia Inquirer, Univision, WHYY.

Please be advised... Police to Launch Enforcement Campaign

2009-11-19T17:17:00.003-05:00

Starting tomorrow bicycle police officers from the 9^th and 6^th Districts and Center City District will be on the streets enforcing the rules of the road in Center City. In addition to other violations, the Police will be stopping bicyclists riding on the sidewalk, not stopping at red lights or stop signs and riding the wrong way in the road. The police department will also have vehicle units out on Spruce and Pine streets ticketing motorists who are driving in the bike, illegally double parking and driving aggressively.

For more information please go to our I Bike PHL education blog.

Now Some Good News - Pedicabs Soon To Be Legal In Philly

2009-11-19T16:36:00.003-05:00

Buried in the chaos of today's council proceedings was the approval of the Pedicab Regulations Bill by a vote of 17-0. The bill needs to be signed by the Mayor before it becomes law.

Some possible pedicab companies you should see around town in the near future
Chariots of Philly - http://www.chariotsofphilly.com/
Velo Park - http://velo-park.com/

Another company Boston Pedicab has expressed interest in starting a business here and is currently contemplating a Spring 2010 debut in Philadelphia.

There may be others and we welcome any other possible companies

Copies of Kenney/DiCicco Bills

2009-11-19T14:26:00.014-05:00

City Councilman James Kenney and Councilman Frank DiCicco introduced bills on Thursday, November 19th to increase penalties for sidewalk riding, riding with headphones, riding bikes without a brake, and to mandate registration and bicycle license plates.

The Bicycle Coalition obtained copies of the bills from Council staff today. Click to download DiCicco's registration bill and DiCicco's comments and Councilman Kenney's increased penalties bill and no brake confiscation bil l.

You can write and call Councilman Kenney (215) 686-3450, (215) 686-3451 and Councilman DiCicco (215) 686-3458, (215) 686-3459 directly and express your viewpoint about these bills. As stated in our press release, the Bicycle Coalition believes that to achieve better compliance with traffic laws equitable and consistent education and enforcement of current laws must be implemented.

The bills are not yet online, but their numbers are: 090828 (Kenney's), 090829 (Kenney's) and 090845 (DiCiccos). They will be posted on City Council's web later today. Search on the City Council legislation website.

Bicycle Coalition Opposes Proposed Bike Regulations

2009-11-19T09:15:00.003-05:00

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

PROPOSED BICYCLE REGULATIONS WILL NOT SOLVE PHILADELPHIA’S TRAFFIC SAFETY PROBLEMS

November 19, 2009. Philadelphia, PA. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia opposes bills that are being introduced today by Councilman Frank DiCicco and James Kenney to increase penalties and require license plates on bicycles.

"This is the wrong approach,” said Sarah Clark Stuart, Campaign Director. “Bicyclists shouldn’t be singled out when the problem is all road users – motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians – bending the law to suit their own needs, with little if any consequences. The absence of adequate enforcement has led some road users to develop bad habits that endanger themselves and others.”

“These bills won't make Philadelphia's streets safer," said Advocacy Director John Boyle. "The problem is not that penalties are too low, the problem is that tickets are rarely given out. It is pointless to increase penalties as proposed by Councilman Kenney when the current penalty system has existed only on paper,” he added. Other cities, including Los Angeles, Houston, Washington DC, Detroit, Albuquerque, and the states of Minnesota and Massachusetts have all repealed laws similar to Councilman DiCicco's proposal. Los Angeles' Police Department Chief directly recommended to LA's City Council that their program be discontinued. Said Boyle, “Bicycle license plates are impractical and unworkable. Let’s learn from other cities' experiences and not waste time and resources on an ineffective program.”

“Enforcement can work and up to now, traffic enforcement hasn’t been a priority,” said Breen Goodwin, Education Director. “To achieve better compliance with traffic laws, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia believes that equitable and consistent education and enforcement of current laws on all road users must be implemented. Until that happens, enacting higher penalties or registration programs is ineffective and counterproductive."

Like many others in Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia recognizes that the city’s streets are chaotic. In the absence of adequate enforcement, all road users – motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians – bend the law to suit their own needs, with little if any consequences. This situation has led some road users to develop bad habits that endanger themselves and others.

Philadelphia’s streets need to be made safer for everyone. The first step toward safer streets is equitable and consistent enforcement of traffic laws as they apply to all road users. Up to now, traffic enforcement has not been a priority. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia urges City Council and the Nutter Administration to implement immediately an equitable and consistent traffic education and enforcement program to enforce the laws that are currently on the books before City Council raises penalties, requires mandatory registration, and puts other restrictions in place. Safety education coupled with enforcement, applied equitably to all road users, is the first step to improve safety for all.

The Philadelphia Police Department appears to be ready to engage in enforcement in tandem with the Bicycle Coalition’s Bicycle Ambassadors education program. The Bicycle Coalition urges City Council to help develop a strategy for an equitable and consistent traffic enforcement and education campaign applicable to all road users. The Bicycle Coalition looks forward to working with city officials to help calm the streets.

With regards to laws requiring registration and licensing of bicycles, the Bicycle Coalition does not support a mandatory program. Among other issues, we are concerned about the potential for a registration program to discourage riders, impose financial disincentives, and expose the City to numerous legal issues. Peer cities and states have passed and then repealed registration and licensing programs. We recommend a thorough investigation of registration and licensing programs in other cities to determine whether such programs would help or hinder efforts to achieve peace on Philadelphia’s streets.

Places that Repealed Mandatory Registration

2009-11-18T19:45:00.008-05:00

Detroit - repealed Mandatory Registration in 2008. Calls for reform began after police crackdown on an existing laws. Campaign created new bicycle advocacy group - Detroit Bike Riders United. (ClickonDetroit.com M-Bike)

Houston - Chris Hutto dubbed "The Mayor of Montrose" successfully urged City Council to repeal the registration law using the argument that the program was ineffective and only registered 10 bikes per month. (Free Press of Houston AHN)

Washington DC - In early 2008,the DC Council passed a bill officially repealing the mandatory bike registration requirement, long a goal of the Washington Area Bicycle Association. (WABA Fall 08 Newsletter).

Los Angeles - Repealed after a recommendation by LAPD. Bike advocates argued that "... police officers too often harass them for not having a license - which costs $3 and is valid for three years - but do nothing when licensed bikes are stolen." (Daily News Los Angeles 6-2-09)

Albuquerque - Repealed in 2007 a measure to repeal that section of law, because, among other reasons, the city doesn't operate a registration program. (Albuquerque Tribune - May 9, 2007)

States:

Minnesota repealed a mandatory registration law in 2005 after the City of Minneapolis made bicycle registration optional in 2002. (Minnesota Repealed Statutes)

Massachusetts repealed a mandatory registration law earlier this year. (Bikeportland.org Jan 21, 2009)

Councilmen Kenney & DiCicco proposed bills

2009-11-18T17:40:00.010-05:00

At this time, the three bills in question have not be posted on City Council's website. Check City Council's website on Thursday and search on bicycle (http://legislation.phila.gov/mattersearch/) to find the bills. We will post the bills when they are available.

Read below for the BCGP's statement based on our current knowledge of the bills' content. We will develop a formal position once the legislation has been introduced.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 6PM

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia statement on proposed Council legislation to increase penalties and mandate bicycle registration

Like many others in Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia recognizes that the city’s streets are chaotic. In the absence of adequate enforcement, all road users – motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians – bend the law to suit their own needs, with little if any consequences. This situation has led some road users to develop bad habits that endanger themselves and others.

Philadelphia’s streets need to be made safer for everyone. The first step toward safer streets is equitable and consistent enforcement of traffic laws as they apply to all road users. Up to now, traffic enforcement has not been a priority. The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia urges City Council and the Nutter Administration to implement immediately an equitable and consistent traffic education and enforcement program to enforce the laws that are currently on the books before City Council raises penalties, requires mandatory registration, and puts other restrictions in place. Safety education coupled with enforcement, applied equitably to all road users, is the first step to improve safety for all.

The Philadelphia Police Department appears to be ready to engage in enforcement in tandem with the Bicycle Coalition’s Bicycle Ambassadors education program. The Bicycle Coalition urges City Council to help develop a strategy for an equitable and consistent traffic enforcement and education campaign applicable to all road users. The Bicycle Coalition looks forward to working with city officials to help calm the streets.

With regards to laws requiring registration and licensing of bicycles, the Bicycle Coalition does not support a mandatory program. Among other issues, we are concerned about the potential for a registration program to discourage riders, impose financial disincentives, and expose the City to numerous legal issues. Peer cities and states have passed and then repealed registration and licensing programs. We recommend a thorough investigation of registration and licensing programs in other cities to determine whether such programs would help or hinder efforts to achieve peace on Philadelphia’s streets.

Recent News Media Round-Up

2009-11-18T11:24:00.004-05:00

The Bicycle Coalition, and biking in Philly, has been on TV a lot in the last few days:

Police Enforcement: CBS 3 (with video), Fox29 (with video), KYW Newsradio.

New traffic lights on MLK: ABC 6 Action News (with video).

More on these recent developments to come.

City Council to Propose Mandatory Registration, Brakeless Bike Confiscation.

2009-11-18T03:06:00.007-05:00

Two bills will be introduced into City Council on Thursday Councilman DiCicco will be introducing a bill would require registration of all bicycles owned by persons 12 and older. Councilman Kenney's bill will raise the fines of sidewalk riding from $50 (which was already raised from $10 in June), and for wearing headphones from $50-$100 dollars to $100-$300 and for bicyclists without brakes face a $1000 fine or confiscation of the bike.

These bills will be first read and sent to committee, which will hold hearings at a later date. Council seems willing and able to listen to our concerns and these bills will most likely be amended before being brought to the hearing.

Read the Full Story in the Daily News

Links to Pennsylvania Bicycle Laws and Philadelphia Bicycle Regulations

December 10th Public Meeting on Spruce/Pine Bike Lanes

2009-11-17T10:22:00.003-05:00

The Planning Commission and Mayor's Office of Transportation has scheduled a public meeting to deliver the results of the Spruce/Pine Bike Lane Pilot Project.

When: Thursday, December 10th from 6:30-8:30pm

Where: Levitt Auditorium, University of the Arts, 401 S. Broad Street

Please mark your calenders and make the time to come to this important public meeting!

WHYY Podcast Now Available

2009-11-16T22:15:00.003-05:00

Sarah Clark Stuart and Breen Goodwin appeared on WHYY's Radio Times this morning and did a great job talking about bicycling in Philadelphia. Deputy Mayor Cutler and Portland Bike Coordinator Roger Geller also phoned into the show.

Radio Times Podcast

Chester County Cycling Coalition Meeting Rescheduled

2009-11-16T10:35:00.003-05:00

Tonights scheduled Chester County Cycling Coalition meeting has been postponed. The new date is Monday, January 25th.

For more details about the Chester County Cycling Coalition go to http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/member/chester.

Finding A Safe Route to Bartram's Garden

2009-11-14T06:46:00.006-05:00

Historic Bartram's Garden is paradise in SW Philly should be just a short bike ride for hundreds of thousands of Philadelphians. But with high speed arterial roads in the way better bicycle access is needed. The complete the Schuylkill River Trail campaign offers a future trail connection to this historic landmark but construction of the Grays Ferry-Bartram section of the Trail is a long way off.

The Grays Ferry Bridge is designed for high speeds and there is a significant elevation rise, but it does have bike lanes. A temporary barricade like the one on the Burrard Bridge in Vancouver (see below) would provide a more comfortable crossing and encourage the use of this bridge. Defining a bicycle jughandle left at 47th on to Paschall would enable a comfortable left turn down Paschall without merging into the left turn lane on Grays Ferry.

View Larger Map

This is not the only difficulty on the route to Bartram's Garden, in future posts we'll look at other sections.

Bike Culture Typology 2009

2009-11-13T21:40:00.003-05:00

In April 2007 I tried to organize bicyclists into categories-a task much harder than I thought it would be. Two years later I thought it would be interesting to take another look at bike culture.

Read the Wikipedia Article on Bicycle Culture

So here is the abbreviated list with notable trends. I welcome your comments since most of mine are simply observations.

Invisible or captive riders - They ride late at night or in the middle of the day. If you see a bike on the bus chances are that the bike owner belongs to this group.

Service workers
Urban Food delivery workers - once dominated by pizza places and Chinese take out this sector is growing among chain restaurants in Philadelphia.
Foreign Exchange Students - declined slightly last summer as more locals scooped up seasonal jobs.
Hardscrabble, DUI convicts
Students

Urban core riders continue to evolve

Bike Messengers – Package delivery has kept this sector healthy if small, less than 80 people are now employed as bike messengers in Philadelphia.
Fixed Gear riders - the "Hipsters" grew significantly since 1997 and thus have generated a backlash group known as Hipster bashers. The fixie craze will probably plateau soon but this group appears to be claiming a permanent spot in bike culture. Future generation of "White Guys with Beards".
Cycle Chic - this group pulls from Crosstown Commuters and perhaps Recreational Casuals, except they are younger and look fabulous. The term Cycle Chic has been popularized by the Copenhagen Cycle Chic website which focused on all those beautiful Scandanavian women going about their business. The movement's devotees prefer dutch bikes, comfort bikes and 3 speeds over the fixies. Some feel that this group represents a sea change in attitudes towards bikes, celebrities like Beyonce Knowles and longtime advocate David Byrne have put cycle chic in the spotlight.
Crosstown Commuters
Intermodal (bikes on transit) Commuters - That's me!
Lowriders - Bicycle Artists or Hobbyists. Perhaps a sleeping giant, I predict that one day lowriders will be in the spotlight.
White Guys with Beards - That might be me too.
Self made mechanics
Build and ride bicycles with discarded parts.
Tall Bike Riders

Transportation Cyclists

Intercity commuters
Vehicular Cyclists - strongly identify themselves with the teachings of the controversial John Forester. This is still a vocal group, but their struggle to take control of the advocacy agenda has been subdued by the explosive growth in cycling in facility rich Portland and the the European style bike lane configurations in New York. Ironically though the increase in bicycle usage has resulted in cries to better educate the cycling population. There is opportunity for those that can get beyond the idealogical battles.

Recreational Riders

Recreational sport
Recreational casual - Families or couples, prefer off road paths, beach boardwalks etc. - This group has started to embrace bike trailers to carry kids and gear to places such as the beach. Another great trend.
Recreational casual fitness
Competitive Sport riders – Competitors, such as triathletes and cross country racers
Extreme riders - Subgroup of d - Downhill racers, BMX etc.
Touring Cyclists
Recumbent riders

Other Institutional Bicycling Groups

Mormon Missionaries
Police on Bikes
Business Improvement District Ambassadors
Pedicab operators - Philadelphia is nearing the passage of legislation that will open the door for pedicabs here. New York is clamping down on their huge pedicab industry with new regulations that will take effect later this month.
National Delivery Services (UPS and USPS in select cities)
Drug couriers
Recycling service - Pedal Co-op's recycle by bicycle pickup service is a big hit. It is a much needed service as few office buildings in Philadelphia offer recycling.

Alex Doty on Radio Times on Monday

2009-11-13T17:36:00.002-05:00

On Monday at 11AM BCGP Executive Director Alex Doty will be on WHYY Radio Times with Marty Moss Coane to discuss bicycling issues in Philadelphia. City of Portland Bicycle Coordinator Roger Geller will also be phoning in later in the hour.

The call in number is 1-888-477-WHYY (1-888-477-9499)

If you miss the call in show or live outside of WHYY's range you will be able to listen to the podcast shortly after the show ends.

http://www.whyy.org/91FM/radiotimes.html

San Francisco Plans For Bikes With iPhones

2009-11-13T11:36:00.004-05:00

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority has developed an iPhone application that allows planners to track the movement of bicycles using the bicyclists iPhone GPS capability.

Dubbed Cycle Tracks (not to be confused with a protected bike lane) the application collects real-time bicycle-use data. Planners will use the information to improve the bicycle-use component of their computer travel model, to better predict where cyclists will ride and how land developments and transportation infrastructure will affect cycling in the city.

Such software could be very useful to prioritize bicycle planning here. Which routes do you improve first? The only limitation of course is demographics, only people who can afford the $60 a month usage fee for the $99-199 iPhone can be tracked. But it is a big step in the right direction.

Transportation Reform: The Ticket Back to Town

2009-11-11T13:52:00.005-05:00

Urban Sustainability Forum

November 19, 2009

6:00- Reception

6:30- Program

Academy of Natural Sciences
19^th St and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia

As we have followed the interstates and built new communities farther and farther out we have been forced to build thousands of miles of additional roads, highways and other infrastructure. Some of the financial resources needed for this expansion have been transferred from our older cities and towns. This pattern of development has left brownfields, decaying infrastructure, communities isolated from opportunities, and has destroyed the farmland, forests, and fields that define our countryside.

There is a better way.

James Corless is the Director of Transportation for America, a coalition of over 250 organizations working to promote a new national transportation policy that’s smarter, safer, cleaner and provides more choice. At November’s Sustainability Forum, Corless will discuss how regions can acquire additional tools to build more sustainable communities through the federal transportation reauthorization bill that is now being formulated in Congress. In addition, he will share his experience in California as a transportation planner who successfully advocated for a state law which requires transportation planning to incorporate sustainability measures that reduce green house gases and energy use.

Barry Seymour, Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, will provide an overview of regional planning in Southeastern PA followed by a local panel of regional officials which will be moderated by Rachel Weinberger from the University of Pennsylvania. Represented on the panel will be Philadelphia’s Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler, Montgomery County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel, and an elected official from one of the first suburbs surrounding the city.

Are You Worth A $1.24?

2009-11-11T07:09:00.004-05:00

According to the new report "Dangerous By Design" that is how much the region is spending annually in federal highway safety dollars per capita on Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects. In our region 20% of all traffic fatalities in the region involve pedestrians and bicyclists, nearly twice the national average. Does that justify a $1.24?

The T4 America blog put this crisis in perspective with other transportation deaths.

What would the national reaction be if a jumbo jet full of passengers went down with regularity every 31 days or so? How loud would the calls be for a fundamental change in airline safety? It’s easy to imagine the shock and outrage if such a thing happened. Yet that is essentially what happens every year with preventable pedestrian fatalities on our nation’s streets and roads.

Download the Report

Send a message to Transportation Secretary LaHood to pour more resources into preventing bicycle and pedestrian deaths.

According to the study calculated spending figures from the Federal Highway Administration’s Fiscal Management Information System (FMIS) – a massive database containing details on all transportation projects that were obligated federal funds. For the purposes of this report, we queried the database for projects with an improvement type related specifically to bicycle and pedestrian programs and facilities (the FMIS database lumps together bicycle and pedestrian projects). The county-level data was then aggregated to the metro area or state level. Dividing this figure by the 2008 population estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau gives us the amount spent on pedestrian projects per capita.

Now to be fair, present and future overall spending on bicycle pedestrian projects in the should increase signifcantly. DVRPC 2010 Transportation Improvement Program breakdown shows that 6% of the transportation dollars (federal, state, local) allocated in the next few years will be going to bicycle and pedestrian projects. Although a significant chunk of that ($25 Million) is going to the Chester Valley Trail.

New Signals Installed At MLK Crosswalk

2009-11-10T14:12:00.006-05:00

The Philadelphia Streets Department has completed installation of the new traffic signals at the MLK Crosswalk between Schuylkill River Park and the Art Museum which was the scene of a near fatal crash in April.

The signals will remain on flash for the next seven days to get drivers familiar with the signals. The signal will be timed on a regular cycle and will ~~not~~ require trail users to push a button. Thanks to BCGP Philadelphia Cycling Committee Chair Russell Meddin for his persistance and to the Streets Department for being pro-active in seeking a solution to improve bicyclist and pedestrian visibility at the crosswalk. We are pleased that our Take Back The Drive Campaign has resulted in this important safety improvement.

Schuylkill River Trail Becomes Street View Trike Finalist

2009-11-10T06:46:00.004-05:00

Thanks to everyone who voted for the Schuylkill River Trail in the first round of Google's Street View Trike competition. Now we need you to vote again. As one of the first multi-use trails highlighted in Google Street View the local and national profile of this trail would be raised enormously and may help give us the political muscle to complete the trail.

Scroll down to cast your vote.

Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Presentation in Lower Merion

2009-11-09T10:52:00.006-05:00

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Coalition will make a presentation about the Complete the Schuylkill River Trail Campaign and how it relates to the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.

When: Monday, November 30th, 7-9pm

Where: Board room, 2nd Floor, Lower Merion Township Administration Building, 75 East Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA

Contact sarah@bicyclecoalition.org with any questions