The City of Philadelphia is proposing that the buffered bike lanes on Lombard, 27th and South Streets be converted into protected bike lanes.  Tonight, there is a Public Listening Session for the neighbors and those use the streets for transportation.  Please attend this meeting to hear what the City is considering and to voice your opinion (respectfully please.)

Some tips for 7/17 meeting:

Know the information presented above.
When it comes to meetings like the one which will happen on 7/17, the way you feel doesn’t really matter. What matters is the truth — and the truth is, protected bike lanes work. How do we know? Because of the information presented here.

A listening session is not a debate.
It’s easy for meetings on bike lanes — which tend to be emotional — to become a debate between those for bicycles and those for cars. This is not, and should not, be the goal of the meeting. It’s important those in support of bicycling do not stoop to the level of the person who created the flier we reported on last week. Present facts.

Do not belittle others.
Last time a meeting like this was held (then by the Washington West Civic Association), it descended into part philosophical debate, part self-congratulatory back patting. Sparring groups laughed at each other, clapped for themselves, and felt the need to comment on sweeping, broad topics rather than the task at hand. That was counterproductive. Please do not fall into this trap. Protected bike lanes create a safer space for more people to feel comfortable riding their bikes and encourage more people to bike who might not otherwise feel comfortable bicycling in traffic. They do not take access away from anyone else. That’s it. Creating ill will toward the residents of Lombard and South makes you no better than the person or persons who created that flier.

More here:

Our explanation of what protected bike lanes are

City of Philadelphia’s FAQ page on protected bike lanes

Facebook event post about tonight’s meeting

Our rebuttal of false claims in anonymous flyer