Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Sarah Clark Stuart speaks at Vision Zero Legislative Breakfast
The Bicycle Coalition, AARP Pennsylvania and Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia hosted the 2019 Vision Zero Legislative Breakfast on Thursday, January 31, to present the state and city legislative opportunities to make Philadelphia’s streets safer in 2019.
Attended by state and city representatives, business leaders and advocates, the breakfast was a success and served to help Philly’s advocates for safe streets begin our 2019 work.
The event featured several speakers, including State Rep. Mary Jo Daley (Pa-148), Police Chief Scott Brohn, or West Chester, Angela Foreshaw-Rouse of AARP PA, Philadelphia Deputy Managing Director Michael Carroll, Paul Davis of Representative Brett Miller’s (Pa-41) office, a video message from State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Phila), and Jason Duckworth of the Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance.
Today @AARPPA joined @bcgp #VisionZeroPHL legislative breakfast to talk about upcoming legislation & initiatives to create equitable transportation policies, to improve health, safety and accessible communities for all. @MrRawle @billjwpa @DanielleArigoni @AngelaAARP @PhillyOTIS pic.twitter.com/vHphJmjouw
— Yocasta Lora 🇩🇴 (@Ylora0211) January 31, 2019
Among the issues the Vision Zero Alliance will be working on—and spoke about at the breakfast—are enhancing protections for vulnerable road users, legislation which would make it easier to install protected bike lanes on state roads, prohibiting hand held cell phones for drivers, and allowing local law enforcement to use radar technology to enforce speeding.
The city legislative opportunities which speakers highlighted were mandated side guards on large trucks throughout the city, and the creation of a civilian enforcement unit in Philadelphia to help cut down on congestion and make streets safer.
Among the public events our organizations have planned over the next month: The 2019 Vision Zero Conference, sponsored by AARP PA and Lyft, will take place on Saturday, March 16 at Temple University.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia, a group consisting of families of traffic victims from the region, will hold a press conference announcement, declaring the group’s 2019 legislative agenda, on February 28. Stay tuned for details.
I am an AARP member. In My neighborhood, the Phila Fire Dept has made the handicapped accessible sidewalk their parking lot. I have asked them to consider the elders in the area with a wheelchair and walkers. They have to walk in the street. Traffic is heavy and there is poor lighting. Please help. The station is located 61st between Haverford And Thompson Need some suggestion on how to move on.
Remember, local radar would be used only in places where the posted limits are set at least 8 to 10 mph below the safest levels, because only there can officers collect enough ticket revenue from mostly safe drivers to pay the costs of the enforcement actions.
James C. Walker, National Motorists Association