We are saddened to report that Andrew Dormer has died from injuries sustained in a crash that occurred on the afternoon of June 5th at the intersection of Dupont and Wilde Streets in Manayunk. This is the third bicyclist killed in a crash so far this year. Our hearts are with his family during this terrible time.
According to the Philadelphia Police Department’s Crash Investigation Division (CID), the bicyclist was traveling westbound and downhill on Dupont Street when he was struck by a driver heading northbound on Wilde Street. After the initial impact, the cyclist collided with a parked vehicle. He was transported to the hospital, where he tragically passed away on June 12th.
This incident occurred at an intersection that is heavily trafficked by cyclists and scooter riders due to its direct connection with the Manayunk Bridge Trailhead.
Making our Neighborhood Streets Safer
Unlike most residential intersections in Philadelphia—which are typically controlled by four-way stop signs—only Dupont Street has stop signs at this intersection. Wilde Street, where the driver was traveling, has no stop sign at this junction. Both Dupont and Wilde are narrow, one-way streets on steep slopes—conditions that encourage excessive speed from both motorists and bicyclists. The layout of this intersection creates a hazardous environment, especially for vulnerable road users. In neighborhoods like Manayunk, built long before the rise of car dominance, cars often block crosswalks and obstruct sight lines, making intersections like Wilde and Dupont particularly dangerous. There is limited information about the cause of this crash and whether or not speed was a factor.
For intersections like this one, we recommend the following improvements:
Daylighting to improve visibility at corners by removing parking near crosswalks
Traffic calming measures such as raised crosswalks or curb extensions that slow cars without destabilizing cyclists
Conversion the intersection to a four-way stop, most nearby streets are already 4 way stop controlled.
The Need for Better Real-Time and Historic Crash Information
Tracking follow-up information on traffic violence remains a significant challenge. Serious injury crashes are often treated by both the public and media as routine incidents, receiving little attention unless they involve a fatal hit-and-run or a victim with strong community ties. In this case, the driver stayed at the scene, and because the victim initially survived and died five days later in the hospital, the incident received limited coverage. While we’re grateful that the Crash Investigation Division (CID) shares fatal crash data through Open Data Philly—accessible via our crash dashboard—there’s still no centralized, comprehensive, and easily accessible source for all crash information.
This tragedy is a painful reminder of how infrastructure that fails to account for all users can result in loss of life. We must ensure our streets are designed to protect—not endanger—them.
Blog edited on August 15th to reflect the identity of the cyclist. You can read more about Andrew’s love of his family, dog, cars and his bicycle here.
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If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for community, please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing nicole@bicyclecoalition.org.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behaviors enabled by dangerous street design. FSSGP represents the full range of greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demands an end to traffic violence.