Late last year the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability (OTIS) submitted a 118-page Progress Report to the Secretary of Transportation, Michael B. Carroll, highlighting the latest findings of the Parking Separated Parking Bicycle Lane Pilot Program.
Currently, PennDOT does not allow for the installation of parking-separated bike lanes on state-owned roads as this statute requires cars to park against a curb. Amending state legislation regarding the requirement for cars to park against the curb requires changing the policy and is an issue that the Bicycle Coalition, the City, and our partners have been working on its passage. As an interim solution, PennDOT has permitted a pilot program to demonstrate protected bike lanes on selected state roads in Philadelphia. The City is required to study before and after conditions on the completed projects.
Crash data findings listed below have been cited from the City of Philadelphia Parking Separated Bicycle Lane Pilot Progress Report, Fall 2023
Overall Findings of the 2023 Update:
- Severe and fatal crashes continue to decrease on corridors with parking separated bicycle lanes
- Average driver speeds are reduced by up to 30% on corridors with new Parking Separated Bike Lanes
- Bicycle ridership increases significantly with parking-separated bicycle lanes
- Flex Posts have a high replacement rate
Average Percent Change of Bike Crashes after Installation:
- N 5th St -23%
- Parkside -100%
- JFK Blvd -16%
- Chestnut St -72%
- Market St +150%*
*This appears to be an anomaly, although it does match the increase in bike traffic on Market, see below.
Average Percent Change of Bike Traffic after Installation:
- Market St at 18th and 19th +154%
- Parkside at 49th +389%
- Race at 7th +67%
- 5th between Arch and Race +23%
- Chestnut at 40th St +23%
50% Loss Replacement Rate for Flex Posts
The flexible delineator and durable plastic curb replacement rate is still under review for separated bicycle lanes. Early estimates are an annual 50% replacement rate, which is a comparable rate to peer cities. The City is studying different materials for bicycle lane separating in the future that will reduce this maintenance issue, including pre‐cast concrete (e.g concrete pills, Toronto-style barriers, and jersey barriers).
Download the Report