Get Involved in our 2026 Campaign
Take action: Sign the petition to support parking-protected bike lanes and safer streets across Pennsylvania.
Attend an Advocacy Call:
May 14th: Lunch Time Advocacy Call
Please join Policy Director Julio Rodriguez on May 14 for a virtual call to discuss Parking Protected Bike Lanes, the Jay Alert Pilot, Intelligent Speed Assistance, and our upcoming advocacy day in Harrisburg, PA, June 9, 2026. Register for zoom link >>
May 27th: Evening Advocacy Call
Please join Policy Director Julio Rodriguez on May 27 for a virtual call at 6:00pm to discuss Parking Protected Bike Lanes, the Jay Alert Pilot, Intelligent Speed Assistance, and our upcoming advocacy day in Harrisburg, PA, June 9, 2026. Register for zoom link >>
Join us in Harrisburg on June 9th for our Lobby Day:
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCGP), Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP), and the Safe Roads PAC are heading to Harrisburg PA to advocate for Parking Protected Bike Lanes (PPB) and other safety measures such as Jay Alert and Intelligent Speed Assistance legislation!
If you are directly impacted by traffic violence; live in the High Injury Network (roads where there are high crashes), or if you are deeply passionate about Parking Protected Bike Lanes, we’d like for you to join us!!
We will travel via Amtrak at 7:30am and have meetings from 10:00am-3:00pm and will return to Philadelphia by 4:40pm
The mission of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is lead the movement to make every bicycle ride safe, to empower youth and adults to ride, and to foster a ridership that reflects the diversity of the region through advocacy and education
That mission drives a clear focus: advancing policies and infrastructure that reduce traffic injuries and fatalities while expanding access to safe mobility.
One of the most urgent—and solvable—gaps in Pennsylvania’s roads is the lack of widespread authorization for parking-protected bike lanes on state-controlled roads.
Why Parking-Protected Bike Lanes Matter
Parking-protected bike lanes are a proven safety intervention. By placing parked vehicles between moving traffic and cyclists, they create a physical buffer that significantly reduces the risk of collisions. Despite their effectiveness, these lanes are still not permitted on roads controlled by PennDOT.
In 2017, the Bicycle Coalition worked with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) to secure a pilot program allowing these lanes on select state routes. Between 2018 and 2022, 15 corridors were included in the pilot—demonstrating that even within existing constraints, safer designs could be implemented.
The results speak for themselves. According to the City’s 2023 update to PennDOT:
Key Findings from the 2023 Report
- Severe and fatal crashes declined on corridors with parking-separated bike lanes
- Average vehicle speeds dropped by up to 30%
- Bicycle ridership increased significantly
- Flex posts, while helpful, have a high replacement rate
These outcomes are not abstract, they show that when streets are designed with safety in mind, behavior changes. Drivers slow down. More people feel comfortable biking. And most importantly, fewer people are seriously injured or killed.
From Pilot to Permanent Change
The pilot program proved that parking-protected bike lanes work. What’s missing now is permanence. Without state legislation, municipalities are not allowed to install this infrastructure on state roads.
Providing cyclists with a physical barrier from traffic is not a radical concept; it is a baseline safety measure. While flex posts have served as an interim solution, they do not offer the durability or level of protection that concrete barriers provide. Moving toward fully protected bike lanes is the logical and necessary next step.
Recent fatalities—including crashes in bike lanes without robust protection—underscore the stakes. These are preventable tragedies tied directly to gaps in infrastructure.
A Clear Path Forward
Pennsylvania has already tested the solution. The data is clear. The demand is growing. The next step is to codify what works and allow cities to implement parking-protected bike lanes where they are needed most.
If the goal is safer streets, the path forward is not complicated: build infrastructure that protects people.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia leads the movement to make every bicycle ride safe, to empower youth and adults to ride, and to foster a ridership that reflects the diversity of the region. Join or renew to continue that advocacy and education work throughout the region. More info here.