As required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, all States are required to complete an initial Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment and include it as part of their Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP). Each State must update the Vulnerable Road User Safety Assessment with subsequent SHSP updates, which is typically every 5 years. In August 2023, PennDOT released a draft and included a survey to help identify existing safety concerns for people walking and cycling. As of mid-November PennDOT officially released the 2023 Statewide VRU Safety Assessment Report.
Overall, the content is quite wonky; there is an entire chapter dedicated to data and methodology used to support the prioritization of pedestrian and cyclist areas of concern. An important factor includes performing an equity analysis developed by the Delaware Vally Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) known as Indicators of Potential Disadvantage. The report also specifically excludes important classes of vulnerable road users including E-bike and E-scooter riders. However, those crashes are likely included in the crash data since the victims are often categorized as bicyclists or pedestrians. Horse and buggy drivers and passengers are also excluded, which is disappointing.
Following the quantitative analysis, the report provides a deep dive into the data by reviewing factors such as crash types and dangerous travel times. Most importantly, the report identifies specific corridors they’ve identified as High-Risk Areas (HRA). A majority of the data is presented statewide and is broken out by each of the Commonwealth’s Metropolitan and Rural Planning Organizations (MPOs and RPOs). In Chapter 6, the report offers a toolbox of recommendations including infrastructure and policy recommendations and bicycle and pedestrian countermeasures. The report does not offer specific recommendations for each corridor due to the significant number of HRAs across the Commonwealth. What’s next? PennDOT is relying on the MPOs and RPOs to utilize the data to develop their own Action Plans.
The Safe System Approach to Traffic Safety (FHWA)
Overall, the report is a supplement to the City of Philadelphia’s High Injury Network Mapping as it is specifically focused on High-Risk Areas for only bicyclists and pedestrians. To review the HRAs in Southeast Pennsylvania, see the maps below. The HRAs appear in gold in Philadelphia and in red for Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. Due to the high level of bike and pedestrian crashes in the City, the authors set the threshold at a crash rate that is twice as high as the rest of the Commonwealth. As a result of the report, the Bicycle Coalition will be engaging with DVRPC and the City to completely map the High-Risk corridors for Philadelphia.
Looking ahead, the DOTs are required to include these reports with the State Highway Safety Plans, which are due every 5 years. For advocates, the maps will be important especially when new road projects are proposed for those segments. It will be our job to ensure that PennDOT adheres to its policy goal of achieving zero traffic deaths by 2050. We will be on the lookout for NJDOT’s VRU report, as New Jersey has a higher rate of bike/ped fatalities than Pennsylvania.
It’s clear that Pennsylvania needs to do more to protect vulnerable road users in Southeastern PA. Take action today and tell your legislators to make Speed Cameras permanent on Roosevelt Blvd and expand them to all of Philadelphia county.
1. US 13, Frankford Ave from Princeton Ave to Shelmire Ave
2. PA 2007, Frankford Ave from Comly St to Harrison St
3. US 1, E Roosevelt Blvd from Fillmore Ter to Rising Sun Ave
4. PA 611, Broad St from Fisher Ave to Louden St
5. US 13, Hunting Park Ave from N Broad St to Fox St
6. PA 611, Broad St from W Pike St to Allegheny Ave
7. N Front St (GOOS) from N Hunting Park Ave to W Erie Ave
8. PA 1003, W Ontario St from Rorer St to N 2nd St
9. PA 2009, Aramingo Ave from Castor Ave to E Clearfield St
10. PA 2016, Allegheny Ave from Belgrade St to Kensington Ave
11. Kensington Ave (G046) from Ontario St to W York St
12. PA 2016, Allegheny Ave from G St to Glenwood Ave
13. PA 2014, W Lehigh Ave from Kensington Ave to N 8th St
14. PA 611, Broad St from Indiana Ave to W Master St
15. PA 611, Broad St from W Girard Ave to Nectarine St
16. PA 3017, 52nd St from Haverford Ave to Spruce St
17. US 13, 38th St from Lancaster Ave to Baltimore St
18. 34th St (G051) from Market St to Convention Ave
19. PA 3, Chestnut St from 31st St to 22nd St
20. PA 2676, Vine St from 10th St to 15th St
21. PA 3007, Arch St from N 9th St to N 15th St
22. PA 2004, Market St from 8th St to Juniper St
23. PA 3006, Walnut St from S 7th St to S Broad St
24. PA 291, Broad St from Pine St to Penn Sq
25. Fifteenth St (G039) from Walnut St to Pine St
26. PA 291, Broad St from Dickinson St to Snyder Ave
27. Woodland Ave (G097) from 49th St to Yewdall St
28. PA 3015, 63rd St from Callowhill St to Market St
29. Race St (G010) from Broad St to 6th St
30. US 30, Girard Ave from Belmont Ave to 38th St
31. PA 1003, B St from Erie Ave to Indiana Ave
32. PA 1004, Torresdale Ave from Levick St to Cottman Ave
33. PA 1009, Bustleton Ave from Magee Ave to Robbins Ave
1. PA 132, Street Rd from Knights Rd to High Ave, Bensalem Township
2. PA 132, Street Rd from Philmont Ave to Old Lincoln Hwy, Bensalem Township
3. PA 132, Street Rd from Central Ave to Old Street Rd, Bensalem Township
4. PA 132, Street Rd from Hardman Ln to School House Ln, Warminster Township
5. US 1, Lincoln Hwy from Old Lincoln Hwy to Philadelphia City Limits, Bensalem Township
6. US 1, Lincoln Hwy from Oxford Valley Rd to Bucks Town Rd, Middletown Township
7. PA 413, Veterans Hwy from Oakland Ave to I-95, Middletown and Bristol Townships
8. PA 2029, Bristol Oxford Valley Rd from Cinder Ln to Jollybrook Rd, Middletown and Bristol Townships
9. PA 2029, Bath Rd from Old Orchard Ln to Otter St, Bristol Borough and Bristol Township
10. US 13, Bristol Pike from PA 413 to Airport Rd, Bristol Borough and Bristol Township
11. PA 6332, Washington Ave from State St to Norwood Ave, Newtown Borough
12. PA 1010, Stump Rd from Meetinghouse Rd to south of German Rd, Plumstead Township
13. PA 611, Old York Rd from Madeira Ave to Fairway, Jenkintown Borough and Abington Township
14. PA 611, Easton Rd from Horsham Rd to Fair Oaks Ave, Horsham Township
15. US 202, Markley St from Washington St to Marshall St, Norristown
16. Main St (G115) from Hamilton St to Markley St, Norristown
17. PA 113, Harleysville Pike from Godshall Rd to Bergey Rd, Franconia Township
18. PA 4031, High St from Hanover St to Washington St, Pottstown Borough
19. PA 100, Pottstown Boyertown Byp from Manatawny St to Shoemaker Rd, Pottstown Borough
20. PA 3, W Chester Pike from Cobbs Creek Pkwy to State Rd, Upper Darby Township and Millbourne
21. 69th St (G069) from Locust St to W Chester Pike, Upper Darby Township
22. PA 2024, Marshall Rd from 69th St Blvd to Wycombe Ave, Upper Darby Township
23. PA 2015, Oak Ave from Cambridge Cir to Magnolia Ave, Upper Darby Township and Aldan Borough
24. PA 3, W Chester Pike from Newtown St Rd to Bryn Mawr Ave, Newtown Township
25. US 13, Post Rd from Avenue of the States to Madison St, City of Chester
26. Kerlin St (G438) from Concord Ave to Upland Ave, City of Chester and Upland Borough
27. US 13, 9th St from Yarnall St to Highland Ave, City of Chester and Chester Township
28. PA 1005, Valley Rd from Central Ave to Circular Ave, Tredyffrin Township
29. US 322, High St from Market St to Price St, West Chester Borough
30. US 30, Lincoln Hwy from Toth Ave to Diamond St, Caln Township
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. Right now the Bicycle Coalition is asking 700 folks to join or renew their support for another year to continue that advocacy and education work. More info here.