PennDOT is planning to repave the following streets in the 2019 paving season*: 6th St, 20th St, Benjamin Franklin Pkwy, Bustleton Ave, Columbus Ave, Delaware Ave, JFK Blvd, Lindbergh Blvd, Linden Ave, Richmond St, Torresdale Ave, Upsal St and Walnut Lane.
These streets are part of PennDOT District 6’s Five Year Paving Plan that they release in mid-2018.
One important bike lane this list is JFK Boulevard between 15th and 20th Streets. This represents a significant opportunity for PennDOT to enhance the protected lane on JFK , but only if Council President Clarke introduces an ordinance soon to make the lane on JFK (along with the one on Market Street) permanent.
Following an in-depth pilot program, the Kenney Administration forwarded the ordinance language as a resolution to City Council in January 2019.
An evaluation of the pilot program found the project to be successful in improving safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists, and there is strong support for making the lanes permanent.
Some of these streets slated for repaving have additional roadway width for upgraded bike lanes, which we have outlined in blue.
We will be asking the Streets Department for upgraded lanes where possible on those streets.
- Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
- Eakins Oval
- N 6th St
- JFK Blvd
- E. Upsal
- Linden Ave
These are not the only streets that should be upgraded. These are just the streets that would be easy to upgrade, since PennDOT is already going in.
*Subject to change
It wouldn’t hurt to ask for protected lanes on Delaware/Columbus AV, but at the very least, restriping those lanes are necessary. It’s more than a little unsettling to have cars buzz inches away at +50 mph or more.
PennDOT uses Delaware Ave as an emergency route in case traffic from I-95 has to be diverted. Consequently, the City and PennDOT and Delaware River Waterfront Corp have planned to accommodate bicyclists by building a fully separated 12 foot sidepath from Penn Street to Washington Avenue, next to Delaware Avenue as part of the PennDOT CAP and I-95 project. This project will be permitted by 2019 and hopefully construction completed by 2021. There still will be a south bound on road bike lane. We have a meeting with the Streets Department to ask for the highest quality on-road facility possible when PennDOT does repave the street.
Being fully separated from traffic would definitely be best on that road. What I would love to see north of Penn St and south of Washington is a protected bike lane, including well signed and striped transitions from the bike lane to the side path at the north and south ends. I hop on at Montgomery in Fishtown for my daily commute, but would get on further north (technically Richmond there, so this extends to that road repaving as well) at Lehigh if it wasn’t so terrifying. Having the bike lane painted green through intersections with signage indicating cars must yield to bikes would be something that could be used whether it is protected or not. All of my close calls on Columbus/Delaware (and one collision) happened at intersections with turning vehicles.
Thanks for your comment. We will bring to our meeting with the Streets Department.
I’d like to see the Coaliton push for improvements on Columbus Blvd. It’s for most direct route from South Philly to Fishtown but also the most dangerous. Why is it the city needs a 4 Lane road directly next to I-95?
see my reply to Lance’s comment.
Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Eakins Oval are necessary thoroughfares for bikers but are dangerous because of the traffic patterns. Criss-crossing bike lanes and with high traffic car lanes is dangerous even for the boldest bikers. Dedicating the northernmost lane of the parkway to pedestrians last summer was such a joy.
Thanks for your comment. We will bring to our meeting with the Streets Department.
And will this “upgrade” include Tasker crossing Columbus? Do you have any idea how terrifying it is when the light turns green, all the lined up cars take off & you’re on a bike? Have you seen the ruts on the railroad tracks? You are pedaling as fast as you can in absolute terror and then you hit the huge ruts on the tracks, which at the least can puncture a tire, but can also knock you over into traffic. This intersection has been this way for years. The city, or whomever, repaved Tasker recently, and it is great; railroad tracks need repairing or removed! Dreadful place and tragedy just waiting to happen.
This intersection is south of where PennDOT will repave. The tracks belong to CSX and are active. I would suggest that for the specific intersection of Tasker & Columbus, send an email to the Office of Infrastructure, Transportation & Sustainability asking them if there are opportunities to improve it. otis@phila.gov
Haven’t seen a train on those tracks in the 15 years I’ve lived here but will do. thnx
Hello: The facility will be separated and run the east side of Columbus from Washington Avenue to Spring Garden St. The Penn Street Trail gives you a sense of the overall dimensions and aesthetic of the future trail/cycletrack. Please check this site for some project renderings and updates: http://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/delaware-river-trail/on-road-trail
We’ll be having a public design exhibition of our final designs this spring 2019 so stay tuned for this.