South Street buffered bike lane slated to be upgraded a protected bike lane in Spring 2018
Approximately two weeks ago, Center City Residents Association gave their blessing to the installation of protected bike lanes on the 27th Street curve that approaches the South Street Bridge and on South Street between 27th & 22nd Streets. This follows a similar nod of approval from SOSNA in their August 8th letter to Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (oTIS).
oTIS first declared publicly late last week that the project is going to move forward.
When we followed up with oTIS staff, they told us it most likely would be installed in Spring 2018. The details of the design have not yet developed, so we don’t know to what degree our August 2017 proposal sent to both oTIS and Councilman Kenyatta Johnson for those two streets will be adopted. Below is what we asked for; but we won’t know for some months if the Streets Department will incorporate some or all of these elements into their design.
- 27th Street Protected Bike Lane:
- Install lane separators such as Tuff Curb® along the entire curve (instead of flex posts)
- Create a regular cleaning schedule to remove debris that collects at the bottom of the curve
- Install a mountable corner island at the corner of 27th and South
- Install “elephant’s feet” markings at the intersection of 27th and South and enhanced with green paint to guide cyclists crossing over to Schuylkill Ave.
- South Street Protected Bike Lane (between 27th and 21st Streets):
- Install delineator posts in the buffer and change the parking regulation from No Parking to No Stopping*
- Upgrade the visibility of the bike box at 22nd St by adding green paint around the perimeter.
- Time traffic signals for 20 mph traffic between 27th and 21st Streets
*We believe this will be part of the protected bike lane project.
Lombard Street (between 22nd and 27th Streets) remains undecided. We anticipate meeting with Councilman Kenyatta Johnson in the coming weeks to discuss the following options:
- Change curbside regulation to “No Stopping During Peak Hours Only”
- Installation of two new loading zones on the south side of the street on each block to relieve parking pressure on the buffered bike lane
- Install three raised crosswalks at 24th, 25th and Taney Streets
- Designate a school bus loading and unloading location off Lombard St.
- Time traffic signals for 20 mph
- Use green paint and signage at 22nd and Lombard to create a visual cue to motorists that the buffered bike lane is commencing.