The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has sent the following recommendations to the Streets Department and office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability for consideration and are actively working through possible solutions to the bus relocation bicycle conflict on Spring Garden St.
The Bicycle Coalition is concerned about the impact that the interim bus stop will likely have on bicyclist safety on Spring Garden. It is one of the busiest bike/micromobility corridors in the City and is directly adjacent to the Delaware Waterfront Trail. We are concerned that the current proposal doesn’t ensure the highest level safety of bicyclists using the Spring Garden eastbound bike lane.
2023 is a terrible year to be a bicyclist in Philadelphia. So far, 10 people have been killed while riding their bicycle on city streets, the greatest number ever recorded.
Motorcoaches (8ft) are wider than the designated parking area (7ft) and they will certainly encroach into the bike lane even if they line up perfectly at the curb. We fear that interactions and conflicts between the buses and bicyclists will be frequent.
The temporary reconfiguration of Spring Garden only directly impacts bicyclists, the most vulnerable users in the cartway, who will be expected to ride in a compromised bike lane shared with heavy-duty vehicles. There are no provisions to modify motor vehicle traffic at all. We feel that this is unacceptable and not in line with the priorities of a City with a Vision Zero policy.
The Bicycle Coalition has proposed the following for Spring Garden:
Our preference is for bicyclists to remain on Spring Garden but in an improved on-road facility. We ask that the temporary bus loading zone be treated with the same safety standards as a construction zone. Between Hope St and Spring Garden St there is 88 feet of road space. According to Google Maps the existing lanes vary between 11 and 13 feet wide. We have proposed to the City to look at several options to preserve a full 5 foot bike lane between the SEPTA bus stop and Spring Garden St:
- Close a through travel lane between Hope St and Front St and repurpose the turn lanes (Streetmix Below)
- Reduce the width of the eastbound lanes to two 10 foot travel lanes and a 5 foot bike lane with a small buffer between the bike lane and the bus
- Temporarily remove the bike lane on the south side and convert the parking lane on the north side to a 2 – way protected cycletrack.
BCGP could only support the City’s proposed detour on 2nd and Callowhill if it is impossible to make improvements on Spring Garden Street.
- The bike lane on Callowhill Street be protected
- Parking is removed between the bus lot driveway and Delaware Avenue in order to extend the bike lane the full length of Callowhill
- Stop signs are installed at the bus lot driveway making it clear that bicyclists have the right of way