On the afternoon on December 3rd, 38-year-old Teddy Einstein from West Philadelphia was struck and killed by an 18-year-old driver in Upper Darby Township. He was traveling east and downhill on Providence Rd in the bike lane and was struck crossing Penn Pines Blvd. An article on Teddy’s legacy in the Delaware County Times did not elaborate on the type of crash, but the location suggests that the driver was turning on or off Penn Pines Blvd. He is survived by his wife Ruth Fahey and children Charlie, 6, and Lorcan, 2.
Einstein was a Math Professor at Swarthmore College and a regular bike commuter. Teddy and Ruth were active members of Philly Bike Action.
Our deepest condolences to Teddy’s family and friends. If you would like to contribute to support Teddy’s family through this difficult time you can visit their GoFundMe page.
His friends and colleagues described Teddy as a skilled and careful bike commuter. He did everything that PENNDOT asks cyclists to do: wear high visibility clothing and a helmet while riding in the designated bike lane. But these measures cannot make up for speeding vehicles on dangerous arterial roads.
What is Bicyclists’ Baltimore Pike?
Einstein was traveling on “Bicyclist Baltimore Pike,” an 8-mile corridor that was designated and signed in 2010, but which has had no road improvements for bicyclists. The route was popularized by Swarthmore students and faculty in the 1990’s as the easiest and most direct bike route to Philly. Most of the route is listed by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission as Level of Traffic Stress 3 (moderate traffic stress).
The route as the name suggests, is parallel to Baltimore Pike. About 2.7 miles of the Bicyclists’ Baltimore Pike uses Providence Rd, which mostly has intermittent shoulders and a speed limit that varies between 25 and 35 mph.
Bicyclists Baltimore Pike exists due to the lack of political will (at the time) and funding to create an all ages and abilities route across eastern Delaware County. Although there are less direct, low-stress streets that run parallel along this route, traveling across Darby Creek remains a pinch point for these routes.
What could be done to make this intersection safer?
Despite the designation as a regional bike route, only about a half mile of painted bike lanes exists (between Penn Pines Park and Springfield Rd). Paint is not protection and its mere presence does not reduce the level of traffic stress. Providence Rd is quite narrow and Upper Darby Township had to negotiate with PENNDOT to install the bike lane. Which is why, the bike lane on Providence Rd ends abruptly at Springfield Rd (Springfield Township line.)
Penn Pines meets Providence Road at an acute angle with that is nearly 120 feet wide, about as dangerous as it gets for an intersection with a local street. It is not safe for any road user.
While Providence Road is a State Road, Penn Pines Blvd is a township road, and that gives Upper Darby a chance to do something great – make the road safer for everyone.
Penn Pines crossing is wide as 115 feet, making it unsafe for vulnerable road users and drivers. (3DStreet)
Reclaim the asphalt
Upper Darby Township should use quick-build materials to narrow the intersection similar to the project on 48th and Baltimore Avenue in West Philly. 
Reclaimed asphalt on 48th and Baltimore Avenue in West Philly
Quick Build Concept for narrowing Penn Pines. Adding a crosswalk, and enhancing the bike lane crossing.
All of this being said, we know how to engineer our streets to be safer. The continued loss of life is completely unnecessary and unacceptable. PENNDOT, the City of Philadelphia and the surrounding cities and townships must collaborate and take measurable action to ensure that people have the freedom to travel our region with the minimum expectation to arrive to their destination safely.
If anyone you know has been involved in a crash or lost someone in a crash and is looking for community, please reach out to Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia by emailing sonja@bicyclecoalition.org.
Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia (FSSGP) is comprised of victims of traffic violence and families whose loved ones have been killed or severely injured by aggressive, reckless, or careless driving, behaviors enabled by dangerous street design. FSSGP represents the full range of greater Philadelphia’s rich diversity and collectively demands an end to traffic violence.