Change can be slow—but not this time, at least by Walnut Street Bridge standards! The journey from the Bicycle Coalition’s 1990 die-in protest at the bridge’s grand opening to today’s protected bike lane has been 35 years in the making, and the transformation is finally here.
PennDOT announced the completion of the new “temporary” parking-separated bike lane on Walnut Street between 22nd and 33rd Street. Over the past week, contractors relocated the bike lane next to the curb and shifted the parking lane outward. Additionally, bike signals were installed at left-turn intersections—specifically at 23rd Street and I-76. The revamped setup seamlessly connects westward with the pre-existing bike lane at 33rd and Walnut Street.
The bike lane is the first phase of the Market Street Bridge construction project, which will see the Market Street Bridge closed to all traffic in late 2026 and 2027. The project includes work on the structure that carries Walnut Street and Schuylkill Avenue and 30th St. With construction projected to continue until 2029, adjustments to the bike lane, such as relocations and lane reductions for vehicles—will be necessary over the next few years. The Schuylkill River Trail will also be affected with periodic closures under the Market St Bridge.
Once the structural work wraps up, the finalized bike lane will boast enhanced safety features. Parking will shift to the north side of the bridge, and the bike lane will be separated from vehicular traffic by concrete barriers and flex posts
To learn more about the project, go to MarketStreetBridges.com
An overhead view of the final design of the Walnut Street Bridge Bike Lane (2029). Parking is moved to the north side with concrete pills installed to separate the bike lane from bridge traffic.