Mayor Cherelle Parker signed a No-Stopping in Bike Lanes bill on Wednesday in an effort to address bike safety concerns following recent deaths and injures across the city.
The bill will reclassify more than 35 miles of curbside lanes and all bike lanes to “No Stopping Anytime,” prohibiting stopping, standing, or parking in bicycle lanes, and will also increase fines for violations.
“It is our responsibility to raise awareness about the dangers of vehicles obstructing bike lanes, creating dangerous conflicts forcing cyclists into vehicle lanes, increasing the risk of crashes, and compromising safety for all road users,” said Parker.
Ten cyclists were killed in crashes last year – a record for Philadelphia. In July, 30-year-old Dr. Barbara Ann Friedes, a Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia doctor, was struck and killed while riding in a bike lane near 18th and Spruce streets.
Overall, traffic-related deaths in the city are down, though pedestrians comprise a larger share of the total, according to a bicycle coalition analysis.
“City Council and I hope and believe the No-Stopping in Bike Lanes legislation will improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists,” Parker added. “Philadelphia’s diverse transportation system requires safer streets for all users.”
