Comments range from fist pumping happy, to skeptical to cynical to under-impressed (“I want a Barcelona-style Ramblas”) …..But, so far, no one making a credible argument against them.
Now THAT’S change we can believe in. - ResIpsaLoquitur
This is great news for bikes and cars, actually, because there are already lots of people who bike around town, and now they’ll have a safer place to do it. Would be nice to have the bike lane raised, or some other kind of divide between it and the car traffic. What I would really like to see is a Barcelona-style Ramblas down Broad and Market streets, with traffic on the outside and a broad pedestrian mall with trees on the inside. – michjal
YES! I ride across town daily and can’t wait to use the new striped bike lanes! If the city is looking for increased cycle traffic on the new Spruce/Pine lanes they are going to see it. –Felecia
I live on Spruce.. Bike Lanes are a GOOD thing. We need MORE AND MORE AND MORE. Make it safier, and easier. You work in CC, or goto school at Temple/Jeff/Penn/Drexel.. its a NO BRAINER, biking is FASTE and CHEAPER than commuting. Dig it -CJ
This is absolutely excellent. I never dreamed it could happen this quickly. Everybody who bikes in or around CC should make a point of using these lanes to demonstrate the high volume & make sure the city doesn’t scrap them. -Niel
Finally some bike love! As a native Bostonian who is used to bike accommodation to the fullest it is nice to see some action happen in the right direction. Even just a couple streets will be great. That way the bikers know where to go to ride right and drivers know what streets to avoid. –John Shearer
Great news and great work! I'm sure there will be a (long) transition period, with vehicles still using the lane, parking, etc. But this is a huge step! -Jesse
I ride Spruce already, primarily because there are few buses and never that much traffic. Adding a bike lane here is perfect! –the3:00book
Yes! Yes! Yes! Finally! Everyone who is for this, I suggest writing Mayor Nutter and Deputy Cutler a quick thank you! I'm gonna. –Taggart
Well, all difficulties with double parkers and incorrect lane users aside: WOO HOO!!!!!!!!! Thank you Mayor Nutter and the BCGP! --caduceus
Is there any word on a south heading bike lane in the works? It's the only direction not represented and would help bikers to get safely across the city. –anonymous
This is not exactly SEPTA related, but it's transit related. And it's very good news. When I'm not riding SEPTA, I love riding my bicycle around town. So I was ecstatic to read on the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia's blog this week, that Philadelphia is putting in new bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets in Center City. Very cool, Philly, very cool. –Septawatch.com
It’s like this: The motorists of Philadelphia (and the motorists who come here from New Jersey) simply cannot be trusted. Even when their superego is trying like hell to drive around you and be all nice and Whole Foods about it, their ids — those raging, bloodthirsty, *&%ing ids — want to make fruit smoothies of your knees by pinning them to whatever’s between you and the curb, and if that is nothing, the curb will do just fine, thank you. And the only known cure for the problem is bike lanes. And you’re gonna get ‘em. On Spruce Street and on Pine Street. Before the summer is out. No, really. Well, probably, at any rate. At this point, I’d like to address the audience in a late 1970s park jam call-and-response: Somebody say PROGRESS! Somebody say SEXY! Somebody say SEXY PROGRESS! And ya don’t stop. -Philebrity
Of course, this is a plan that's been kicking around for some time and would definitely be a start to a more bike-friendly Center City. –CityPaper Clog
Today's excellent the article in the Inquirer by Sandy Bauers introduced the project to its general readership. As with anything newsmedia article that mentions the word bicycle the internet trolls immediately pounced cutting and pasting their last vile comment from any article the mentions a bicyclist being killed or maimed.
hahah. like people will actually obey this? cyclists are losers...can't wait to make some of these dorks hit the pavement. watch out for the SUV hippies. it's a hybrid if it's makes you feel better.
-dmbsaxon
ok cyclists can have spruce and pine then stay the hell off of race arch market chestnut walnut locust lombard south - ninghing
Oh yeah this is an ENLIGHTENED idea. ... Soon the shops will close because business has been killed and the hippies and liberals living in their urban paradise will have to ride their bikes to far flung places to shop. It will also make it harder for emergency vehicles delaying help to all just so bike riding dopes can get their way. Clue- streets were made for cars and trucks to move people and goods and promote commerce not bikes. Otherwise there would only be BIKE LANES! Doh!
What Can You Do?
- Don't feed the trolls, post your support for bike lanes on Spruce and Pine here.
- Tell Councilman Frank DiCicco and Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler that you support these bike lanes: send the Councilman an email at frank.dicicco@phila.gov and cc: rina.cutler@phila.gov (and us at bike@bicyclecoalition.org )
- And don't forget to send a thank you note to the Mayor here.
3 comments:
I thought the comments to the Inquirer article were more thoughtful than they usually are for most stories. Some of the critical comments about cyclists have some validity. Many pedestrians have had bad experiences with cyclists and I think it is important to address their concerns. Many of the new cyclists are rather careless, they don't wear helmets, don't have lights or wear bright/reflective clothing.
I think that this idea will work well as long as car/truck double parking is kept to a minimum. What will be done for the church parking on Sundays? My other concerns are joggers using the bike lane, cyclists riding the wrong way, and pedestrians using the bike lane to partially cross the street at intersections.
The bike lane on Spring Garden doesn't seem to have many wrong way cyclists these days but I have encountered joggers running against the flow of traffic during rush hour on Spring Garden.
Just an FYI, my e-mail to frank.diccico@phila.gov
failed. It does not seem to be a working address (or it just automatically spit back my hotmail address.)
for captainden....who obviously doesn't know the history of this fair city. streets were made for horses and horse and buggies and then for bikes and then cars were accomodated less than 100 years ago. get a clue.
Post a Comment