Volunteers Help Kick Off "Bike the Pike"

Bike the Pike is a campaign to make West Chester Pike safer for bicyclists at the I-476 ramps. On Wednesday the BCGP's Delaware County Cycling Committee (DCCC) conducted morning and evening demonstrations with the help of volunteers and Bicycle Coalition staff to remind drivers to hang up and share the road with cyclists.



I got a good idea of the difficulty negotiating this stretch when Anne Spiegelman took me across from Lawrence Road to the northbound I-476 ramp.

I asked her about the lane splitting at 1:05, she told me that it was the best way of getting peoples attention and ultimately drivers let her in. Noting that she has had "about 50 close calls" at the ramp. This is not a ride that you'll be taking your 3 year old on a trail-a-bike.

We then rode the rest of the interchange uphill past Russell Garrett's roadside memorial across the southbound on and off ramps, the hill posed a speed challenge while mixing with traffic. Link

The volunteers broke up into several groups. I stayed with Anne and DCCC Chair David Bennett at the northbound interchange facing westbound traffic while the other groups were positioned on the eastbound side. Video

Volunteer Phil Galluccio describes the reaction from motorists to the Bike the Pike demonstration at I-476 and Route 3 (West Chester Pike) in Marple.

(Warning - includes a graphic description of the crash)

A delegation from the Bicycle Coalition will discuss this issue with PENNDOT officials on Monday. We will be seeking a commitment from PENNDOT to work with the BCGP and Marple Township to seek countermeasures to the problem which may include education, engineering and enforcement.

Thanks to all the volunteers that came out to help.