Pilot bike lanes to cross Center City

Philadelphia’s undertaking a painting project that could change the way drivers and bikers travel around the city.

Philadelphia’s undertaking a painting project that could change the way drivers and bikers travel around the city. In the next 60 days, city workers will stripe Pine and Spruce Streets with miles of bike lanes from the Delaware River to the Schuykill River. To create the new lanes the city will take away one lane of car traffic. A City official says they chose these streets because they’re close to Center City but not in the heart of the traffic.

Listen:
[audio: 090716lfbike.mp3]

Jean Drake knows a lot about what happens on Spruce Street. She’s lived at 7th and Spruce for 46 years and says she likes the idea of having a separate lane of bikes. But Drake says there are already plenty of traffic flow problems: cars fly down Spruce to catch the green light, or double-park to go to the daycare or hospital.

Drake: Everytime a bike comes to a double parked car or a taxi, how is a bike going to get around? That’s where I’m concerned about accidents because the bike may come up on the sidewalk just to be safe or he may pull to the left and the cars figure they have the right of way.

The city plans to repave portions of Pine and Spruce Streets in the spring, at which point the bike lanes will either stay or go.