Vision Zero Committee Proposes Safety Upgrades and a Protected Bike Lane on 22nd Street
The SOSNA Vision Zero committee is focused on making our neighborhood streets safe for all users with a special focus on the most vulnerable users, pedestrians, and cyclists. We were excited when, in 2019, the Philadelphia Streets Department proposed a protected bike lane to be constructed on 22nd street north of South Street to coincide with the scheduled repaving this year. However, they did not propose extending the protected bike lane south of South street through our neighborhood. Studies show that protected bike lanes save lives and reduce crashes - especially those that result in injuries and death. We want to use this opportunity to show that the neighborhood supports a safer configuration for 22nd street. One that increases safety for pedestrians and cyclists by protecting the bike lane, and removing illegal parking next to crosswalks and in bus stops.
These safety upgrades will:
Reduce the crossing distance for pedestrians, making it easier and safer to cross the street
Clear illegal parking from bus stops, making it safer to get on the bus and more accessible
Make it much safer for people riding bikes on 22nd street
Encourage people who are on the fence about biking to give it a try, reducing congestion and traffic
Increase visibility for drivers so they can better see other people crossing the street
Philadelphia has parking protected bike lanes on JFK Boulevard, Market Street, Chestnut Street and north 22nd street near the Ben Franklin Parkway
For more details about the current conditions and how we plan to address them, read on!
Please attend our informational and voting meeting on Thursday, March 19th at 7pm via teleconference (call in info at the bottom of this page).
Conditions on 22nd Street
Currently, 22nd street has two parking lanes - on the left and right side. The unprotected bike lane is on the right with the travel lane on the left. There is no permit parking on 22nd street currently. No Parking zones are marked with an X box but many do not have signs which would allow for enforcement of those zones.
Even with an unprotected, faded bike lane, 22nd street is one of the most biked corridors in one of the most biked neighborhoods in the City. Census data shows that the area around 22nd street has one of the highest bike commuting rates in the City, at nearly