Over the last few years, the two-way protected bike lane on 11th Street has provided a safer route for thousands of people who commute and run errands in South Philadelphia every day. It’s become such an important route for cyclists, in fact, the city now plows the lane when it snows. But it nearly didn’t
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In 2019, after two years of saving, I was finally able to buy the bicycle of my dreams: the Brompton M6. Given Philadelphia’s tight living spaces, and the relentless thieves who often prowl for bikes locked up outdoors, the Brompton—a folding bicycle with 16-inch wheels—is a fantastic choice for the city. Because it quickly converts
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When Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf shut down “all non-life-sustaining” businesses as a public safety precaution in March, Philadelphia created its own list of businesses it deemed essential, which included bike shops. Such was the beginning of a national bike boom throughout the country. As many businesses, like gyms and fitness studios, were forced to shut
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Eager to put the last four years in America’s rear view, President-elect Joe Biden and his transition team have published their first batch of plans for their time in the White House, some of which include exciting news for bicycling, public transit and walking. Pledging to allot federal funding for alternative transportation modes, the Biden
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It was just after midnight on June 30, 2018, and Ag Manta and his brother, Vin, were riding their bicycles home from Main Street in Manayunk toward the path along Kelly Drive. Manta remembers the driver of a gray Scion taunting them from behind, using homophobic slurs. Then things escalated. Manta remembers hearing screeching tires
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When folks go to the polls or fill out their mail-in ballots next month, they will likely have key issues on their minds—be it the environment, foreign policy, corruption, the economy, fighting against white supremacy or saving American democracy as we know it. You know, basic voting stuff. What will be on fewer peoples’ minds
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Desperate times call for desperate measures—and the times, they are a-desperate. But with a little bit of planning, and a lot of nudging, desperation can bring out the best in people—and cities. Such was the case when Martin Luther King Jr. Drive was closed to motor vehicles and opened to people in late March 2020.
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For years, bicycle-advocacy organizations across the country and the world have supported a policy called Vision Zero as a push for safer streets for everyone. Emphasizing the five E’s of planning—engineering, education, encouragement, evaluation and enforcement—the Sweden-born safety policy has proven effective where implemented. Utilizing police departments for the enforcement part of Vision Zero has
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