Hello and happy Spring from Vision Zero! With the weather warming up and the flowers blooming, your friends at VZ have lots of opportunities for you to get out and enjoy the weather.
Program Updates
National Bike Month
The month of May is National Bike Month and VZ encourages everyone to celebrate. Started in 1956, National Bike Month is marked by the cycling community promoting ride safety and advocating to make biking more accessible. In honor of the progress we have made in Philadelphia, The Office of Multimodal Planning (OMP, formally the Office of Complete Streets) is pleased to announce a digital report of the additions and upgrades to Philadelphia’s Bike Network in 2023. Philadelphia has added 28.4 miles of bike lanes to the network, including nearly 10 miles of separated bike lanes! The report features recently completed projects such as the safety improvements made on Walnut Street in West Philadelphia and on Market Street in Center City. You can view OMP’s report here.
In honor of Bike Month, Vision Zero encourages everyone to join a Bike to School Day ride on May 8th, Bike to Work (or Wherever) Day on May 17th, or take a ride around any day this month! See below for a full list of Bike Month events.
Vision Zero is also pleased to announce 7 awards from the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside, with over $7.3 million to support critical bicycle and pedestrian network connections and safety improvements across the city.
One Philly Budget Town Hall
Join Mayor Cherelle L. Parker at an upcoming One Philly Budget Town Hall to learn more about the budget process and what’s included in the Mayor Parker’s first historic budget proposal. Don’t miss this opportunity to get involved!
Upcoming Events
It’s a Bike Party! Sunday, May 5th, 10am to 2pm
Come celebrate National Ride a Bike Day on MLK Drive with the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia. The City of Philadelphia closes MLK Drive to motor vehicle traffic between the Falls Bridge and Sweetbriar Drive on weekends, during the season, to increase recreational access for the public. Closures are in place every weekend from Saturdays at 7 a.m. through Mondays at 7 a.m. More information on MLK Drive outings this month can be found here.
Wednesday, May 8th is National Bike and Roll to School Day!
Students and families celebrate the joy in traveling by sneakers, bicycles, tricycles, unicycles, scooters, roller skates—any active (and fun) way to get to school. Contact your local school for details about events in your neighborhood or contact Safe Routes Philly at SafeRoutesPhilly@phila.gov. Learn more about the history of the event and Safe Routes to Schools at Walk & Bike to School (walkbiketoschool.org).
Wednesday, May 15th, Ride of Silence
The Bicycle Coalition will also be hosting a Ride of Silence to honor those who have lost their lives riding a bicycle or motorcycle here in Philadelphia. This ride happens rain or shine. You can sign up at the following link https://bicyclecoalition.org/events/ride-of-silence-24/
Friday, May 17th is National Bike to Work or Wherever Day.
Dust off your two-wheeler (or however many wheels your bike has) and take the scenic route to work! In honor of the day the Bicycle Coalition of Philadelphia will be hosting a ride to City Hall. Rides will start at approximately 8am from all over the city and will converge on Dilworth Plaza. You can find out more information about a ride starting near you at https://bicyclecoalition.org/events/bike-to-work-wherever-day-24/
Partner Updates
Indego: May is National Bike Month and a time to celebrate all things cycling! Don’t have a bicycle? Our friends at Indego have got you covered! From April 23rd – May 31st use the code INDEPRO24 at www.rideindego.com to save 75% on your first month of the Indego30 pass.
Free Library: Join the Free Library for a “Building Blocks” community conversation. WHYY and the Holmesburg Library (7810 Frankford Ave) will lead a discussion about Public Safety. Event will take place on Wednesday, May 15th from 5:30pm-7:30pm.
CHOP: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is observing Global Youth Traffic Safety Month this May. If you’re a teen driver or have one in your life, please check out these resources:
PennDOT: From April 29th to May 12th, there will be a second Aggressive Driving crackdown in Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester Counties. The enforcement wave will focus on distracted driving, speeding, and work zone awareness.
Vision Zero in the News
- Five dangerous Philly roads will get cameras to catch speeders. People are clamoring for them. (inquirer.com)
- Infrastructure Roundup: City Receives $158M Grant for Chinatown Stitch, Secretary Buttigieg Tours MLK Drive Bridge Project, and More | Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems | City of Philadelphia
- Ghost bike memorial in FDR Park honors killed bicyclist – NBC10 Philadelphia (nbcphiladelphia.com)
- Philadelphia Police Crack Down on all Traffic Violations Along North Broad Street (6abc.com)
Join the Conversation
Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic deaths and severe injuries on Philadelphia streets. Learn more at www.visionzerophl.com. Follow OTIS on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and help us to share safety messages with your networks using the hashtag #VisionZeroPHL.
Do you have events, accomplishments, or calls to action to share with the Vision Zero Task Force and subcommittees? Send your next month’s updates by Wednesday, May 15th to Cole Appelman at nicholas.appelman@phila.gov.