FOPS Recommendations

Balancing the safety needs of cyclists, residents, pedestrians, and drivers is essential to ensuring that Philadelphia’s narrow, historic residential streets remain both functional and livable. Instead of restrictive barriers, modern technology and speed control offer sustainable, effective traffic-calming solutions that enhance safety without compromising accessibility. Speed reduction measures—such as speed cushions, rumble strips, lower speed limits, and raised pedestrian crosswalks—are supported by organizations like Vision Zero, PennDOT, and CCRA as practical strategies to create safer streets for all.

Education and enforcement also play a critical role in fostering coexistence among road users. Strengthening driver and biker education and stricter enforcement against impaired operation will help reduce conflicts and improve overall road safety. Better instructional signage can further clarify the rules of the road, ensuring that all users—whether on foot, bike or in a vehicle—understand how to navigate shared spaces responsibly. However, eliminating additional loading zones, preventing further parking reductions, and rejecting new bike lane barriers, planters, or other physical obstructions are necessary to preserve accessibility. Residents must retain the ability to temporarily stop, as previously promised by the city on Pine and Spruce Streets, ensuring that essential services, deliveries, and daily life are not disrupted in the name of one-size-fits-all traffic policies.