Authored By: Circuit Trails Coalition | August 15, 2024

Patrick Starr, executive vice president of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council and chair of the Circuit Trails Coalition, shared this statement at the rally at City Hall in support of the petition drive to Protect Our Streets on August 15, 2024:

“The Circuit Trails Coalition is in full agreement with the thousands of people who have signed on to the Protect Our Streets petition, making their voices heard here today, and we stand with our Coalition member the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. It is past due for the City to prioritize the safety of people who walk and bike. Our vision for the Circuit Trails is safety! City bike lanes connect people to the Circuit Trails, a network of 411 miles of multi-use trails across Philadelphia, the four border counties in Pennsylvania and four counties in New Jersey. We are building toward 500 trail miles by the end of 2025 and to more than 850 miles beyond that. We simply need more protected, walkable and bike-able access through the densest parts of Philadelphia.

“Active transportation – meaning getting folks where they need to go on bikes, on foot, or on other human-powered wheels – reduces automobile traffic, reduces emissions and reduces congestion. Protected bike lanes are what it takes to keep people safe and to make the choice of active transportation comfortable for more people. On-road connections to the Circuit Trails network are essential to maximizing the positive impact of trails. Although the Spruce-Pine bike lanes are on the Circuit, they fall far short of our design goal and need upgrading now.

“There is a huge opportunity right now that is fully under the City’s control. We urge the City to expedite the fully-funded Spring Garden Street Greenway plan for a redesigned complete street to include a fully protected bike lane, safe pedestrian crossings, safer public transit access and more. It will materially change the way people get around in Philadelphia, connecting the Schuylkill River Trail to the Delaware River Trail, from one side of the city to the other.

“The need is clear – there is a tremendous opportunity to greatly enhance safety and quality of life for city residents. We are calling on Mayor Parker and City Council to take action. It’s time to prioritize safe walking and biking routes through the city as a clean, green and lifesaving initiatives for Philadelphians.”