PHILADELPHIA, PA — A new community organization, Friends of Pine & Spruce (FOPS), has formed in Philadelphia to oppose the city’s recently implemented “No Stopping” law for bike lanes. The group argues that the regulation, which bans any vehicle from stopping in the Pine and Spruce Street bike lanes, needs revision to address the needs of residents, motorists, and other users of the streets.
FOPS, officially incorporated on January 3, has quickly gained traction with notable support. More than 500 residents across the city have signed a petition endorsing the group’s mission. Local organizations, such as the Center City Residents Association and the Society Hill Civic Association, have also joined the call for changes to the law, which currently prohibits school transit, delivery vehicles, and ride-shares from briefly pulling over in bike lanes.
Lloyd Brotman, PhD, who serves as the organization’s president, emphasized that FOPS aims to bring balance to the public discussion on street safety. “Working collaboratively, Friends of Pine & Spruce will inject much-needed balance into the public debate over street safety on Pine and Spruce by using hard facts and data to provide practical safety and accessibility solutions for the benefit of all Philadelphians—pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and residents,” he said.
Dr. Brotman and others allege that the “No Stopping” law breaks prior agreements allowing safe, temporary stops in front of homes along Pine and Spruce streets. Opponents of the law also object to the proposal for installing concrete barriers in the bike lanes, which they argue would create logistical issues and worsen traffic conditions.
Residents and urban planners have echoed these concerns. Judith Benedict, a city planner, and Spruce Street resident, described the current bike lanes as already offering adequate protection for cyclists. Meanwhile, her husband, Philip Benedict, an active cyclist, noted that navigating around occasional stopped vehicles is manageable. He believes that barriers could lead to unintended consequences. “Concrete barriers would be bad urban planning that will snarl traffic, inconvenience those who live along those streets or serve them, and in all likelihood make matters worse, not better, for cyclists,” he stated.
Acknowledging that affected residents only recently entered the debate, Brotman criticized the city’s process for enacting the law. “Residents’ concerns must be heard, the law needs to be amended, and the concrete barrier proposal eliminated,” he asserted.
With support spanning districts overseen by Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Councilmember Mark Squilla, FOPS aims to collaborate with city officials to push for amended safety measures. The group has announced plans to launch a website and share details on future policy initiatives and volunteer activities in the coming weeks.
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