WHEREAS, More people commute by bicycle in the City of Philadelphia than any of the other ten biggest cities in the United States. Our city’s 2.3% bicycle commuting rate is double that of New York City; and
WHEREAS, While the number of bicycles is down relative to pre-COVID 2019 levels, it is slowly but consistently climbing back up. Some parts of the City see especially high rates of bicycle use. South Philly has rates as high as 8.4%, and Center City’s bicycle commuter rates are 5.7% - some of the highest rates of bicycle commuting in the country; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s bicycle share, Indego, now accounts for more than 1 million total trips taken. If Indego were a public transportation agency, it would be the sixth-busiest such agency in Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Vision Zero has noted 12% of Philadelphia’s streets see 80% of its fatal and serious crashes, and Philadelphia’s 7.4 traffic deaths per 100,000 is amongst the worst of the major metropolitan cities in the United States, more than three times higher than New York City’s rate; and
WHEREAS, Separating bicycle lanes from car traffic lanes can dramatically reduce serious injuries and death - implementation of bike lanes in key parts of the City reduced injury crashes by 17%, and use of bicycles doubled; and
WHEREAS, Lower-income parts of Philadelphia produce fewer bike trips, marking another area where inequitable investments - including in roads and streets, as well as parks and recreation - have produced inequitable outcomes; and
WHEREAS, Increased bicycle use has economic, including cost savings on gas-using vehicles, and health benefits - bicycle use is a key way people can get cardiovascular and muscular exercises, and is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Celebrates May as Bicycle Awareness Month, recognizes the vibrant Philadelphia bicycling community, and calls for comprehensive bike lane accessibility across the City of Philadelphia.
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