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Council approves three bicycle-lane ordinances after robust public testimony on safety and traffic
Summary
Philadelphia City Council approved three ordinances to designate new bicycle lanes on North 20th, North 13th and North 23rd Streets as part of a consent package. Dozens of public speakers urged protected lanes and infrastructure; at least one commenter warned of traffic and emergency-access impacts.
Philadelphia City Council on March 6, 2025, approved ordinances designating bicycle lanes on three streets, amending Philadelphia Code §12-701. The measures authorizing bicycle lanes — on North 20th Street (Spring Garden to Green), North 13th Street (Cecil B. Moore to Diamond) and North 23rd Street (Ray Street to Market Street) — were adopted as part of the consent agenda and recorded as passed in the final roll call.
Supporters of the bike-lane measures told council the designations are necessary to reduce traffic deaths and increase safe, nonautomotive travel options. "Paint isn't protection," said Jeremy Blatstein, a regular public commenter, urging that lanes be fully protected with concrete barriers and consistent enforcement. "We need fully protected bike lanes with concrete, consistent enforcement, and funding for Vision Zero that matches its promise," Blatstein said.
Other witnesses who testified in favor included Jared Johnson of Fifth Square, who thanked Council Member Jeffrey J. Young and the Streets and Services Committee for advancing the bills, and Louis Bartholomew, who described personal experiences in which the absence of protected lanes created unsafe conditions for riders. Several speakers, including Cameron O'Grady, said incremental block-by-block implementation increases bike use and can reduce car traffic.
At least one commenter raised concerns about lane reductions. Lynn Landis of SafeStreetsPhilly opposed resolution 250130 and also expressed objections to removing a travel lane on North 20th Street, saying the project "disproportionately impacts the community by hindering daily travel, emergency access and essential services" and urged consideration of traffic-signal technology and other mitigations instead of eliminating vehicle lanes.
Council documents and the clerk's reading identify the ordinances as amendments to Chapter 12-701 of the Philadelphia Code. The clerk recorded the final votes on the consent agenda and associated ordinances as affirmative; the roll-call list for the relevant votes shows 17 ayes and 0 nays.
Ending: The ordinances move to implementation via the city's transportation and public-works offices; council's vote resolves the legal change to the code and allows city agencies to schedule engineering and enforcement work consistent with adopted ordinances.
