Open Thread: How can Philly become more bike-friendly?

Biking is one of the most popular modes of transportation in Philly. From getting to work, to just enjoying the outdoors, Philadelphians have long used personal bikes—as well as the more recent bikeshare program—to get around.

The city’s bikeability is something officials and activists have worked hard to improve over the years. Philly introduced the bikeshare program Indego in 2015, focusing on inclusivity and bringing the program to lower-income neighborhoods. They’ve also introduced multiple protected bike lanes throughout the city in the past few years—including a plan to complete 40 miles of protected bike lanes. Additionally, recent grants have helped to close gaps in the Schuylkill River Trail, making for a long, safe bike trail through the western part of the city. And, of course, there are plenty of great green spaces to ride around.

And yet, there’s always room for improvement, especially when it comes to biking in Center City. Redfin’s Walkscore site puts Philly’s bike score at 66—down several points from just two years ago—which they determined from looking at infrastructure, hilliness, road connectivity, and other factors. Meanwhile Bicycling.com ranks Philly as #26 out of most bike-friendly major U.S. cities, citing the city’s narrow streets as a major factor for its relatively low ranking. Finally, of course, Philadelphians have raised concerns about safety, especially following one serious injury and one fatality in late 2017.

With all of that, we want to hear from you. How can Philly become more bike-friendly? Will it ever rival places like Seattle and San Francisco? And how can we get it there? Are you happy with the steps Philly is taking to become more bike-friendly and what would you like to see more of?

Let us know in the comments.