According to a new report, recent innovations along Washington Avenue have increased the number of cyclists on the road.
On Monday, the city released its first assessment of the task, which concluded last year after a decade of development. The report says the street is “safer, greener and more efficient” after the improvements, and notes an increase in Route 64 traffic, parking and carrying capacity. One of the biggest victories of the task was the improvement of motorcyclist safety. Peak motorcycle volume increased 181% between Fourth and 11th streets after the installation of motorcycle lanes along this segment of the street. The average annual daily volume of bikes also increased to 62% east of Broad Street and 101% west of it.
Not all increases have been positive. Despite a low of 87. 9 percent in double-row parking and a low of 74. 9 percent in median parking between Grays Ferry Avenue and Broad Street, curbside parking increased 81 percent. The challenge was especially prevalent along 700, 800 and 900 blocks of Washington Avenue is the hours of operation of nearby auto department stores and structural sites.
The city notes that a number of traffic issues, in addition to the addition of sidewalk parking, have worsened the COVID-19 pandemic. Road fatalities hit a 10-year high in 2020, when Philadelphia recorded 152 fatalities. Efforts to improve those numbers through the Vision Zero initiative have yielded combined results.
The report makes several recommendations for more innovations along Washington Avenue, adding increased enforcement of regulations by the Philadelphia Parking Authority to discourage curbside parking. The Department of Streets also deserves, the report continues, a 25 mph limit for the entire avenue.
The next evaluation will take place in March 2025, two years after the completion of the project. Meanwhile, the city plans to cement painted transient “bus islands” or sidewalk extensions at bus stops where the motorcycle lane passes through the boarding area. with more permanent concrete. Changes to sidewalk regulations and signal timing will also be considered.