Mobilizing the Region » Bike/Pedestrian

Bike Ramp Coming to Ben Franklin Bridge

Matthew Norris — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:54:03 +0000

The decision was unanimous—this morning, the Delaware River Port Authority (DRPA) Finance Committee moved to build a pedestrian and bicycle ramp on the Ben Franklin Bridge. The ramp will replace a three-story stair tower on the bridge’s New Jersey side, which will let pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheelchair users get to and from Philadelphia with ease.

Currently, bicyclists and wheelchair users face three flights of stairs when crossing from Camden to Philadelphia. The ramp will fix this problem | Photo: Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Since the DRPA Finance Committee approved a draft Capital Program that excluded the long-promised ramp, TSTC and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia have worked to get the project restored. Today, we’re pleased to report that there’s a timeline on the ramp’s construction:

A consultant to design the ramp will be chosen in the next 3-4 months;
The design phase will take around 6 months and is expected to cost DRPA around $350,000;
Near the end of 2012, when the ramp design is complete, DRPA believes it may be awarded about $1 million of federal and private foundation money, which would cover about 1/3 of the project’s estimated $3.2 million price tag;
The proposed construction phase will began in 2013 and be complete by early 2014.

While a number of steps remain before the ramp is built, there is reason to believe that the project will come to fruition. Speaking to other board members, DRPA Finance Committee Chairman Jeffrey Nash said that spending money on the project design and then not building the ramp would be “foolish” and “a waste of time.” The board, he said, was “intent on getting it done.”

The House Transportation Bill: Take Action Today for Safety

Steven Higashide — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:13:22 +0000

The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee is set to vote on the five-year federal transportation reauthorization bill tomorrow, but there are some serious flaws in the legislation. MTR will have more on the bill in a later post, but it’s important to know that it:

eliminates the largest two programs dedicated to pedestrian and bicycle safety—Transportation Enhancements and Safe Routes to School.
aggressively “streamlines” the environmental review process.
relies on iffy revenue sources like expanded oil drilling (which has been condemned by both environmentalists and fiscal conservatives).
contains no strong incentives for states to focus their highway dollars on repair (this is in contrast to the Senate version, which abides by the “fix it first” philosophy).

There are two amendments that could restore pedestrian and biking funds and prioritize bridge safety, and Transportation for America has made it easy to tell your congressperson about them.

House Speaker John Boehner hopes to pass the bill before February 20th.

Help Put a Bike Ramp on the Ben Franklin Bridge

Sam Handler — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:03:25 +0000

The Delaware River Port Authority will meet on Wednesday to discuss adding a ADA-accessible bike and pedestrian ramp to the Ben Franklin Bridge, which connects Camden, New Jersey to downtown Philadelphia.

Without the ramp, which was promised by the DRPA in 2010, Philadelphia-bound cyclists must carry their bikes up three flights of stairs before they can ride across the bridge. Those in wheelchairs have no option whatsoever. This is an undue burden on bike commuters and wheelchair users.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and TSTC are urging bike and accessibility advocates to attend the meeting and let the DRPA know that there should be a ramp on the bridge.

Click here to add the event to your Google Calendar.

Alliance for Biking & Walking Releases 2012 Benchmarking Report

Renata Silberblatt — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:08:42 +0000

Graphic: Alliance for Biking and Walking

This week, the Alliance for Biking and Walking released its 2012 Benchmarking Report, and the timing is impeccable. As Streetsblog points out, the release coincides with the soon-to-appear national surface transportation bill, and in the tri-state region, it comes just after state legislatures have gotten into full swing. With statistics, case studies and loads of other resources, the Benchmarking Report shows legislators where the nation’s biking and walking infrastructure stands.

After the jump, TSTC presents some of the report’s most interesting figures.

The report’s snapshot of the tri-state region highlighted some remarkable facts:

New York State has the third highest share of people who walk and bike to work, and the state ranks second (after Alaska) in the number of people who walk to work.

Connecticut is the 22nd-safest state for walkers, and 12.8% of its traffic fatalities are pedestrians.

New Jersey spent .86% of its federal transportation dollars on bicycle or pedestrian projects from 2006-2010, a figure that ranks them below the national average of 1.6%. To be fair, New Jersey does contribute state money, though we have argued that it’s not enough.

Nationwide, there have been some commendable advances in cyclist and pedestrian welfare:

A growing number of city and state policies have promoted biking and walking. These include complete streets legislation, goals for increased biking and walking, and bike/ped master plans. 19 of the 51 cities surveyed have complete streets policies.

In 2009-2010, states and cities spent more on bike/ped improvements than they did in 2007-2008 (but they’re still not spending as much as they did in 2005-2006). Over the same period, state per capita funding for bike/ped has increased from $1.29 to $2.17 per person, and city funding for bike/ped has increased from $1.49 to $1.80.

There are also some worrying trends in the report, though:

Traffic fatalities have decreased, but pedestrian traffic fatalities have increased from 11.3% to 11.7%. This means that, although there are fewer car accidents, pedestrians make up a larger share of accident victims. TSTC saw this trend in an NHSTSA report as well.

States are disproportionally giving back Transportation Enhancements (TE) funds when the federal government issues rescissions (the term refers to the annual process in which Washington asks states to return unallocated federal transit funds). The trend is troublesome because TE money is used to fund bike/ped projects. In 2009, the average state gave back 21.9% of TE funds to the federal government, while in 2010, the figure was 26.4% (each year TE made up 2.3% of federal apportionments).

The Report aggregates data from federal sources, state DOTs, MPOs and non-profits to assemble a detailed analysis of biking and walking in the United States. Spanning all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities, it covers biking and walking levels, cyclist and pedestrian demographics, safety, policy, and federal funding. The document also details the economic and public health benefits of investing in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, linking these kinds of projects to job creation, increased property values, cleaner air, and better personal health.

To see the full report, click here.

2011: A Most Dangerous Year for New Jersey Drivers

Renata Silberblatt — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:39:16 +0000

: Data from NJ State Police (link below)

2012’s just begun, and five people have already been killed in New Jersey car crashes.

This spate of deaths comes after a bad year for vehicle safety in the Garden State: there were 13% more fatal motor vehicle crashes and 15.1% more motor vehicle fatalities in 2011 than in 2010. The New Jersey State Police reported 599 fatal accidents and 640 fatalities during the year.

Fatalities increased in every category: drivers, passengers, pedalcyclists and pedestrians. The percentage change of pedalcyclist fatalities was the highest due to the small number of pedalcyclist deaths (17 deaths in 2011 compared to 13 deaths in 2010, a 30.8% increase), but driver fatalities jumped a whopping 23.4% from 2010. Passenger fatalities increased by 4%, and pedestrian fatalities increased by 3.6%.

2011’s increase in fatal accidents and fatalities reverses a trend for the state—the numbers reached a peak in 2006, at 709 fatal crashes and 771 fatalities, and had been falling since 2007.

While motor vehicle fatalities can decrease with simple driver and passenger behaviors (wearing seatbelts and not talking or texting while driving), the fatality numbers show that we must continuously reexamine New Jersey’s roadways and work to make the streets safer for everyone.

Build a Better Burb Launches Website

Sam Handler — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:17:02 +0000

Our friends over at the Long Island Index have launched a new website as part of their Build a Better Burb project. In addition to being really, really sleek, the website has tons of information about Long Island downtowns, short backgrounders on transit-oriented development, and lots of profiles of innovative development projects. Take a break from the bad news and check out some of the good stuff.

What’s in a Name? $250.

Matthew Norris — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:21:27 +0000

The South Jersey area needs safe biking and walking routes, and we’re helping put them there. Along with the William Penn Foundation and a number of local partners in southern New Jersey and Pennsylvania, the TSTC has been working to improve safety for South Jersey roads and create a network of regional trails radiating out from Camden and Philadelphia. The trails—some of which were backed by a TIGER grant—will encourage active transportation and help people walk and bike to work safely.

Officials have organized a competition to name the trail network (which is currently nameless). Check out the details of the contest below:

Our region’s network of trails needs a name. We need your help!

Click here to help name Greater Philadelphia’s trail network.

The entry selected by our jury will win the $250 cash prize!

Greater Philadelphia’s developing system of trails has energized communities across the region, with each new segment connecting more neighborhoods and residents. This network – which includes the Schuylkill River Trail, Cooper River Trail, East Coast Greenway and several others – represents a potential world-class amenity, reaching from the heart of downtown Philly and Camden into the surrounding counties and communities.

The trail system needs a unifying name to increase its visibility and reinforce the connections that exist between neighborhoods, businesses, jobs and recreation opportunities across the region without relying on a car. The William Penn Foundation and a group of local partners have organized a contest to create this important identity.

Help us name Greater Philadelphia’s trail network, you could win $250 – and the pride of knowing you named one of our region’s coolest amenities! Entries must be received no later than midnight EST on December 16, 2011. Please visit www.dvrpc.org/NameOurTrailNetwork/ for important judging criteria, additional information, trail system name examples and complete contest rules.

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Pedestrian Safety in New Jersey

Renata Silberblatt — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:04:14 +0000

Between 2003 and 2010, there were 1,003 pedestrian fatalities and 40,150 pedestrian injuries in New Jersey. Rutgers University’s recent “2011 Pedestrian Safety Tracking Report” provides an in-depth analysis of these pedestrian-vehicle crashes—here are some of their most interesting findings:

In addition to its analysis, the Rutgers report contains lots of valuable data visualizations.

Older adult pedestrians are over-represented in pedestrian fatalities. The authors write that “pedestrians over the age of 44 become more likely to be involved in a fatal pedestrian crash and that propensity increases with each age category. The older one gets, the more likely it seems pedestrian crashes will be fatal.” TSTC’s yearly analysis of older pedestrians in NY, NJ and CT shows that this trend prevails throughout the region.

State highways had a greater share of fatalities than county and municipal roads, and injuries on county and municipal roads declined from 2003 to 2010. The report calls out vehicle speed as a key factor in the increased fatalities on state highways. Across the region, transportation advocates and government officials alike have pointed out this connection. There’s even a nascent NYC DOT campaign to address it.

There is a “spatial pattern of crashes along major transportation corridors.” Maps of crashes in New Jersey’s ten largest municipalities show clusters of crashes “along corridors and at major intersections of multiple corridors” in suburban municipalities. In both Lakewood and Toms River, for example, the US 9 corridor is particularly dangerous for pedestrians. The TSTC found this road to be Ocean County’s most dangerous for bicyclists as well. In urban areas, by contrast, crashes are more evenly distributed, although the crashes are more densely clustered.

While New Jersey may be safer than other places in the US, the report concludes that state’s density and car-dominated development pattern puts pedestrians at risk. “This should be a concern for all transportation planners and policy makers,” states the report. We wholeheartedly agree.

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New Analysis Identifies Most Dangerous Roads for Bicyclists in Southern New Jersey Counties

Renata Silberblatt — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:02:49 +0000

A new analysis from Tri-State has found that between 2001 and 2010, 8,281 bicyclists were involved in crashes in eight Southern New Jersey counties (Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem). During this period there were 63 bicyclist fatalities.

Based on bicyclist crashes per capita, TSTC found that Cape May County is the most dangerous county for bicyclists, followed by Atlantic County and Cumberland County:

Rank	County	Average Number of Bicyclists in Crashes, 2001-2010	Average Population	Bicyclist Crash Rate per 10,000 Residents
1	Cape May	84	99,796	8.42
2	Atlantic	143	263,551	5.42
3	Cumberland	64	151,668	4.21
4	Ocean	213	543,742	3.92
5	Camden	178	511,295	3.48
6	Salem	13	65,184	1.93
7	Burlington	83	436,064	1.91
8	Gloucester	51	271,481	1.87

n/a	All Counties	828	2,342,779	3.53

TSTC also conducted an analysis using data from 2008-2010 to determine particularly dangerous roadways for cyclists. The analysis shows that many accidents were clustered on specific roads, with certain roads the most dangerous in more than one county. US 30 was one of Atlantic and Camden Counties’ most dangerous roads. NJ 47 was one of Cape May, Cumberland and Gloucester Counties’ most dangerous roads.

(Click to view maps and factsheets.)

Almost all of the dangerous roads were arterials, a type of road that TSTC has found to be the most dangerous for pedestrians in the region as well. Arterial roads typically have two or more lanes in each direction and allow for travel speeds of 40 mph or greater.

The analysis’s findings demonstrate the need for New Jersey to continue to examine the design of its streets, particularly the roads that have been shown to be hot spots for bicyclist crashes. The percentage of bicyclists in crashes on these “hot spot” roads ranged from 15.7% to 32.6% of each county’s total bicyclists involved in crashes.

“There is a clear demand for safe cycling routes in the state, yet most roads are still designed for only cars in mind,” said Matthew Norris, Tri-State’s South Jersey Advocate. “We hope these numbers will help the New Jersey Department of Transportation and county officials fix these roadways to encourage healthier, more active lifestyles.”

NJDOT passed a statewide Complete Streets policy in December 2009 which requires new or rehabilitated roads to be built for all users, including walkers, cyclist, transit riders, and drivers.

County fact sheets and Google Maps can be found here.

Working for Safer Streets in Gloucester County, NJ

Matthew Norris — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:45:39 +0000

Patty Woodworth, Action Wheels Bike Shop owner and Anthony Preziosi, Gloucester County cyclist, discuss the need for pedestrian and bicyclist-focused road safety improvements with Mayor Harry R. Riskie of Woodbury, NJ.

Last Friday, Tri-State Transportation Campaign joined Action Wheels Bike Shop, Mayor Harry R. Riskie of Woodbury, NJ, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, area municipal officials and local volunteers to highlight the dangerous conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists on three Gloucester County, NJ roads – Route 45 in Woodbury, Berkley Road in Mantua and W. Mantua Avenue in Wenonah. Volunteers conducted safety audits at these locations in an effort to formulate effective ways to address specific local pedestrian and bicyclist problems.

Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s most recent analysis of dangerous roads shows that between 2007 and 2009, 13 Gloucester County pedestrians were killed as a result of collisions with motor vehicles. Safety is a major concern for area bike riders as well – according to a forthcoming TSTC analysis, 177 Gloucester County bicyclists were involved in accidents with automobiles between 2008 and 2010, with 7 of these individuals losing their lives. During this same period, 16 bicyclists were involved in accidents on Route 45 in Gloucester County alone.

“Local residents of all ages walk and bike on Gloucester County roads, such as Route 45, but many of these thoroughfares weren’t constructed with their needs in mind,” said Matthew Norris, Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s South Jersey Advocate. “Whether for recreation or to reach places of employment, it is essential that improvements are made to these area roadways to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to travel more safely.”

This sign on Route 45 in Woodbury is meant to notify motorists that pedestrians frequently cross this wide thoroughfare. But with no accompanying crosswalk markings, pedestrian signal or median refuge island, area walkers risk their lives by crossing here.

Survey participants noted a number of a safety deficiencies, including:

An absence of safe accommodation for cyclists, such as bicycle lanes or continuous wide shoulders,
The lack of a posted speed limit on Berkley Road,
Signage notifying motorists of the presence of pedestrians without accompanying pedestrian safety infrastructure – such as crosswalks and median islands,
Broken or cracked sidewalks with a high number of curb cuts that are not marked for those with visual impairments.

Tri-State Transportation Campaign, Action Wheels Bike Shop, survey participants and other area advocates will use the data collected to call on Gloucester County and the New Jersey Department of Transportation to make significant pedestrian and bicyclist-focused improvements on area roads.

Results from the surveys will be compiled into a comprehensive report that will aid in efforts to work with local leaders to improve opportunities for walking and bicycling. The report will demonstrate how changes such as better sidewalks, continuous shoulders, bicycle lanes and safer crosswalks would allow a greater number of area residents to walk or ride as a primary mode of transportation or for leisure purposes more safely.

Patty Woodworth, owner of Action Wheels Bike Shop and a Mantua Township resident, explained, “My husband and I encourage our children to walk and ride bicycles, but it is difficult to feel safe with our children, as area roads are traffic-filled and don’t have shoulders or sidewalks. Kids should be able to safely recreate and adults should be able to safely run errands upwards of two miles from home without driving a car. It’s important for us to make changes so that this is possible.”

Look for updates on these and other South Jersey road safety efforts on MTR or by joining Action Wheels Bike Shop’s Facebook page.

Photos: Matthew Norris/TSTC.