Demand a Safer West Market Street!
Sign the petition for safer infrastructure on West Market Street to prevent more deadly crashes!
On November 20, 2025, Meaza Brown, age 48, was crossing the intersection of Market St. at 33rd St. with three of her co-workers when she was struck, launched several hundred feet, and killed by a speeding driver who remains at large. A week later, on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 41-year-old Rosa Mar Espinosa Rodas was walking north on 36th St. on her lunch break. As she crossed Market St, a speeding driver hit and killed her before continuing down Market, hitting another vehicle, and fleeing on foot.
Market Street is one of Philly's most dangerous roads.
These tragedies add to the more than 139 documented crashes that have occurred on Market St. between 38th St. and the Schuylkill River between 2020 and 2024. 35% of these documented crashes have involved pedestrians and cyclists, and many have resulted in fatalities or serious injuries. These crashes are preventable by redesigning streets to reduce speeding and remove unnecessary conflict areas between road users.
Join us by signing this petition and demanding that city and state leaders implement the following changes:
Immediately…
- Add speed cushions throughout the corridor to reduce the frequent speeding that takes place.
- Add leading pedestrian intervals to all intersections in the highlighted corridor to reduce conflicts between cars and crossing pedestrians.
- Harden the median where it exists with temporary features such as plastic bollards or blocks to effectively reduce the road width and lower vehicle speeds.
- Add Flex-Post Protection to the existing bike lane in the current no-stopping zones to reduce conflict between cyclists and cars.
- Reduce the speed limit from 30 mph to 25 mph.
Begin drafting plans for concrete, long-term solutions such as:
- Institute a road diet between 38th St. and the Schuylkill River.
- Build a concrete median filled with greenery throughout the corridor where applicable.
- Construct a two-way, concrete protected cycle-path throughout the corridor to connect to the Market St. bridge rehabilitation project.
Market Street sees 12,000 pedestrians and 2,500 bike trips a day, many are students.
This corridor of Market St. experiences high volumes of pedestrians and cyclists, being a crucial connector between Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania, CHOP Primary Care Centers, Powel Elementary, SLA Middle School, 30th St. Station, the Market-Frankford Line, 5 trolley lines, and 5 bus routes. On weekdays, the corridor sees over 12,000 pedestrians and 2,500 bike trips per day. Almost all Drexel students also must cross Market Street daily as they come from the residential buildings on the north side to the academic and business buildings on the south side.
Dozens of drivers are going a speed that would kill a pedestrian in 85% of collisions.
Philly Bike Action volunteers visited the corridor between 36th and 34th Streets, a block with major speeding issues, and recorded vehicle speeds. In under one hour of recording on a Sunday afternoon, vehicles were seen travelling at a top speed of 52 miles an hour, with dozens travelling at 40 mph or higher. If a pedestrian is struck by a car at 40 mph, there is a 85% chance it will result in a fatality. The tens of thousands of workers, students, and families that travel this corridor deserve dignity and safety. Decision makers must act now before tragedy strikes again.
Signed by:
Sign the petition!
Demand a safer West Market Street!
Sign the petition!
The undersigned Philadelphians demand immediate action to install safer infrastructure on West Market Street:
246 Signatures So Far!
Comments
Recent comments...
"Please make West Market Street safer for bike commuters."
"This can happen to anyone but you have an opportunity to stop this."
"No more deaths."
"I bike to West Philly a lot and it needs to be safer. Its the best served area fir bikes no reasonto not extend that"
"The cost of prevent future pedestrian deaths is smell."
"Please just fix it."
"We deserve to move around the city peacefully, without risking death. Time to make our streets more human-focused and human-scale!!"
"Philadelphians deserve to have safe streets. Nobody should ever die just trying to cross the road."
"Streets for people!"
"Protect pedestrians and cyclists!"
"The city needs to do more to protect pedestrians and bikers on these dangerous corridors."
"West Market Street currently promotes unsafe speeds and driving behavior. Too many students, workers, and neighbors are unsafe everyone."
"Please commit to building a safer infrastructure for Our Communities!!!"
"USA"
"I almost got hit in the crosswalk leaving 30th St this summer. I had the walk signal and the driver who almost hit me clearly wasn't paying attention to what he was doing. We can't rely on drivers to behave, the roads have to be designed to encourage cauation and safety."
"I live in West Philly and commute to 23rd and Market. Please make this stretch safer to keep me alive!"
"I want my city to be safe and accessible. Pedestrian-centered infrastructure now!"
"We deserve safe streets!"
"I've watched this area for a long time. These changes are overdue."
"The only thing a car focused America serves is car companies. Safer avenues for bikes and pedestrians serve the people."
"Please make Market St safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Maybe speed cameras like on Broad St?"
"Let's make this vibrant corridor- and all of Philly- safe for everyone!"
"My daughter, along with ever classmates from the local elementary/ middle school cross 36 and market everyday. Im scared for them given the speeding and red light running that occurs. No more people should die on this raceway called Market St."
"I live right off 52nd and frequently walk on this corridor and can only imagine how much more vibrant, attractive, and pleasant it would be for residents and visitors alike if it wasn’t beset by aggressive drivers, car pollution, illegally parked cars everywhere and a total disregard for the comfort and safety of pedestrians and cyclists. It’s west Philly’s Main Street and should prioritize safe and vibrant street life over the convenience of drivers. I’ve lived here long enough to have heard of multiple “52nd Street revitalization” efforts— time to try something that has been proven to work, like safe and welcoming infrastructure for all road users, not just speeding drivers."
"As a former employee of both Penn and Drexel, I'm well aware of how busy West Market can get, and how dangerous it can often be. It needs all of these improvements before another person dies."
"I cross W Market street every day, not far from the scene of these deaths and want the city to improve infrastructure and curb aggressive driving."
"We need safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists now, BEFORE people die not after"
"I was horrified to see the pedestrian death on west market, right by the doctors office I've gone to so many time. Cars are way too fast and bad drivers have no checks on driving quickly and carelessly, impatiently and blindly pulling around safe drivers waiting for pedestrians to cross. It was just a matter of time until it became deadly and I hope it doesn't take more deaths for action to be taken."
"There needs to be more done to protect pedestrians, bump outs, no turn on red, artificial road diet with flex posts to make drivers slow down"
"We need safer streets for more aggressive drivers on the roads."
"On both West Market Street and John F Kennedy Blvd Philadelphia should project the bike lanes as they are on East Market Street, away from traffic. Also please get the police to get the electric delivery bikes off the sidewalks."
"Outstanding job of putting this petition together!! Thank you so very much. 10 yrs ago (in Mar) it will be 10 yrs since Jamal Morris was hit riding his bike to work after grad from Drexel’s engineering dept. He was hit & killed by a hit & run driver. The driver has never been identified. His mother Channabel Morris was one of the 3 founders of FFSS Phila. I am happy to volunteer to collect signatures. Thank you, again, for putting this all together. Suzanne H."
"This area is dangerous for both pedestrians and bikers. Please implement traffic calming measures on Market St!"
"Please keep working to make all our streets safer for cyclists, pedestrians and drivers! Philly could be a great biking city, a safe biking city, with more thoughtful infrastructure and fewer (slower) cars."
"I travel on Market Street daily. I see so many unsafe things, including speeding drivers and red light running. Measures must be taken to fix this!"
"Please support safer streets for our residents. We want to be able to walk, run, bike, or just be outside without having to worry about cars"
"This intersection is designed for cars above all else despite the high number of pedestrians and cyclists. The unsafe driving behavior it enables it stressful for rule-abiding drivers as well. It could be a much safer and more pleasant space if it were traffic calmed."
"Senior citizen here who bikes and votes. Make W. Market Street safe for old people like me and the thousands who ride Philly's streets."
"The safer the city is for pedestrians and bikers, the more livable and welcoming it is for everyone. Please make these traffic calming and bike safety measure as soon as possible. Thank you!"
"Bikers deserve safe bike lanes!!"
"The section of Market Street from 38th to the bridge over the Schuylkill River is extremely dangerous to Cyclists and pedestrians. I know this because I ride my cycle on it on a regular basis and have seen dangerous actions by motorists including one case where I saw a car strike a pedestrian as the pedestrian was crossing the street legally. The current dangerous situation must be changed by modifying the Market Street layout as soon as possible."
"I don't want to die biking on market st, that's just not a reasonable fear to have to have on your every day commute."
"I bike on market street regularly and never feel safe - even less though after car drivers killed 2 people within 7 days. We need to take action now!"
"I travel this stretch of Market almost daily on foot and my bike because I work nearby and my son goes to school nearby. It's really dangerous, cars run red lights constantly. Please make it safer!"
"All of people who travel in our city deserve to get where they are going safely, wether by car bike, foot, wheel, or public transit. The measures listed are proven to take roads that encourage speeding and are unsafe for all road users and make them safer."
"West Market Street needs safety improvements and to better balance bike, ped, and transit users needs. It caters entirely to cars and is engineered negligently leading to unnecessary tragedies and deadening the area. I bike often and almost always avoid Market St because it's so stressful and unsafe."
"I ride through West Philly on my way to work every day, it needs to be made safer for ALL road users!"
"Market is one of the most heavily trafficked streets by pedestrians in the city with businesses all up and down it. It's a destination where cars should be going slower and people take precedence."
"The city MUST do more to protect pedestrians and cyclists."
"I'm on this stretch of W Market fairly often as both a pedestrian and a driver. The current setup is dangerous regardless of which hat I'm wearing."
"I work (and walk and drive) in this area and absolutely agree we need these protections. There’s no reason for Market West to be behaving as a freeway. It’s not."
"I commute everyday by bike to the hospital right in this area. I’m a healthcare worker who fears for my safety from drivers and for the safety of others I treat with horrible traumatic injuries"
"This street is way to wide for the middle of a college campus. They could easily install concrete protected bike lanes"
"As a Drexel employee I couldn’t support this more — Market Street is a nightmare, and it needs to be safer."
"Anything to help make it safer for university students to ride through the city!! we need more protected bike lanes that go through, and dont just end it traffic."
"Everyone deserves to move through University City safety, but this is not currently the case. Immediate change can safe lives, and there are many long term solutions that would improve the area for everyone."
"In honor of Dr. Barbara Friedes. We must do better."
"I ask that these safety measures be done I frequently walk and ride my bike to Drexel campus and Health Science Bldg and witness cars speeding and running red lights. Thanks"
"As a bicyclist, pediatrician, parent, and Philadelphian, we all need and deserve a safer West Market St."
"I commute by SEPTA to my job in University City and always dread (and try to avoid) crossing Market when I get off the el. Anything that can slow traffic and give more time to pedestrians before cars begin speeding through intersections will make this street safer for everyone whether they're walking, biking, or driving."
"Safer streets now!"
"Philadelphia is a city of people. Everyone needs to get around our wonderful city safely, and cars are only one way to get around- people also use SEPTA, walk, run, use a wheelchair, and bike. I support street improvements for everyone's safety."
"Vulnerable road users should not be getting hurt and killed on Market Street, one of Philadelphia's central corridors. Safe streets now!"
"Philadelphia is a city of people. Everyone needs to get around our wonderful city safely, and cars are only one way to get around- people also use SEPTA, walk, run, use a wheelchair, and bike. I support street improvements for everyone's safety."
"We need safer streets!"
"please keep bikers safe, more bikers, means less cars, less traffic, etc."
"This area is so busy with students and workers walking around, there is really no excuse to have such a dangerous street. LPIs, hardened medians, and protected bike lanes are a no brainer."
"A city is improved by is infrastructure geared towards humans, not cars!"
"West Market could be one of the most vibrant parts of the city, given how many people work and live in the area. Instead it feels like a dangerous place to be on foot"
"This is a common sense step that will save lives AND make Philadelphia a more inviting place for all who visit."
"The city has allowed open season on pedestrian for far too long. I too have nearly lost my life while crossing the street, riding my bike, or trying to access public transit."
"I avoid West Market Street at all costs. I wish I didn't have to!"
"I work at the Philly VA and commute almost entirely by biking. I see how drivers behave in that part of Philly and don’t want to feel like I’m taking my life into my hands just to get to work. I support a safer Market Street!"
"I bike commute across Market West daily and every day I witness speeding at unsafe speeds for urbane areas and every single week I witness red light running. People are going to keep getting killed here. A huge street redesign MUST be done. Keep us safe."
"As a driver and a pedestrian and a parent, I find this section of Market street to be quite hazardous. I did not know that people were actually dying on the street just walking. Please do something."
"I live in this neighborhood and travel on Market all the time. I don’t want to die. Please act immediately to make this area safer."
"Just do it already! Save a few lives and reduce our city's pollution!"
"Stop allowing motorists to injure and kill pedestrians and cyclists"
"West Market is a hugely popular corridor for people walking and biking—it needs to be made safer to ensure our city thrives."
"It's about safety. Cars are big and hard to steer. Please, I'm not motivated by the political banter but it does hurt to see people injured and dead when other cities have been able to do better for people."
"Market feels really dangerous both as a pedestrian and a cyclist, especially East of 46th where there is no concrete median. Slow cars with speed cushions and road narrowing."
"I'm a Drexel student, and thus I have to cross Market Street very often. The road is so dangerous and it's really annoying to cross, and I've had my fair share of nearly getting hit by a car. Currently by 30th there is construction in the middle of the street and it is so much easier to cross because of it. I wish we can have a more permanent version of a narrower Market street so myself and others have no chance of an injury while crossing."
"Make Market Street safer!"
"I ride in this area frequently, and the infrastructure is sorely lacking to keep me, other riders, and pedestrians safe. Our vulnerable street users must be protected."
"Safety first, please."
"I feel so unsafe walking in west market! It is ridiculous that the city hasn’t already tried to make it safer"
"Proven safe and clear infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers is essential to city life and must be a top priority."
"I use 30th St Station for work, and walking between the Amtrak station and the L station is the most dangerous part of my day. It needs to change, before more people are killed."
"We need safe streets now!!"
"We need to make this street safer for EVERYONE!"
