Philly Bike Action Statement on Mayor Parker’s Dismissive Treatment of Advocates Delivering 6,000 Petition Signatures for Concrete-Protected Bike Lanes

PHILADELPHIA – On Thursday, August 15, Mayor Cherelle Parker’s office fumbled the receipt of 6,000 petition signatures from Philadelphia residents asking for safe streets despite a statement issued directly to the press that she supports infrastructure improvements to the Spruce and Pine St bike lanes and “looks forward to reviewing the petitions that will be delivered today.”

Through a series of roadblocks, Mayor Parker demonstrated a disinterest in hearing the safety concerns of Philadelphians, an action that speaks more loudly than her pre-written statement claiming to support safe streets. Mayor Parker’s choice to ignore constituents and delay the implementation of simple, life-saving street infrastructure brings into question her “solemn promise” to build a safer, cleaner, and greener Philadelphia.

That afternoon, Philly Bike Action, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, 5th Square, Families for Safe Streets, and CHOP residents held a joint press conference in front of City Hall to call for concrete bike lane protection on Spruce St—where Dr. Barbara Friedes was killed by a driver in July—Pine St, Allegheny Ave, and other unprotected bike lanes.

Weeks prior to the press conference, the Bicycle Coalition had explicitly arranged for the in-person delivery of the petition to the Mayor’s second-floor office by a small group of representatives from each organization. A day before the event, the group was told that they would not be let past the second floor security checkpoint, despite multiple attempts to negotiate an office meeting at a different time.

On the day, when the small group of petitioners entered City Hall to deliver the paper stack of petition signatures, the Mayor's office instructed security to prevent the group from going upstairs entirely, only relenting when they were informed press cameras were present. Once upstairs, they were met in the hallway by a group of City staffers, including one representative of Mayor Parker's office, none of whom spoke to identify themselves. The staffers, stone-faced, refused to speak to the petitioners or move to physically accept the petition papers.

Surprised by the cold reception, petitioners pleaded from the stairwell for the City's representatives to acknowledge the voices of 6,000 Philadelphians. In tears, Nicole Brunet of BCGP read aloud a petition comment at random—the author was a Philadelphian whose friend was hit by a car. Philly Bike Action and partners left the petitions on a table in the hallway.

There is overwhelming support for the City to take immediate action on this issue. Philly Bike Action demands that the Mayor commit to reading the 6,000 petition signatures and 4,000 petition comments and immediately prioritize full concrete protection of the bike lanes on Spruce Street, Pine Street, and Allegheny Ave.