Hundreds of cyclists gathered outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Friday evening to advocate for improved safety measures along Pine and Spruce streets, following the tragic death of Harry Fenton, a 67-year-old cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash earlier that week in West Fairmount Park.
The protest ride was organized by the advocacy group Philly Bike Action, coinciding with a leaked internal memo from the city recommending the addition of speed bumps and concrete obstacle-separated bike lanes along parts of the Pine-Spruce corridor. This issue of bike safety gained urgency following the death of CHOP physician Barbara Friedes last summer, who was killed by a drunk driver, prompting the city to form a working group aimed at addressing safety concerns along the corridor.
During the protest, cyclists chanted slogans such as “CONCRETE NOW, EVERY BLOCK,” expressing their frustration over the lack of progress in implementing promised safety upgrades.
David Talone, a District 5 organizer for Philly Bike Action, criticized the city for delays, stating, “The city has made promises that concrete is going to go in there, and it’s been a year and we haven’t seen any concrete. What we have seen are plans that don’t cover all the blocks of Spruce and Pine. That’s not acceptable. A half-baked plan is not going to keep the cars out of the bike lanes.”
The protest also served as a tribute to Fenton, with family members present at the Art Museum steps. Hallie Fenton, his daughter, commented on the community’s response, noting, “It feels tremendous to see the community come together and show their support. Obviously, there’s not enough done in this city to protect cyclists, but it feels positive to see everyone out here tonight.”
The six-mile ride progressed from the museum to City Hall, taking less than an hour. It wove through Center City neighborhoods, as riders took to the streets and blocked cars at intersections to ensure their safe passage. Police provided support by blocking certain roads, and while some drivers expressed their annoyance with honks, many pedestrians applauded the cyclists as they passed by.
This protest follows a similar event held last July, which was sparked by the deaths of Fenton, Friedes, and pedestrian Christopher Cabrera. Since then, proposals for enhancing bike lane safety along Pine and Spruce streets, along with other areas in the city, have been formulated, and new legislations have been signed to address these safety concerns.
In December, Mayor Cherelle Parker signed the “Get out the Bike Lane” bill, making it illegal for motor vehicles to stop in city bike lanes. This legislation classified over 35 miles of bike lanes as “No Stopping Anytime,” and increased fines for violations—$125 in Center City and University City, and $75 in other neighborhoods.
In the city’s 2026 budget, the Vision Zero program aimed at improving traffic safety secured $5 million for the fiscal year and a total of $30 million through 2031. A portion of this funding was specifically allocated for installing concrete barriers along Spruce and Pine streets to enhance cyclist protection.
Despite these initiatives, the first phase of the bike lane safety project began this past June amidst legal challenges. The resident group Friends of Pine and Spruce filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the construction of concrete barriers and to challenge the city’s plans concerning parking regulations along these streets.
In a related incident, Michael Vahey was sentenced to six to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including third-degree murder and homicide by vehicle, connected to the hit-and-run death of Dr. Friedes. Meanwhile, in August, a judge ordered a temporary halt to signage installations and enforcement efforts as the Friends of Pine and Spruce’s lawsuit proceeds through the courts.
This resident group has suggested several alternative safety measures including a potential grace period for vehicles stopping in bike lanes, speed tables for reducing traffic speed, and the possibility of relocating bike lanes to wider streets throughout the city.
The ongoing city budget impasse has also raised concerns, particularly as SEPTA implemented recent service cuts and fare hikes that could result in increased vehicle traffic and traffic congestion on city roads.
Caleb Holtmeyer, chairperson of Philly Bike Action and District 1 advocate, acknowledged the steps that have been taken over the past year while stressing that more action is necessary. “I think we’ve taken some major steps of progress there, but we’re still wanting for actual physical protection that would have prevented the death of Dr. Friedes,” Holtmeyer stated.
The advocacy group remains committed to seeing tangible improvements in bike infrastructure, expressing discontent regarding the partial safety upgrades indicated in the leaked city memo. Gaurav Shetty, a member of the PBA press team, voiced disappointment over these developments, asserting, “It was very disappointing to see the leaked memo of only half of Spruce and Pine being protected. I think it’s very clear that all of it should be protected or else we’re going to have another tragic accident, which is going to be another name that gets etched into this history of people dying for absolutely no reason — other than terrible bike infrastructure.”
image source from：billypenn
