Fighting City Hall takes money, and will
FOPS has the will to fight the fight for everyone who feels abused by the city’s betrayal.
Before bike lanes, and what is now happening, a bit of history:
In order to gain support for bike lanes on Pine and Spruce streets, the late Deputy Mayor Rina Cutler, speaking for Mayor Michael Nutter, in 2009 assured residents they would always have curbside access to their homes, despite the bike lanes.
That promise was honored until this year, when the city stabbed residents of Pine and Spruce in the back, with two unnecessary new rules.
First is the now-installed prohibition against even momentary stops in bike lanes, under the wholly unsupported notion of creating safety for cyclists. The premise is that a stopped car is a wild menace, like a rabid vampire bat. Alas, there is no data showing injuries to cyclists when bypassing a stopped vehicle.
In compensation, the city offered, and has began to install, loading zones on every block, which will reduce legal parking spots on Pine and Spruce by an estimated 30%. In a neighborhood in which there is already too little street parking.
Adding the zones is actually illegal, claims the all-volunteer Friends of Pine and Spruce (FOPS), a nonprofit that has engaged George Bochetto, a well-known and highly effective Center City attorney. Bochetto has filed suit.
Second is the yet-to-be-determined concrete barriers to be installed on Pine and Spruce. The Office of Transportation and Infrastructure suggested they may be pill-shaped concrete barriers, maybe three or four inches high.
No word yet on the size, the cost, nor any acknowledgement of the negatives.
“Concrete barriers are more likely to make the streets more dangerous for all stakeholders: bikers, pedestrians and residents,” says FOPS President Lloyd Brotman.
“Impatient bikers will avoid using bike lanes and opt for the traffic lanes because they will not want to follow slower bikers. Slinky grid-locked traffic will obstruct emergency vehicles. Disabled and elderly will be forced to navigate longer paths to their residences.”
FOPS has the will to fight the fight for everyone who feels abused by the city’s betrayal. It is not seeking to end bike lanes, it simply wants to return to the status quo, which was fair to all.
If you feel FOPS speaks for you, please do as I have done and make a contribution.
Fighting City Hall is not cheap.
How to donate:
1) Zelle via your Bank app or you can enroll @ https://enroll.zellepay.com/ - Enter our email address FRIENDSofPINEandSPRUCE@gmail.com as recipient.
2) PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PYHVS2UV5YVQQ
If prompted, enter our email address FRIENDSofPINEandSPRUCE@gmail.com as recipient.
3) Credit or Debit Card https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PYHVS2UV5YVQQ
4) Checks payable to Friends of Pine and Spruce may be mailed to:
Friends of Pine and Spruce
2037 Chestnut Street
P.O. Box 30638
Philadelphia, PA 19103
