Press Release: Reaction to Traffic Violence Citywide and Fatal Rittenhouse Crash

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, July 18, 2024

PHILADELPHIA —

Yesterday, traffic violence left two neighbors dead and a third critically injured. A 30-year-old woman was killed while biking in Rittenhouse in a high-speed car crash, a man in his 50s was struck and killed while standing on a corner in Kensington, and a 26-year-old woman was critically injured after being struck while crossing a street in Germantown.

5th Square Chair, Steph Davis says, “We are heartbroken and furious. Make no mistake, these deaths, these critical injuries, are fully preventable.”

“These crashes are a grim reminder of how our streets give priority to the convenience of motorists over the safety of people biking and walking, the most vulnerable road users. This citywide problem is a product of inaction and purposeful deprioritization of people over cars.

“We need our city government to respond with real change and real investment in roadway safety. We want everyone to be safe whether they are riding a bike lane in Rittenhouse, standing on a corner in Kensington, or crossing a street in Germantown.”

Specific to the Rittenhouse crash, 5th Square Steering Committee member Russell Richie says, “The woman was riding on Spruce Street when a car sped into the bike lane struck her from behind. Currently, the Spruce Street bike lane is delineated by paint and a few flexposts at intersections. This failed to deter this reckless driver, failed to keep her safe, and failed to keep her alive. Paint and plastic posts are not protection.

“Spruce Street in Rittenhouse is among our city’s most traveled bike lanes, serving as a vital connector that routinely sees over 1,000 daily bicycle riders from across the city.  We call on the Mayor and City Council to immediately implement full protection for the Spruce and Pine Street bike lanes, through either parking protection, hardened barriers, concrete curbing or permanent bollards.

“We also call on the city to accelerate the protection of bike lanes and sidewalks throughout the city. Anything short of full physical protection is a failure to ensure the safety of our most vulnerable and a failure to meet the achievable goal of zero roadway deaths.”