Philadelphia Neighborhood Group Sues to Halt Center City Bike Lane Barrier Upgrades

A legal battle has erupted in Philadelphia’s Center City as the neighborhood group Friends of Pine and Spruce sues the city to block the installation of solid concrete barriers and new loading zones along the heavily used bike lanes on Spruce and Pine streets. The city’s initiative, prompted by the tragic 2023 death of Dr. Barbara Friedes after a driver breached flexible bike lane posts, aims to bolster cyclist safety by replacing inadequate flexible posts with more robust barriers and establishing loading zones to support a new ban on vehicles stopping in bike lanes. Plaintiffs argue that the city overstepped its authority by enacting these changes through regulation rather than formal City Council legislation, citing concerns about loss of parking, increased congestion, and impacts on emergency access and property rights. City officials maintain that the loading zones are necessary for safety and traffic management, and that broad police powers permit such regulatory changes. The dispute highlights a longstanding tension between efforts to protect cyclists and resident concerns over parking and neighborhood access, with the courts now set to determine if the city has exceeded its legal authority.