We are heartbroken to learn that longtime BCGP member and Philly Bike Action activist Harry Fenton was killed while riding his bicycle in Fairmount Park. Harry’s tragic and unnecessary death is the 3rd cyclist fatality in the city this year and the 2nd cyclist fatality in Southeastern PA in under a month. Our hearts are with his family and friends.
What do we know?
According to the Crash Investigation Division (CID) statement, Harry was riding east on Avenue of the Republic at around 9:40 AM when he was hit by a speeding driver at the intersection with Belmont Ave. According to reports, the crash involved two motor vehicles racing each other along Belmont Ave.
The notorious Belmont Ave
For cyclists and pedestrians, the multi-laned Belmont Ave is a formidable and dangerous barrier to pursuing recreation in the City’s largest park. (It’s part of Philadelphia’s High Injury Network, the 12% of streets with 80% of serious injuries and fatalities).
Currently, this section of Belmont Ave is between four and six lanes wide, with sidepaths along a portion of it. While parts of these sidepaths are fairly new, other sections are in fair-to-poor shape and prone to flooding, creating hazards for people who use them.
Intersections along Belmont have wide turning radii making it a crossing hazard for bicyclists and pedestrians. At the intersection where Harry was killed, pedestrians and cyclists are tasked with safely crossing five lanes of reckless and impatient traffic (a 90-foot span!).
While the posted speed limit on Belmont Ave is 35 mph, the average speed is much higher, especially on the open and straight stretch through Fairmount Park. Since 2019, 8 people have been killed on that stretch, making it one of the deadliest corridors per mile in the City. This is a dubious distinction for a road that crosses into a park.
The City must act
The Bicycle Coalition proposes conducting a Road Safety Audit for Belmont Avenue. In the short-term, a calmer, more place-oriented Belmont Avenue design is sorely needed. Both traffic enforcement and concrete protected separated bike lanes would go a long way to improving safety and recreational quality for all road users. Avenue of the Republic is another park road that is also extremely wide and could easily accommodate hardened separated bike lanes.
In the long-term, the City needs to eliminate vehicular conflicts in the Park. This is not breaking news; in fact, plans have already been studied. A 2023 Centennial District presentation showed images of a truncated Belmont Ave to reconnect the park, improving accessibility and usability for neighbors and visitors alike. This strategy isn’t new; cities like New York and Washington DC have already reduced and in some cases eliminated motor vehicle traffic in parks.
While it’s important to note that Belmont Avenue is a state road and coordination with PennDOT will be necessary to make any roadway changes, Philadelphians should not accept dangerous roadways in the heart of our city. Even one death is too many. We should all have the freedom to choose how we move throughout the city and have the minimum expectation to arrive at our destination safely.
