Philly Bike Action is calling on the City of Philadelphia and Montgomery County to expand walking and biking facilities on both sides of the Green Lane Bridge, including at least an 8’ sidewalk and an 11’ shared use path.
The Green Lane Bridge Rehabilitation Project is a rare opportunity to reinvision this historic bridge as a safe, accessible connection between Manayunk and Bala Cynwyd, but the current proposals for this project will make a dangerous bridge even worse, especially for people outside of cars.
The City of Philadelphia and Montgomery County have presented two alternatives for reconfiguration of the Green Lane Bridge, both of which would remove both sidewalks in exchange for wider traffic lanes and just one shared use path. This would worsen safety for all users, especially people walking and biking, while increasing car traffic, pollution, and noise. Neither Manayunk nor Bala Cynwyd was designed to function as a highway interchange. The historic Green Lane Bridge is not the place to accommodate heavy highway traffic, especially when there is already another interchange at City Ave 1.5 miles away.
Philly Bike Action is instead proposing a road diet for the Green Lane Bridge, which would include a wider 8’ sidewalk on the south side of the bridge, an 11’ shared-use path on the north side, and 3 lanes of traffic - two westbound (leaving Manayunk) and one eastbound (entering Manayunk). Our proposal would be a significant safety improvement for all users, safer than current conditions and much safer than the alternatives presented by the project team.
Why not just use the Manayunk Bridge instead? (The car-free bridge above Green Lane, which connects to the Cynwyd Heritage Trail.)
The Manayunk Bridge is great! But every street should be safe for all users - we don’t get to say that because this bridge is safe, this other bridge doesn’t have to be. The Green Lane Bridge provides a much more direct connection between Manayunk and Bala Cynwyd, without the climb. Walking from Green Lane and Main Street to the Wawa on Belmont Ave takes only 7 minutes on the Green Lane Bridge, but that would be a 40-minute journey - including some steep hills - for a safe trip on the Manayunk Bridge instead.
Traffic already gets backed up on the Green Lane Bridge, all the way up Green Lane. Wouldn’t a road diet make traffic worse?
Nope! Two westbound lanes provide the same capacity as there is now for drivers in Manayunk to get to Bala Cynwyd and I-76. One eastbound lane would calm traffic entering Manayunk, making what is currently a chaotic intersection at Main Street and Green Lane much safer and more manageable. This is especially important when traffic is light, as drivers can pick up speed crossing the bridge and enter the historic streets of Manayunk at dangerous speeds. The project team’s alternatives would make this worse, as wider lanes make it easier to drive faster. Our proposal would calm traffic entering Manayunk, preparing drivers for speeds that are much more appropriate for a walkable, historic neighborhood.
Widening the traffic lanes would induce demand - wider lanes would encourage more drivers to use the Green Lane exit from I-76, which would increase congestion, and there is nowhere for increased traffic to go. Main Street and Green Lane each have just one lane in each direction, and they cannot be widened.
Our road diet proposal would reduce demand, decreasing traffic entering Manayunk. For drivers on I-76, the City Avenue interchange is just as effective for driving into Manayunk and Roxborough as the Green Lane exit. If increasing highway exit capacity is the goal of this project, City Avenue is a much more appropriate place than the historic Green Lane Bridge.
That said, reducing traffic congestion should never be any planning agency’s top priority. The safety and accessibility of all users is far more important than saving drivers a few minutes of sitting in traffic.
I don’t see many people walking or biking across the Green Lane Bridge. Isn’t one shared use path enough?
You might not see many people outside of cars on the Green Lane Bridge today because it is not safe for people outside of cars. This project is a rare opportunity to make a safe, accessible, surface-level connection between these two communities. Our proposal would make the Green Lane Bridge safer for all users, and that would encourage more people to walk and bike across the bridge.
No one wants to have to cross four lanes of traffic, but a single path would make that a requirement for nearly all users. With a single path, walking from downtown Manayunk to destinations on the south side of Belmont Ave would require crossing four lanes of traffic twice, introducing many unnecessary points of conflict, compared to just staying on the same side of the bridge as your destination.
There’s currently no sidewalk under I-76 on the south side and not many destinations on the south side of Belmont Ave. Is a sidewalk on the south side of the bridge necessary?
Planning should always look to the future, and a more walkable Belmont Ave is a real possibility, something decision-makers should be prioritizing. A safer Green Lane Bridge would facilitate a more walkable future for Belmont Ave. Removing the sidewalk would severely hinder that possibility and make Belmont Ave more car-centric. The lack of a sidewalk on the south side under the highway is a solvable problem, potentially through a future Belmont Ave road diet.
This might be the only time the Green Lane Bridge is reinvisioned in our lifetimes - so let’s make sure it’s done right!
I support the expansion of walking and biking facilities on both sides of the Green Lane Bridge, including at least an 8' sidewalk and an 11' shared use path.
Recent comments...
"The fact of the matter is that bike lanes and sidewalks can and do move more people per hour than car traffic lanes when they are not designed as second thought and act as death traps. To move more people over this bridge daily, bikes and pedestrians should not be ignored."
"Eliminating one side walk and making the other a shared use path is a bad idea and will make that one path less safe for everyone that will use it. Please have 1 path for pedestrians and one for bikes, split into 2 travel lanes. This is the safest option."
"We should think ahead and plan for safety for all users of the road! Take this opportunity to calm traffic, reduce demand, and build connections between Manayunk and Bala Cynwyd!"
"Let's preserve Philadephia's walkability and increase it's bikeability, too!"
"People who live in and visit Manayunk want to be in a walkable, safe, slow environment. Otherwise they would just go to the mall!"
"Please use this opportunity to make the Green Bridge safer for all users - pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists."
"Yes, let's!"
"I want streets where it is safe to walk and ride a bike!"
"Solving traffic issues is not done by adding more traffic. Make it harder for cars so they will reroute to areas designed for this volume of traffic. None of the roads in this area are, or should be, designed for this much traffic!"
"It seems like their plan to make it harder to bike and walk on this bridge is going backward."
"I want the sidewalks on the manayunk and bala cynwyd Green Lane Bridge. Wider car lanes are not the way to go. We need more walkable and bike lines."
"Hi Yes, the Manayunk Bridge is a reasonable crossing. However, your plan says cars rule the road and cycling is an after thought. This attitude isn't health or environmentally positive. Thanks. Owen Sindler"
"This bridge is incredibly dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians even in its current configuration. Dont make it worse with extra lanes"
"Can we just try to protect our pedestrians and cyclists on this?"
"Maintaining safe pedestrian (and cyclist) use of the Green Lane bridge is important to me and my community."
"I visit Manayunk very often to see friends and support businesses in the area. Whenever I’m on this section of Main Street, I constantly see people having to rush through this intersection on foot or bike to avoid getting caught in dangerous traffic. Making this road better suited to walking/biking would vastly improve the safety of the neighborhood"
"That would be incredible, and would open up the opportunity to develop better bike infrastructure on both sides of the bridge! I live in Manayunk and bike all the time!"
"Our family walks and bikes between Bala Cynwyd Manayunk both for work and for dining and events. It is not safe or pleasant. Please upgrade for cyclists and pedestrians!!"
"Would love to see this proposal come to fruition!"
"Without the Green Lane bridge being pedestrian and bicycle friendly, how do residents of Montgomery County not wanting to drive get over to Manyunk to enjoy all Manyunk has to offer including the Schuylkill River Trail? Duh! This is a necessity!"
"Green lane is an important connector for the area, and bikes and pedestrians deserve to us it, not just cars!"
"I would use the proposed bike lane across the bridge every day."
"Let's have safety for bikers and walkers on all roadways (that are not highways) in Philadelphia. I use my bike as my primary way to get around town and want to be safe when I ride."
"The Green Lane Bridge is so important for everyone. Let's make it safer for everyone."
"This proposal is long overdue. Any proposal for four traffic lanes flies in the face of prevailing usage trends and would only exacerbate the congestion on Main St. in Manyunk."
"I would like to regularly use the green lane bridge but I do not currently use it because it is not safe without a car and I do not own a car."
"I bike across the bridge often, as it's on many of the local bike courses. It's terrifying."
"As a local resident who has used this bridge for many years I look forward to improving the access to this bridge for walkers and bicyclists like myself. I am also a car owner/driver and look forward to improved road surface conditions which are a major problem with the bridge currently. I think this is the best plan to prepare us for a future with transportation alternatives to more cars."
"Separating cyclists and pedestrians/runners is an obvious safety measure for everyone involved. Narrowing traffic lanes will further protect the safety of everyone on the bridge rather than encouraging speeding."
"We need safe separated bike facilities on every bridge in the city"
"More walkers and bikers means fewer cars! It's a no brainer. Not to mention the increased safety for pedestrians at a dangerous intersection."
"My girlfriend and her dog were almost hit by a car at the intersection of Green Lane and Main St. crossing towards the bridge. The current facilities need to calm traffic more in an environment that has an extensive number of pedestrians. When I do drive over the bridge, most motorists don't even know how many lanes it is or where turn queues form."
"I am a Bala Cynwyd resident who would love to be able to safely walk across the Green Lane Bridge into Manayunk. If I could do it safely, I would visit more Manayunk businesses. It's insane to try to walk from Bala over this bridge and should be made possible for people to walk to a lovely shopping area!!!! Heaven forbid , you should have children with you!"
"Wider traffic lanes will encourage speeding, not make the bridge safer."
"This bridge is scary enough in a car! Please look to the future and secure safe space for other users, including bike riders and pedestrians."
"Bridge driving surface is pretty rough and needs work anyway..."
"The Green Lane Bridge is a vital connection that currently prohibits safe passage for bikes and walkers. Reimagining a future that supports all modes of transportation infrastructure is forward thinking, sustainable and an economic opportunity not to mention critical link between two communities. Bicycles are a viable and popular mode of transportation and should be considered critical infrastructure in ALL road / bridge upgrades."
"I ride the SRT and tow path to get to and from my job in Bala. I would LOVE to have a safe way to get across the river. The C-H trail is great, but then I have to cross Main Street which is unsafe."
"I use this bridge every day on my bike. It is my main access point getting to and from my home in Roxborough. Has been extremely dangerous to use. Even in my car as well with how bad the road surface has gotten over the years."
"As someone who regularly travels from Lower Merion to visit my daughter in Manayunk, I strongly support this proposal."
"Many possible routes in and about the city aren’t used because it isn’t safe. I plan my bike and walks to where I can hope to come home in one piece. With more walkways and sidewalks commutes and social activities become more available. All bridges and roads should be planned with more space for bikes and walkers not less. Our neighborhoods also need to have traffic calming and less cars."
"I live in the area, and the Green Lane bridge's whole "is it one very wide lane or two very narrow lanes" thing is very scary to traverse even in a car. Adding bike lanes would, combined with improvements to the intersection of 76 and Belmont, allow for much easier access from homes along the Cynwyd Trail to destinations along the towpath in Manayunk, which would be nice for me"
"As a Manayunk resident who commutes by bicycle and is also the parent of two toddlers, the Green Lane Bridge is currently unacceptably dangerous. Widening to road in order to accommodate more highway traffic goes against every stated goal of the Main Street Manayunk and its historic district. I demand a safer alternative."
"I bike from center city to Villanova, and my route occasionally takes me over the Green Lane Bridge, and it is wildly unsafe and uncomfortable to bike across. I fully support a safer way to cross the river by bike."
"I drive over this bridge very often. It's a mess. It needs a road diet."
"I support Philly Bike Action’s proposal, which will make the community safer for everyone!"
"Chasing "one more lane" will never be the solution. Invest in active and public transit!"
"Safe streets for all users!!"
"Very needed"
"Please consider other modes of transportation when using our tax dollars and not just default to helping only cars. Thank you"
"not abstract for me, i'll use it as a biker every day"
"Philly needs better, safer bike infrastructure TODAY to build a sustainable future for all residents. Please support this much-needed initiative."
"This is an incredible opportunity to make our neighborhood safer and more function and to be an example for the rest of the city."
"Riding over this bridge is a complete nightmare right now and this change would be an amazing connection for cyclists, pedestrians AND drivers!"
"This bridge is a connector from west to Wissahickon but riding over it SUCKS right now. So much potential!! Please prioritize a road diet, sidewalks, and two way bike lane!!!"
"Well thought out alternative proposal!"
"Please prioritize the safety of cyclists and pedestrians."
"The city should work for all, just those that use their cars."
"I support the expansion of walking and biking facilities on both sides of the Green Lane Bridge, including at least an 8' sidewalk and an 11' shared use path."
"A safer bridge for all would actually make moving on it smoother for everyone, even the cars!"
"I’ve lived on Green Lane most of my life and it’s always been crazy to me that it’s so unsafe to walk across the bridge. I think I’ve only ever crossed it on foot once, and never on bike. This is an incredible opportunity to better connect Bala and Manayunk and it would be a huge waste of resources to let that pass the neighborhood/city by."
"As someone who frequently visits the area and bikes through, I see the Green Lane Bridge as a critical connection that currently feels unsafe for cyclists and pedestrians. Improving the walking and biking facilities would make the bridge more accessible and safer for everyone, encouraging more people to use it and better connecting the communities of Manayunk and Bala Cynwyd."
"I have family that live in this area who bike and would greatly benefit from this infrastructure. I also live in NW Philly and bike and would love if I were able to have better access to the other side of the river there."
"Please make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to use this bridge."
"We use the bridge to walk to/from Manayunk most days of the week, especially for SEPTA use"
"It's a shame when both drivers and pedestrians completely avoid an area of the city because the roads are dangerous and frustrating. This is absolutely what has happened at Green Lane Bridge. I primarily walk around Manayunk while my partner primarily drives, and both of us actively avoid Green Lane Bridge because of the congested intersections. I am so glad that action is being taken to improve the area and make it safer for everyone!"
"We definitely need safer streets that encourage walking and all types of micro-mobility. The original designs make more room for drivers to sit in traffic while making travel outside of a vehicle more hostile. As the society moves towards more e-bikes and alternative means of transport we should be future-proofing out redesigns when the once in a lifetime opportunity comes to make these improvements. My family frequently travels between Bala and Manayunk, so it would be an incredible opportunity to make biking and walking more viable, safe, and pleasant. Better pedestrian and micromobility paths would help connect our communities, while additional car dependent infrastructure would do the opposite."
"I ride my bike to Philly from Penn Valley. From 2017-2022 I did it almost every day. That bridge is the most dangerous part of the ride--not just to me but to the pedestrians who have to dodge all the bikes (for whom there's no room on the road, and are forced onto the sidewalk). Plenty of people cross that bridge on foot and bike. It needs better facilities for walkers and cyclists."
"My family and I often walk over to manayunk from Belmont hills and use this bridge. It’s an essential part of connecting the 2 neighborhoods"
"I use the Green Street Bridge to walk to the Manayunk train station for my work commute and grabbing a coffee with my wife on the weekends. Rerouting pedestrians to the Cynwyd heritage trail would make my commute time significantly worse and put an end to my weekend trips to Manayunk with how much longer it would be. I also use the bridge to access to towpath for running, moving to the other bridge would drastically increase my interactions with cars with more intersections that need to be crossed just to get to the towpath. Making more space for peds/bikers would make the bridge much safer."
"I often walk this bridge to visit friends when taking the Manayink SEPTA line, and I also use it to access the Towpath to run. It would be horrible to a LOT of pedestrians to remove this."
"I love walking to Manayunk to run along the Schuylkill river trail or grab a coffee, and I always take the Green bridge when I walk over. Without a sidewalk I wouldn’t ever go to Manayunk because taking the Bala Cynwyd heritage trail more than doubles the walk time. My husband also uses the Green bridge to get to the train when he commutes to work so increasing that time would be a big problem for his mornings."
"My family lives in Belmont Hills and one of our favorite things about the neighborhood is easy walking access into the city via the Green Lane bridge. We use it regularly to walk to businesses on Main Street, the canal path, and to get onto regional rail at the Manayunk station. Please keep the bridge pedestrian friendly!"
"This improvement is needed."
"I would love to be able to use the Green Lane Bridge for a more direct connection from my home to Northwest Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the route is completely unsafe. By adopting the plan to extend walking and biking facilities on the bridge, a whole new safe travel corridor would be opened up!"
"As a Roxborough/Manayunk resident it is so important to me that our roads be safe for all, including pedestrians and cyclists. Walkability is a key reason I live in this neighborhood and enjoy it. I will support anything that makes traffic safety and more modes of transit more possible."
"I support walking and biking facilities on both sides of the Green Lane Bridge!"
"It’s essential for our bridges to prioritize safety of vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists."
"I support this proposal for a road diet of Green Lane Bridge. Road diets are consistently shown to improve safety."
"I support the expansion of providing for safer walking and riding on the Green Lane Bridge. This plan would encourage more connection for residents of both Belmont and Manayunk communities."
"This is the direct connection between main street Manayunk and the suburbs, and it needs to be safe for all road users. Few places are more walkable in all of the city than Main street, yet the current design would create unsafe conditions for pedestrians and cyclists who want to enjoy this space."
"There's literally no benefit to widening or adding car lanes because everything is bottlenecked by main street. There no capacity to be gained. Instead we should support the latent demand people have to walk and bike safely through their own neighborhood."
"I live in Philadelphia, while my Dad lives in Penn Valley to the north west of Green Lane Bridge. The bridge is the only place where I have to get off my bike because it is so unsafe. Reducing speeds and adding more space to walk and bike would go a long way to making the bridge safer. When cars crash into eachother, they frequently land on the sidewalks or bike paths."
"Especially with the proximity to one of the largest bikeways in the Delaware valley, it is important that such important connections over the river keep non-car options in mind and make it easier to get around the area without the need for an expensive car, especially in such dense areas as Bala Cynwyd an Manayunk ."
"The Green Lane Bridge should be a much safer experience for all. It is often concerning to walk, bike, or even drive over. Additional space for lanes where car drivers routinely ignore the existing lane markings will only make the problem worse. The increase lane width and car travel lanes will not improve but worsen the existing issues. As a local user of this bridge I should be able to safely cross in any method without speeding traffic or unsafe crossings. The PBA proposal represents an incredible opportunity to improve the connection between Manayunk and Bala Cynwyd with safe passage for all bridge users."
