July 8, 2024
The goals of the Bike-Friendly Resurfacing Program are to identify useful connections, improve safety for people bicycling, and implement new facilities efficiently. The program was recently recognized by the National Association of Regional Councils for excellence in programs and services.
At its 58th Annual Conference and Exhibition, the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) recognized the DVRPC/PennDOT Connects Bike-Friendly Resurfacing Program with an achievement award, which recognizes excellence in programs and services. The Bike-Friendly Resurfacing Program is an effort to identify roads for potential investment in bike-friendly improvements as part of regularly scheduled PennDOT resurfacing projects. The program was judged on its significance in promoting and exemplifying regional cooperation and coordination, innovation in concept or approach, impact on the region, originality, duplicability, and quality, among other criteria.
The goals of the Bike-Friendly Resurfacing Program are to identify useful connections, improve safety for people bicycling, and implement new facilities efficiently. In Philadelphia, the program is coordinated between DVRPC, PennDOT District 6, and the City of Philadelphia. In the suburban region, DVRPC and PennDOT District 6 work with Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. In the suburbs, a screening process relies on local and county priority improvements to identify projects and work with the municipalities to build support. In Philadelphia, staff use capacity analysis and traffic observation to develop conceptual designs that meet the City of Philadelphia's high-quality bike network goals.
The program has been a game changer for rapid implementation of new bicycle infrastructure. As of Spring 2024, five paving seasons into the program, about 32 miles of improved bicycle facilities have been implemented on suburban state roads, representing a roughly 60% increase in on-road bicycle facility mileage in the southeastern PA suburbs. Due to the program’s success, DVRPC is transitioning to a Complete Streets Resurfacing Program, which will consider the potential for pedestrian facilities and traffic calming measures such as crosswalks and road diets—along with bicycle facilities—as part of PennDOT resurfacing projects in the PA counties. In the City of Philadelphia, over nine miles of new or improved bicycle facilities have been implemented through this program. Roughly seven of these include separated bike lanes. Substantial intersection safety improvements have also been studied, designed, and completed through the program. Learn more about the Complete Streets Resurfacing Program.