Cyclists Made a Human Wall on the Bike Lane Where a Woman Was Killed

Roughly 100 people protected the Spruce Street bike lane with their own bodies on Tuesday morning.


human bike lane

Photo courtesy of Katie Dillon Low

On Wednesday morning, roughly 100 cyclists formed a human wall along the Spruce Street bike lane.

Their display comes exactly one day after a 24-year-old woman was struck and killed by a trash truck while using the bike lane near 11th Street. Police say the cyclist was traveling westbound when the truck attempted to turn right onto 11th from Spruce, and the duo collided.

The tragedy on Tuesday has prompted a renewed push for bike lanes along Spruce and Pine streets, the city’s two most-biked streets. The human bike lane on Wednesday was “a visual representation” of that effort, per Randy LoBasso, the communications manager for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

Cycling advocates stood outside the bike lane in a two-block stretch from 11th Street to 13th Street on Tuesday morning. LoBasso said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the amount of people who showed up, including bikers – like a local family who came out to support the cause – and those who formed the wall.

“The general feeling was one of super positivity,” LoBasso said. “There were people were ringing their bells, clapping and cheering for the cyclists going by, people came with signs and people promoting Vision Zero. It was really great to see.”

The coalition will also host a vigil at 5 p.m. on Wednesday night at 11th and Spruce. LoBasso said the organization expects at least four speakers at the event, including its executive director, Sarah Clarke Stuart.

“We want as many people as possible to come out [to the vigil], because as great as the positivity was this morning, a life was taken because of inaction on the part of the city,” LoBasso said. “It’s important that we all recognize that and make that extremely public for everyone to see.”