Organization of the Month: Bike Delco
May is National Bike Month, which seems the perfect time to showcase Bike Delco as the Clearinghouse’s Organization of the Month.
Bike Delco is both a bicycle hobbyists’ group and an advocate for safe roadways and trails for all bike riders and walkers. That necessarily makes it an environmental group as well for its passionate advocacy of walking and biking trails and routes throughout Delaware County.
At the beginning of the month, Bike Delco, an affiliate of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, Philly Bike Action and Families for Safe Streets hosted a memorial bike ride originating in Swarthmore and West Philadelphia to remember Eduard “Teddy” Einstein, 38, who was killed by an 18-year-old driver as he was biking home in West Philadelphia after getting a haircut in Swarthmore.
The groups are advocating for improvements sch as physical barriers, changing driver behavior toward cyclists, and stronger deterrents to prevent future accidents. Bike Delco has obtained the commitment of 19 of the county’s 49 municipalities to participate in the “Vision Zero” campaign – zero bike and pedestrian accidents – to identify improvements in local roadways to reduce accidents.
On May 30, Bike Delco is hosting a “Bike the Pike” ride to celebrate the opening of a 7.2-mile cycling route that parallels Chester Pike, part of the Chester Pike Corridor Improvement Project. The route will be laid out mostly on “low-stress” parallel streets along the pike and on short stretches of the pike itself.
And every Wednesday this summer, Bike Delco volunteers will offer bike valet service for those cycling over to State Street in Media to “Dine under the Stars,” to encourage local residents to bike to their favorite restaurant rather than drive and search for scarce parking for the popular weekly event.
Bike Delco Chair James Bergman explained that the organization is part of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. There are now chapters in every one of the ring counties and four of the New Jersey counties bordering Philadelphia.
James Bergman, courtesy of James Bergman
When Delaware County’s affiliate started out, it was first a lone advocate, then 15 hobbyists heeded the call to form a county action team in 2021, and now the group loosely numbers more than 200 members and allies.
The group works closely with the Delaware County Trails Alliance and the county planning department to advocate for trails dedicated to biking and walking throughout the county. Bergman is the vice chair of the Alliance.
He is also a part of the Circuit Trails Network that is working with planners to link up the existing trails, such as the Darby Creek Trail and the Chester Creek Trail in a circuit entirely ringing the county, from Chadds Ford to Cobbs Creek in Philadelphia. Two new segments opened recently, extending the Chester Creek Trail to Crozer Park in Chester and Naylors Run Trail in Haverford.
So far the Circuit Trails project has completed about 500 miles of trails throughout the greater Philadelphia area that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and consist of 8- to 10-foot-wide paved trails.
The Alliance meets quarterly to discuss progress and issues, such as whether e-bikes are allowed. Bergman says e-bikes, which don’t exceed 20 miles an hour and need pedal assistance, are allowed, as are e-scooters, but not e-motorcycles, which are just electric motorcycles, similar to electric cars.
In June, Bike Delco will take part in a memorial bike ride from Washington, D.C., to Schwenksville, Pa., to Ground Zero in New York City to commemorate 9/11.
For much more information about Bike Delco and to get on its mailing list, email bikedelco@gmail.com.
To learn more about the Delaware County Planning Department’s Primary Trail Network, click HERE.
To learn more about Vision Zero Delco, click HERE.
PHOTO/Members of Bike Delco on a ride through Lansdowne. Courtesy of James Bergman
