Making life easier for bikers, walkers
One day, Philadelphia may live up to its reputation as a pedestrian-friendly city - a place where crossing signals no longer flash "Don't Walk" before you reach the other side, where construction crews aren't permitted to cordon off entire sidewalks, and where drivers don't get away with blocking intersections while waiting to turn on red.
In fact, several recent moves by Mayor Nutter's administration may hasten the arrival of that day. The latest came last week, with an executive order from the mayor directing that city officials look out more for cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users in city planning and projects.
That followed the crackdown begun last month on Center City motorists who block crosswalks and loading zones, or double-park. At the same time, parking-meter rates were boosted to free up space and cut down on congestion from drivers circling the block in search of street parking.