Despite the two stop signs, vehicles routinely blow through the intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Springfield Avenue.
A cyclist was reportedly seriously injured last night when she collided with a car at the corner of Baltimore Avenue and Springfield Avenue, a notorious intersection that includes heavy pedestrian and bike traffic and where cars often don’t stop.
The accident happened at about 11 p.m. and the cyclist was wearing a helmet and her bike had lights, one witness said. The cyclist appeared to be unconscious when the ambulance arrived. A witness also said that a pedestrian stopped the car that hit the cyclist.
A reader, Kelly, who lives on Baltimore wrote to us about the accident and included a warning to pedestrians to stay alert near the intersection. We are trying to get more information on the woman’s condition.
Kelly writes:
“In the last month 3 separate bicyclists have been hit at this intersection. I don’t know the young person that was hit and I hope she is okay but it was not a pretty site. Thankfully a pedestrian saw her get hit and stopped the car. My partner and I were home and heard the accident happen and while she called 911 I ran out to see if I could help. Needless to say this intersection is horrible and I make it a point to never cross there unless absolutely necessary. Basically I would love the message to get out to those crossing at that intersection to please be aware of the cars that neither look, slow down, or care if you are walking/biking and if you can avoid crossing there do it. It would be amazing if we could do away with the intersection all together making those cars turn on 45th at the light and making them slow down, stop, and consider the others that occupy the roads/crosswalks.”
December 8th, 2012 at 2:47 pm
That is a terrible intersection for all who use it and I feel bad for those who cross that intersection and those who are injured in collisions with cars. I have crossed there on foot many times myself and no the danger. Sometimes pedestrians are in the middle of crossing before one can see them because of opposing traffic coming east on Springfield and turning right on Baltimore Ave. One cannot see what’s around the turn because the right-lane is smaller when coming off the turn from Baltimore Ave. onto Springfield and many drivers straddle the dividing line.
I always stop regardless, but quite often cyclists who are traveling east on Baltimore Ave. run the light at 45th St. and keep approaching traffic while a car that has stopped but is now in the process of making a left turn onto Springfield Ave. That only adds to an already dangerous intersection.
Everyone must be alert and considerate. Cars should stop and look, pedestrians should stop and look and cyclist should stop at red lights and look before proceeding. Commiserations
to those who were injured there and everyone should drive defensively and watch out for the other guy.
December 8th, 2012 at 3:23 pm
Just to clarify, the driver was turning left from Baltimore onto Springfield. Routinely, drivers do not pause before turning left here if they see no oncoming cars and they fail to see pedestrians or bicyclists. I believe all three of the bicyclist vs car accidents that have happened here recently were the result of a car turning left onto Springfield not a car turning right onto Baltimore.
December 8th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Eds: writing “she collided with a car” implies that the cyclist struck the car and was at fault, while everything else in the story suggests that the car struck the cyclist. This sort of sloppy language use gives cover to careless, dangerous motorists and implicitly blames cyclists for somehow interfering with motor vehicle traffic. If the cyclist did not initiate the collision, please consider changing this wording.
December 8th, 2012 at 6:14 pm
First, my condolences to the victim of this terrible incident.
It is not generally considered appropriate to pontificate about the characteristics of a tragedy, but I feel that a few things must be added here. Apologies if anyone is offended.
The intersection of Baltimore Avenue and Springfield Avenue should simply be eliminated. With its proximity to the junction of 45th and Baltimore, it functions only as a redundant shortcut to expedite heavy volumes of high-speed car traffic through a quiet residential neighborhood. If we want to see real safety improvements on our streets, traffic adjustments like this are the only truly effective method.
It is nothing short of outrageous to issue a “warning” to pedestrians and cyclists to watch out for cars and be careful. We already know that motor vehicles are capable of causing great bodily harm. This kind of rhetoric is patronizing and does nothing to address the real problem.
Drivers should look first. Cyclists should look first. But we cannot allow the variable judgement of individual users to determine the outcome of a traffic maneuver. We must stop blaming the people who use our roadways and focus on redesigning streets safely and in accordance with the activities that occur in and near them.
December 8th, 2012 at 7:13 pm
Town hall meeting time? My wife was left for dead after being hit by a car at this intersection. I would love to see this intersection eradicated. Unfortunately at the the time we did not think to even consult a lawyer. Maybe when it starts to hurt the city’s bottom line will something be done about it.
December 8th, 2012 at 7:29 pm
to #4: I completely agree. How can we make this happen?
I am careful there, especially since I was in a hit-and-run accident there at the end of December 2003. I was tossed onto the street like a rag doll and left for dead. I had no insurance, reconstructive wrist surgery, and could not work for nearly half a year (as well as ongoing physical therapy for 1 to 1.5 years.) My bike was never heard from again. That is just my story in a nutshell. What happpens/ has happened to everyone else who was hit there?
This intersection is not just notorious, it is a nuisance. Even stating that it is notorious implies the negligence of keeping it “as is.” How many more victims must come forth before something is done about it? Therefore, how DO we get something done about it?
December 8th, 2012 at 8:04 pm
http://articles.philly.com/2001-02-20/news/25318562_1_intersection-safety-concerns-baltimore-avenue
Here is an article from 2001 about this dangerous intersection. Street
Department to look into a more permanent solution…over 11 years ago.
December 9th, 2012 at 12:06 am
I live directly across the street from Springfield and Baltimore. I have seen so many accidents in the past 7 years I have been here. That whole intersection should just be shut down. It’s so poorly designed on so many levels that make it a disaster area.
There are two major issues as I see it. First, it’s a bad idea to have a left fork on a two way street where in order to take the turn you have to cross on coming traffic. And on Baltimore Avenue, that is usually not the most patient traffic that allows a driver to take a turn properly. Most of the drivers are trying to beat the lights at 44th and 45th. When they approach Springfield on Baltimore the tendency is for the drivers to get through the intersection quickly to avoid oncoming traffic. Often this means they blow through the cross walk as if pedestrians should be yielding to them. I’ve seen women with strollers nearly run down there so many times.
And the the second problem is how sharp the angle is coming down Springfield. When you come down Springfield you have to really look over your shoulder to make sure there is no oncoming east bound traffic on Baltimore. What this results in is a lot of rear end collisions where two cars will be coming down Springfield, both looking over their shoulder and the second car will rear end the first because the driver in the second car just assumes the first is already merged.
You combine these two issues and it’s no wonder that there are always accidents here.
It has been scary though in the past month how many drivers have hit cyclists. I’ve counted 3 since daylight savings time started.
At night it is a dark spot right at that cross walk. I’m looking at it right now at the crosswalk at 12 midnight and it’s mostly in the shadows. They should maybe put be a street light on the island there so cyclists can be seen. Not that I think the city would throw down a street light so a cyclist can be safe.
Frankly, I say they should just close that intersection off and call it a day. If people have a slightly more difficult time getting onto Springfield Ave, it’s not the end of the world.
December 9th, 2012 at 8:30 am
as Meta wrote, How do we make this happen? I will walk around with a petition. I will help in anyway I can…and if anyone has any updates about the young person hit I would love to know how she is doing
-Kelly
December 9th, 2012 at 8:33 am
The intersection is a nightmare for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
For my short daily commute Chester Avenue offers a more cyclist-friendly stretch of pavement than Baltimore Avenue. Admittedly it still suffers from the same lawless motorists, but the road is wider and there is less traffic. I recommend my fellow cyclists take a small detour and avoid the B-More mess.
I wish the victim a full and speedy recovery.
December 9th, 2012 at 1:39 pm
Update: The cyclist is in stable but critical condition in the ICU. Not a lot of information at this point, but the recovery will not be speedy and may not be full.
I would be very interested in advocacy to improve this intersection. I just sent an email to the Philly Bike Coalition as well to see if they have more information or ways they can help in this process.
December 9th, 2012 at 11:06 pm
I feel sorry for what happened, but people with bikes should follow the rules as a person driving a vehicle. Bikers sometime ride in the middle of the street and expect not for a car to beep his or horn at one.If one wants to ride their bike go to a park or kelly drive or something in that nature. This a big city with plenty of cars everwhere, so this defintely won’t be the last incident
December 9th, 2012 at 11:28 pm
@P., This cyclist was probably following the rules. They were not riding irresponsibly. The car making the left onto Springfield has to yield to the oncoming traffic on Baltimore Ave. Perhaps this driver didn’t see the cyclist but that is the driver’s fault.
And this person was riding their bike for transportation, not recreation. I ride my bike every day to and from my work in Old City. It is totally legal to ride bikes on the street. It is completely possible to do in a safe manner. Baltimore Avenue has clearly marked bike lanes. And considering the trolley tracks running down the middle of the street, this cyclist was most likely not riding in the middle of the street. I only saw the aftermath of this incident but I clearly remember them lying on the ground in the bike lane.
Are there bad cyclists out there? Yes. But they do not make up the majority of them, so don’t assume you can just blame the victim here.
December 9th, 2012 at 11:40 pm
“If one wants to ride their bike go to a park or kelly drive or something in that nature”
p, even by the standards of the internet, your comments continue to impress with the breadth and depth of their ignorance.
December 9th, 2012 at 11:45 pm
thanks
December 10th, 2012 at 11:17 am
‘p’ obviously does not know the stats for bicycle usage in Philadelphia nor understands the nature of actual biking
so we’re supposed to “go to a park” etc
do you want said bicyclists to DRIVE to the park or BIKE to the park???!!! 😆
I mean . . . yeah. a non-sensical reactionary statement
—-
all snark aside, even with the new paving on Baltimore Ave, it still is very difficult to navigate this intersection for all types of commuters; making that westbound turn from Balt to Springfield is near impossible in moving traffic
from 38th I will use Chester, if below that I’ll try to cross over before the Park if I’m going south of Baltimore ave
December 10th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Let city officials know you want change!
csstreets@phila.gov
http://philadelphiacitycouncil.net/council-members/councilwoman-jannie-blackwell-3rd-district/councilwoman-jannie-blackwell-contact/
December 10th, 2012 at 12:31 pm
Excellent suggestions C & Brendangrad: shut it down and prevent any more accidents!
December 10th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
I just got an email back from the Bike Coalition. They are willing to work with us and other community groups if we want to try to change the intersection to prevent further incidents. They also suggested:
“Another immediate step you can take is to send an e-mail about the dangers of that intersection to Gustave Scheerbaum, who is the Bicycle & Pedestrian Safety Engineer with the City. His e-mail address is: gustave.scheerbaum@phila.gov”
Seems like a pretty direct line for feedback. Let me know if you’re interested in longer-term work or know of organizations that might be on board.
December 10th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
Maybe close the intersection and insert a parklet? UCD went through the process to convert a smaller intersection at Woodland and 42nd recently and they’re also working on making the intersection at Baltimore and 48th less treacherous to cross with a sidewalk bump-out that’s coming this year. Both of those were funded (or partially funded?) by grants that UCD applied for and won.
There’s a wider community meeting this Thursday about the future of the neighborhood. It’s zoning oriented, but issues of transportation fit into that. This issue could be mentioned at that: https://www.westphillylocal.com/2012/12/10/community-input-sought-for-spruce-hill-planning-this-thursday/
December 10th, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Sarah,
I would love to help in anyway possible and will be sending an email to the link you shared after work today. After being out there with the young woman after she got hit, I am very motivated to not have another person get hit in front of my apt. again. I encourage everyone to email, respond, act on this so we can make a difference (I hope.)
-Kelly
December 10th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
Sarah,
I am also willing to help. Please keep me updated.
December 10th, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Thanks to Andy, Kelly, MTP et al for the suggestions and the help.
Unfortunately I can’t attend the Spruce Hill meeting on Thursday but I am going to email Barry Grossback with my concerns and ideas. If anyone is able to attend and speak about this issue that would be great. I’m also going to email UCD to see if they can provide any help or insight.
I’m going to cross-post this over on the forum as it might be time to move the discussion off the comments page.
Sarah
December 11th, 2012 at 9:06 am
I agree with some folks above, this intersection is unnecessary and dangerous. There are two other intersections surrounding that triangular sidewalk, which, I don’t think, will cause any problem if that part was just made into a parklet or just a large sidewalk… anything to stop these things from happening.
I have almost been hit two times with my girlfriend while going for a run to the park. Some people just don’t even look for peds, I literally see them looking at the road and just rolling over the crosswalk without even glancing at on coming people. They should just do away with it already.
December 11th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Unnecessary? I use that intersection several times a week. It’s handy. I don’t mind waiting for people, bikes, and cars to pass to make my turn. I wouldn’t want to turn this incident into an investigation of the victim–I never find that to be worthwhile. However if people want to call this intersection dangerous and get rid of it, they ought have some genuine facts about who is at fault in these accidents. Maybe a change can be made for the ped and bike traffic as an option. Eliminate foot traffic on that triangle altogether. Make sure bikes are reasonable lit, reflected (as this cyclist was) and that they are stopping at all the lights and signs.Is there a way to blame UPenn students and Sadie Alexander too? 😉
December 11th, 2012 at 10:09 am
happy – 3 incidents in one month? I think that is a good basis of fact – investigation or not, the intersection is dangerous and while you may be happy to wait for peds/cyclists I find that you fall into the minority. living across the street from this intersection i can say that very rarely are you seeing “patient” drivers waiting for anyone to cross here.
-kelly
December 11th, 2012 at 11:48 am
Instead of making that intersection disappear altogether, what about not allowing left turns instead?
It would be more cost efficient and would help with what seems to be the main cause of the issue, left turns from Baltimore Ave onto Springfield.
December 11th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
Eliminating left turns would certainly be the easiest/quickest solution. However, without having a traffic cop sit and watch the intersection for a few weeks or months, I doubt that many of the super-impatient people would actually follow the restriction. We all know how much respect many drivers have for stop signs.
December 11th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Not that posting a no-left-turn sign is a bad idea. It certainly wouldn’t hurt anything, and might encourage some traffic patterns to change while we’re waiting on that parklet. 🙂
December 11th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
@p : “Bikers sometime ride in the middle of the street and expect not for a car to beep his or horn at one.”
PA state law: “”The driver of a motor vehicle overtaking a pedalcycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left of the pedalcycle within not less than four feet at a careful and prudent reduced speed.”
Sorry but we have the right to be in the middle of the road.
Riding right next to parked car doors is extremely dangerous due to the risk of getting hit by an opening car door, or running into one of the many pedestrians who fail to look before stepping into the street to get into their cars. If a road is narrow, I ride out of the “door zone,” which may mean riding in the middle of the road for the length of a block or two.
Speaking from experience, it is downright terrifying to get honked at by the car behind me, because I don’t know if the person is just letting me know they’re there (not a good reason to use the horn) or has serious road rage and is about to pass me with a few inches to spare (happens a lot).
Next time you feel like honking at a cyclist who is “in your way,” please take a deep breath, step on your brake, and wait until it is safe to pass. You getting from point A to point B a few seconds faster is not more important than another person’s safety.
I truly the hope the victim of this accident is recovering well. I am all about closing that awful intersection! I’d be happy to sign a petition or attend a meeting if it helps.
December 11th, 2012 at 10:11 pm
That intersection is dangerous for those on bicycles and on foot…day or night, but especially in the dark and rain (like it was the night of this crash).
Would a flashing yellow traffic light on Baltimore (flashing red on Springfield) help?
Could there at least be much better lighing there?
December 12th, 2012 at 2:02 am
The intersection at 46th and Baltimore is a nightmare, too, with that weird little triangle where Cedar Ave begins. It would be much less confusing if Cedar Ave just began to the west of 46th St.
December 12th, 2012 at 9:29 am
When I drive I use that left turn onto Springfield every time. When I bike, which is most of the time, I avoid Baltimore Ave completely. Larchwood is a much nicer and safer ride just a block away and as you go further west, there are lots of better parallel options.
Maybe people should start making better choices about their routes when it comes to safety. I know that I do that whether I’m in a car, on foot, or cycling. Knowing that it is a dangerous intersection causes me to avoid it completely when on foot or bike. It’s not about rights, it’s about smarts.
December 12th, 2012 at 9:34 am
Turning that triangle into a parklet would be a great idea. I know that the gamblers and beer drinkers are no longer feeling welcome in Cedar park.
December 12th, 2012 at 9:42 am
@Lou: Thanks for that reference. I thought there was a law about this, but wasn’t 100% sure. (Also, pedalcycle? Adorable!)
@HC: I also avoid Baltimore Ave. when I am biking (and driving, for that matter) because it is terrifying. There really shouldn’t be bike lanes right next to trolley tracks. People need to be mindful of their own safety, but I don’t think it’s unreasonable to want to make dangerous intersections less dangerous.
December 12th, 2012 at 10:13 am
I agree that most of these diagonal intersections are dangerous as pedestrian and cyclist. I also avoid Baltimore Ave whenever possible, now that I know that it’s a constant hazard (doors, trolleys, drivers, intersections, glass…) That said, when I first got here I bought a bike map of Philly, which clearly states that Baltimore Ave is the best street around here because of the bike lane. That seems ridiculous now that I know the other options (Larchwood, Chester, Spruce) but at the time I didn’t know any better. I know the cyclist in this accident was similarly new to Philly. The upshot: Cyclist absolutely can pay attention to their own safety. We need to help communicate how to be safe to other cyclists AND combine that with road improvements. It’s not enough to just blame any cyclist after an accident for not being savvy enough to not get hit.
In terms of road improvements, I think at the very least there needs to be a light on the island at Springfield. Simplifying the intersections could also help.
December 19th, 2012 at 11:26 am
Does anyone know how the victim of this accident is doing? We witnessed it but never got her name to be able to check up on her. Thanks.
December 23rd, 2012 at 7:18 pm
The cyclist is still in the hospital, still has breathing tube but is more awake and starting to mouth words at times. In other words stable, but still waiting to learn more about long-term prognosis.
Thoughts and prayers are still very welcome through what will be a long healing and acceptance process.
December 24th, 2012 at 12:19 am
Goodness, I had no idea the cyclist was injured that badly. Does anyone know where he/she is staying? I don’t know if they can have visitors or packages or whatever, but as a fellow cyclist I would like do do something for them if possible.
December 24th, 2012 at 8:39 am
I’m in contact with the family and will check if they need/want visitors or physical care from the community.
I think the biggest thing we can do is continue to advocate for safer intersections and make sure this accident isn’t forgotten as just another incident.
December 21st, 2013 at 1:22 pm
This is about right, but the intersection just down the street on 43rd & Baltimore can be worse. I’ve seen a lot of people turning so quickly and just forgetting about pedestrians. In the car it’s everybody, young kids, older looking moms, it’s bizarre how they try to beat the light. They’re are plenty crazy drivers out there and especially in philly. I also see pedestrians and cyclists utilize the right of way notion in bad cases, like they force it and possibly could cause a car to swerve because their belief is that a car should stop even though it happens to go before me in a time frame so they should stop abruptly when I defensively go in front of the car. I think if you see a car turning and it’s in front of you, a normal thinking person might let the car go instead of jumping in front of it. I’ve driven and walked on the intersection where this is being talked about, some people are nuts in their cars ! I’m walking and I know just by f that people are insane so I usually look back at whose going to try and beat the turn while I’m walking across the street. it’s obvious not many people drive with their license, and I’ve noticed an awkward abruptness of crazy drivers here. It’s like a mere two-three seconds of waiting time to let someone cross, unless you’re turning onto a very busy pedestrian area like 34th & walnut or 30th& market, when students are out and about or within the city.