Penn Ave has been identified as an issue area in the city's High Injury Network. It's current conditions result in significant speeding and many unsafe crossings. As a result, between 2018 and 2022, there were a 115 crashes on Penn Ave in the Strip District, 45 of which resulted in injury and 13 involving pedestrians.
Studies by the city have determined that the current and future traffic along Penn Ave will fit on a single lane. The adjacent Liberty Ave will continue to serve as the Strip District's main high speed thoroughfare. Additionally, the downtown cultural district section of Penn Ave has a similar configuration with one drive lane and is able to function.
Due to the density of activity, traffic conditions calm significantly in the core so there is not a need for changes. All of Penn Ave, including the core, will receive other improvements in future projects such as improved signals from the Penn Avenue Signals Improvement Project.
Currently vehicles illegally park to load and unload. As part of the Right Sizing project, the city will establish designated loading zones in the project area.
*While there are specific reasons why Penn Ave was chosen for this project, Right Sizing is about more than cyclists and will have benefits for all road users as explained on the project details page.
Liberty Ave: Liberty Ave currently serves as the Strip District's high speed thoroughfare. The Liberty Avenue bike lane ends where it does as conditions become unsafe for slower bike traffic.
Spring Way: Spring Way is intended for the loading and unloading of delivery trucks and thus often blocked. In addition, the sharp corners of the buildings along Spring Way create very poor sightlines at intersections.
Smallman Street: There is a project on Smallman Street to accommodate outbound bicycle traffic among many other improvements, Smallman Street Complete Streets. However, there is not enough space to accommodate both directions on one of the two streets without an even more major street reconfiguration.
Railroad Street: Between 11th and 21st Railroad Street (or Waterfront Place in this section) is privately owned. From 21st and beyond the namesake railroad tracks are also privately owned. Both prevent major infrastructure improvements.
Riverfront Trail: The Riverfront Trail is an amazing recreational resources but not an effective means of transportation around the city. It does not provide easy access to homes or businesses. It also does not provide an effective inter-neighborhood connection as it ends at 27th Street.
There is a project on Smallman Street to accommodate outbound bicycle traffic among many other improvements, Smallman Street Complete Streets. However, there is not enough space to accommodate both directions on one of the two streets without an even more major street reconfiguration.
If you haven't already, sign the petition on our home page! Please also share it with friends and family. Other steps you can take is writing to the the Strip District's Councilman Bobby Wilson as well as Mayor Gainey. Additionally, you can leave supportive comments on the project's engagement page.