Philadelphia gained its first ever Complete Streets Commissioner this week, which means streets will be considered NOT just for cars, but bikes, pedestrians and public transit users.

According to Randy LoBasso reported in the Bicycle Coalition blog, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has “been advocating, and part of a major priority we put in our Better Mobility 2015 platform.”

LoBasso interviewed Bob Previdi (BCGP Policy Coordinator) about why this position is so important:

“Kenney will be hiring a Complete Streets Commissioner – whose job it will be to look at everything from the point of view of a user. We believe that putting safety first and coordinating investment will ultimately benefit all citizens, businesses and taxpayers alike.

This is what makes the concept of a Complete Streets Commissioner so intriguing. Having someone high enough in the Mayor’s cabinet who is trying to plan by taking the long view is very important—and, as the Philadelphia Magazine article makes clear, cyclists are now an officially recognized and powerful priority for city government.

This person will coordinate work on the street that prioritizes the ability for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and public transit users to get around. Such a position that makes “sure our streets are as multimodal as possible, including advocating for protected bike lanes,” as Kenney spokeswoman Lauren Hitt notes in the Philadelphia Magazine article is exactly what Philadelphia needs for its growing bicycling community, and for an administration that says it’s interested in Vision Zero.”

Read the full story on the BCGP blog.

Thanks to the Bicycle Coalition for their ongoing work and victories that we can ALL share!

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher