102
THE COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION NETWORK
PLANNING ISSUE
It is difficult to ride a bike on
many Montgomery County
roads because there are so
few on-road protections for
cyclists. Narrow shoulders
and almost no bike lanes
force riders to ride alongside
cars, which makes riding more
uncomfortable and dangerous.
What’s New?
•
With the completion of the US 202 Parkway and its
parallel multi-use trail, there are now more than 11
miles of designated on-road bike lanes in Montgomery
County.
•
Employers encourage bicycling to work with annual
bike-to-work challenges. Montgomery County
participates in Greater Valley Forge TMA’s bike-to-
work challenge every summer. In 2012, the program
shifted 2,336 trips from car to bike, totaling 37,697
miles.
Vehicles
Transit
Pedestrian Mobility
Bicycle Mobility
Aviation
Freight
Bicycle Mobility
Under state law, bicyclists riding on state roadways are
granted the same rights afforded to drivers of cars and
trucks, and bicycles are recognized by PennDOT as road-
approved vehicles. Some use bicycles as an important
(and daily) means of transportation, despite a lack of on-
road protections that adequately address the safety
concerns of cyclists.
In order for bicycling to have a significant impact on
transportation in the county, it is critical that bicyclists be
better accommodated, wherever feasible.
According to the American Community Survey, 1,032
people (0.25% of Montgomery County commuters) rode
a bike to work in 2011. Nationwide, 0.56% of
commuters used a bike which, while double the county
rate, is still less than 1% of all commuters.
¯
Pottstown
Norristown
Lansdale
Collegeville
Jenkintown
Conshohocken
476
276
76
476
t
u
422
t
u
202
611
100
309
Hatboro
Ambler
Pennsburg
73
663
29
29
73
SCHUYLKILL RIVER TRAIL
PERKIOMEN TRAIL
POWER LINE TRAIL
PENNYPACK TRAIL
US 202 Parkway
Multi-use trail
Susquehanna Rd
High Street
Pottstown
Allentown Rd
Biedler Rd
Montgomery County Trails
On-Road Bicycle Lanes
FIGURE 69:
Existing Bike Lanes and Trails
Source: Montgomery County Planning Commission
