Pedestrian hit on Henry at Midvale in East Falls

[Malloy]

I have no details...but I saw Henry from Midvale to Coulter blocked by 4 police cars. I also saw a Florist van stopped in the middle of Henry, a women's boot and a handbag on the ground near the van .

[Hozeramma]

I did not see it myself but my wife told me about the accident. She assumed a pedestrian was hit. After being detoured around the accident she noted van's windshield was pushed in, in such a way that only body could cause. Sure hope that whoever was struck will be OK.

On a side note, While not always doable, we try avoiding Henry whenever possible because of the frequency of accidents on that roadway. We both have experienced close calls with people inching across the center line, running lights, driving at highway speeds, and dodging in and out of traffic. How many more accidents need to happen before safety on Henry is finally taken seriously and addressed?

[Malloy]

Originally Posted by Hozeramma

On a side note, While not always doable, we try avoiding Henry whenever possible because of the frequency of accidents on that roadway. We both have experienced close calls with people inching across the center line, running lights, driving at highway speeds, and dodging in and out of traffic. How many more accidents need to happen before safety on Henry is finally taken seriously and addressed?

Its amazing. I feel for the people who stand at Midvale and Queen waiting for the bus......cars whip by going 60+ all the time. WTF. They should invite the state troopers to Henry Ave.....they will stop the speeding in 3 days.

[OldMama]

When I first moved to the area in '79, Henry was a speed trap- always a cop hiding in some nook, often saw cars pulled over. Now it's a speedway and I rarely see a cop.

[jmbenj]

In the 7 years I've been driving on Henry Ave twice a day every day, M-F, I've probably seen more accidents than I've seen cars pulled over by police. Every day, cars blow by like I'm standing still ... and I'm not crawling. I'm amazed that there aren't more accidents as I have an "oh $hit" moment almost every day.

[Malloy]

Originally Posted by jmbenj

In the 7 years I've been driving on Henry Ave twice a day every day, M-F, I've probably seen more accidents than I've seen cars pulled over by police. Every day, cars blow by like I'm standing still ... and I'm not crawling. I'm amazed that there aren't more accidents as I have an "oh $hit" moment almost every day.

Whenever I'm in the left lane crossing the Wissahickon I cringe a bit...also turning onto Hermit or Barnes can be quite scary, and everyone seems to cross the yellow lines since they are going too fast to handle the turn. Forget the curves between School House and Coulter....they are always a disaster.

On Lincoln, I understand its hard for the police to hide and snag speeders. There are plenty of places to hide on Henry.

[Schmoo]

I drive Henry a few times a day and the new thing I noticed is people flashing their lights at me when I am in the left lane, like they are on a highway and want me to move over so they can pass! Crazy! And, I must say, I have never been going below the speed limit when this happens. I also have had people zoom past me while I am going through the school zone at Saul HS while a cop sits right there and watches. I would be so worried if I had a child that went to that school and had to cross Henry every day.

[Malloy]

Ah yes, the good ol flash. Ive seen that a few times myself. Morons.

[Speedbump]

Originally Posted by Malloy

I have no details...but I saw Henry from Midvale to Coulter blocked by 4 police cars. I also saw a Florist van stopped in the middle of Henry, a women's boot and a handbag on the ground near the van .

If anyone has any further information on this accident, please post it here.

Both Penndot & Traffic Engineering at the Phila. Streets Dept. have maintained that accidents mainly occur when drivers are "impaired". They are reluctant to admit that a lack of traffic calming only serves to encourage reckless speeding. Despite four years of working on the problem, the EFCC Traffic Committee has been unable to extract real and practical traffic calming from them.

Solutions are available and they are low tech and low cost, but incredibly effective. They exist and are used successfully in cities and communities nationwide and around the world. Philadelphia's only problem is, well, it is Philadelphia. What takes cities like Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, San Francisco and London a year or two to implement, it takes decades to happen here. It's time to change the prevailing paradigm!