Join 5th Square Organizers & Volunteers as we give public testimony on the City Budget at City Hall on Wednesday, April 24 from 1:30-4 p.m.

City Council has scheduled this budget hearing day at City Council Chambers reserved for the public to comment on the City’s budget. 

Come join us in advocating for:

• More local transit funding for SEPTA
• More funding for Vision Zero initiatives and traffic calming measures across the City

Sign up here and we can send you talking points as the day approaches.

• Testimony is better if it's written beforehand, and resonates more if you can give a personal story with it
• Comments are typically limited to 2-minutes (300 words)

Speakers interested in making public testimony should call 215-686-3407 or email [email protected] by 3 p.m. on the day prior to the public testimony session at which they wish to speak. The public can also sign up to testify at the public testimony sessions in person on the day of the hearing by visiting the City Council Chambers, Room 400 (Fourth floor) of City Hall.

The public can read the proposed FY ’25 budget and get the most up-to-date information by going to Council’s FY2025 Budget Center. Budget information is subject to change so check the FY2025 Budget Center for updates.

The FY’ 25 Operating and Capital Budget must be approved by Council and signed into law by June 30. FY ’25 starts on July 1.

The 5th Square Transit Committee will be holding a volunteer strategy and planning meeting.  In-Person, at Indy Hall's Boardroom, on the 3rd floor. (NOTE: Location has changed from 4th Floor Skyroom)

Join us as we discuss organizing around Bus Revolution, SEPTA Budget Hearing talking points, our current ongoing campaigns, and set our sights on future projects in the coming year.

Public & Active Transportation:

• L-Line (Market-Frankford Line) to Spring Garden Station
• G-Line (15 Trolley) is a 10 minute walk away
• Bus routes: 5, 25, 43, 57
• Indego Station and abundant bicycle racks on 2nd & Brown

If you cannot attend this meetup, but are interested in joining this committee, fill out this form and select "5th Square Transit Committee"

Calling all Femme, Trans, Women, and Non-Binary (FTWNB) urbanists!  Join us for a meetup at Indy Hall's 4th Floor Skyroom.

We want to create a space that's inviting and safe for non-cis men to participate and chat about Philadelphia's urbanist issues important to you!

Our community works to provide a welcoming space to address these concerns, provide encouragement, and advocate for an end to systemic barriers to participation and representation.

Whether you are an urban planning advocacy expert or brand new and curious -- you are welcome here!

If you have been meaning to check out one of our events or meetings but haven't made it out yet, this will be a good first one to come to.

This event is all ages and ADA Accessible.

Public & Active Transportation:

• L-Line (Market-Frankford Line) to Spring Garden Station
• G-Line (15 Trolley) is a 10 minute walk away
• Bus routes: 5, 25, 43, 57
• Indego Station and abundant bicycle racks on 2nd & Brown

If you cannot attend this meetup, but are interested in joining this group, fill out this form and select "Femme, Trans, Women, and Non-Binary (FTWNB) urbanists"

Hello Philadelphia urbanists!

Attend our volunteer orientation meeting. At this meeting, we will:

1. Introduce our organization and recent campaigns.
2. Onboard folks with our tech.
3. Discuss and brainstorm upcoming 5th Square priorities and and volunteer opportunities.

You are welcome whether this is your 1st or 100th 5th Square event!

We hope to see you at this meeting, but if you can't make it, don't fret! There will be a similar meetings in subsequent months.

This meeting will be HYBRID: both in-person at Indy Hall and on virtual on Zoom -- RSVP here for info on both. 

Public & Active Transportation:

• L-Line (Market-Frankford Line) to Spring Garden Station
• G-Line (15 Trolley) is a 10 minute walk away
• Bus routes: 5, 25, 43, 57
• Indego Station and abundant bicycle racks on 2nd & Brown

Join us as we advocate for better allocation of Capital funds at SEPTA's FY2025 Capital Budget Hearings.

The schedule of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Public Hearings is as follows:
Capital Budget: May 22, 2024 – 10:00 AM & 4:00 PM

5th Square is seeking volunteers who can make public comment at these hearings! Let us know if you can help by submitting your RSVP, and we will reach out with talking points.

The Public Hearings can be attended in-person in the Board Room at SEPTA Headquarters, 1234 Market Street, Mezzanine Level, Philadelphia, PA 19107, or virtually utilizing WebEx. Additional information on how individuals can register to attend via WebEx will be posted on approximately April 26, 2024 at the Authority’s website: www.septa.org/notice.

At the hearings, SEPTA will present the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Operating Budget and Fiscal Years 2026-2030 Financial Projections, and the Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Budget and Fiscal Years 2025-2036 Capital Program. The proposed budgets will be published on or about April 16, 2024 and will be accessible from the SEPTA website: https://planning.septa.org/reports/. SEPTA will afford an opportunity for interested persons or agencies to be heard with respect to the budgets at the public hearings. People wishing to attend and speak at the morning and afternoon sessions in-person or via WebEx must register by the start time on the day of each public hearing. SEPTA representatives will be available at each hearing to listen to public comments and testimony. A sign language interpreter will be present during the public hearings. An audio version of the public hearing notice and summary will be available through the Associated Services for the Blind at its website: www.asb.org

Public Participation Details:

• Individuals wishing to attend a public hearing virtually via WebEx must register at http://septa.org/notice before the date and time the public hearing is to be held (see schedule above). Details and instructions on how to register via WebEx will be posted to the above SEPTA website on approximately April 26, 2024.

• Individuals wishing to attend in-person should arrive at the SEPTA Board Room by 11:00AM and 5:00PM respectively on May 20, 2024 and by 10:00AM and 4:00PM respectively on May 21, 2024 for the Operating Budget, and by 10:00AM and 4:00PM respectively on May 22, 2024 for the Capital Budget.

• Persons desiring to provide oral comments or testimony about the Capital Budget may call 215-580-7771, and about the Operating Budget may call 215-580-7772 to submit comments or testimony via voicemail message.
  

• Individuals may submit comments via email on the Operating Budget to [email protected] and on the Capital Budget to [email protected].
  

• Persons wishing to file written comments may mail them to the Senior Director, Budgets & Transformation, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, 1234 Market St., 9th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

All comments and testimony received will become part of the public record and will be forwarded to the Hearing Examiner. To be included in the official public record, comments must be received by Friday May 31, 2024 at 5:00 PM.

The board will be considering Bus Revolution, the authority's first comprehensive redesign of its entire bus network.  This will be the final yes/no vote on the whole package after a year of delay.

We need folks to come help advocate for Bus Revolution and the need for more reliable, more frequent, and more dependable bus service.

SEPTA HQ - 1234 Market St (Mezzanine Level)

Testimony is better if it's written beforehand, and resonates better if you can give a personal story about your rider experience with it.

Comments are typically limited to 2-minutes (approximately 300 words).

Written comments can be emailed to [email protected]

REASONS WHY WE SUPPORT BUS REVOLUTION

Bus ridership has been declining over the past decade and the pandemic has changed how people work and travel -- this change is needed now more than ever.

Bus Revolution will result in over a million more people gaining access to frequent bus routes.

This redesign will create nearly a dozen more high-frequency routes, increasing service reliability and speeds.

Also, improving service at non-peak travel times and weekends has the greatest benefit for lower-income workers and those with no car access.

SEPTA has already conducted extensive engagement on Bus Revolution over three years, over 200 meetings, and collecting over 20,000 comments

More delay will not produce a better outcome-- This process has already been delayed over a year for more feedback and to adjust routes.