Primary elections are now on June 2nd due to COVID-19 -- request your mail-in ballot today!
📫 DID YOUR MAIL-IN BALLOT ARRIVE?
Many of our members got ours in the mail last week!
If you haven't requested one yet, you still have a few weeks left!
TODAY at Noon
We’ll be hosting more candidate video chats with state legislative candidates throughout the rest of the primary before June 2nd to keep our community informed about the stakes for transportation, housing, and more in this election.
RSVP to receive meeting login info.
✅ OUR ENDORSEMENTS
5th Square is pleased to announce our 2020 endorsements for PA State House!
These candidates best represent our mission to make Philadelphia a more sustainable, accessible, transit-friendly city for everyone.
📸 Read more about why we chose these candidates in our Press Release.
🗒️ Read candidates' responses to our 2020 state legislative questionnaire and get vital election information at our 2020 Election Center.
🙋 Interested in helping us work (from home) on getting these folks into office? Sign up as a volunteer and check the 'Organizing and Elections' Box!
🚘💥🚗 TELL THE CITY ABOUT PROBLEM STREETS
Help the City inform their next Vision Zero Action Plan!
Philadelphia oTIS' Vision Zero Safety Map is an interactive tool where Philadelphians can report where road safety improvements are needed.
📰 FEATURED NEWS
The more we learn about this virus, the more we see that socially-distanced open-air activities are safe, and Vitamin D plays an important role in COVID mortality rates.
With less traffic to slow cars, reckless driving has become pervasive. Last week, we saw three crash fatalities over two days. Adding onto this, for the first three months of 2020, Philly saw a surge in pedestrian deaths.
The models for the post-pandemic 'Carpocalypse' are bleak, with many commuters wary of getting back on transit, commute times could rise dramatically as our streets become clogged with cars.
Now is the time to ensure this future doesn't come true. We need to take steps to ensure the viability of transit and that alternatives like walking and biking are properly incentivized.
Philly must adapt to the way we are living now: provide more space for people by shifting them away from the few cars on the road. Not just for recreation, but also facilities for active transportation.
Philly must also improve its curb management practices by:
- Expanding loading zones in front of restaurants and businesses who have switched to 100% takeout service.
- Widening sidewalks so pedestrians have space to pass each other.
- Streamlining the process for restaurants to use street and sidewalk space for takeout lines and, eventually, more outdoor dining space.
Compared to cities that are undergoing innovative, inexpensive, and progressive transformation to suit the times, Philadelphia appears poised to revert back to its old ways -- rolling back its progress and shrugging its shoulders.
As a result, work towards achieving Vision Zero may be in jeopardy with impending cuts to the Streets Department and Managing Director's Office. Street sweeping is thrown under the bus and our Parks & Rec budget is being gutted.
We hope these measures are only temporary and we see these services restored sooner than later. Until then, 5th Square is here to advocate for safer streets, clean public space, and livable neighborhoods both during the pandemic and after.
SEPTA is also facing an unprecedented financial challenge -- made worse with plunging toll revenue from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, reports Pat Madej of the Inquirer.
Help 5th Square advocate for smart usage of SEPTA's remaining funds in their upcoming Capital Budget, Operating Budget, and Fare Tariff hearings. Let's make sure our beloved and vital transit system remains viable and positioned for smart growth once this pandemic passes.
📋 SURVEYS
DRWC | Philly Waterfront Parks Survey
As the Philadelphia Waterfront continues to grow, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) wants to better understand the visitor experience and what you would like to do and see at one of the region’s most iconic destinations – from music and festivals to new parks and development projects. Your input is critical as DRWC continues to improve our public spaces for everyone to enjoy.
DSVGA | Covid-19 Smart Growth Survey
The Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance (DSVGA) needs your help to discern what impact Covid-19 will have on land use patterns and Smart Growth in the Philadelphia region.
They want you to look beyond the immediate public health emergency and think about our lives post pandemic, after an effective vaccine is widely deployed.
The Philadelphia Inquirer |
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
🚴 MOBILITY
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia | We Analyzed Philadelphia’s COVID-Impacted Budget
CityMetric | It's not too late to prevent a driving apocalypse
🏙️ LAND USE
The Philadelphia Inquirer |
SAVE ESSENTIAL PHILLY GARDENS
Right now, The Neighborhood Gardens Trust’s Save Essential Philly Gardens campaign is happening, and we're hoping you’ll make a contribution to support this critical work if you’re able.
Now more than ever, community gardens are essential. The healthy fruit and vegetables grown at community gardens across the city supplement household budgets and thousands of pounds of produce are donated as emergency food supplies.
NGT needs your support to ensure that community gardens can stay open, safe and overflowing with fresh produce in the coming months. Donate to the Save Essential Philly Gardens campaign today to ensure they don’t fall short of this important goal.
Populus Street Manager helps city departments of transportation identify and communicate new street policies, including street closures due to emergencies, construction and special events. Populus invites cities and public agencies to apply to the Open Streets Initiative by May 15, 2020. A select number cities will be selected by June 2020 to partner with Populus to design and implement new street policies.
The Philadelphia Emergency Fund for Stabilization of Early Education (PEFSEE) aims to ensure that Philadelphia’s early learning sector can weather the COVID-19 crisis. PEFSEE will provide grant funds to minimize the loss of capacity and expertise in the sector so that children and families continue to have access to high quality early learning opportunities once this crisis has passed.Tiered grant awards of up to $20,000 will be made available to provide immediate relief to eligible organizations with operations located in the city of Philadelphia.
TRA | Project Analyst
South Kensington Community Partners | Greening Programs Coordinator
We're an all-volunteer grassroots organization advocating for safe and affordable transportation, abundant housing, and more and better public spaces. You’re receiving this email if you signed up via our website, attended one of our events, or supported one of our advocacy campaigns.
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