🗳 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION INFO
Endorsements
- Paul Prescod for the 8th Senate District
- Marylouise Isaacson for the 175th House District
- Joe Hohenstein for the 177th House District
- Jonathan Lovitz for the 182nd House District
- Elizabeth Fiedler for the 184th House District
- Andre Carroll for the 201st House District
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee, organizing and advocating for better transportation, land use, and public space policies. Our advocacy is supported by over 350 members giving as little as $5 a month.
🗳 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION INFO
Endorsements
- Paul Prescod for the 8th Senate District
- Marylouise Isaacson for the 175th House District
- Joe Hohenstein for the 177th House District
- Jonathan Lovitz for the 182nd House District
- Elizabeth Fiedler for the 184th House District
- Andre Carroll for the 201st House District
Read our Endorsement Press Release to see why our members chose these candidates.
Ballot Question Recommendations
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Question 1: Vote NO to increase the Zoning Board of Adjustment from five to seven members.
The 5th Square Steering Committee believes this is an effort for City Council to grab more power over zoning, worsening the negative effects of councilmanic prerogative and leading to less housing and more car-centric development across Philadelphia.
Read more about this issue in Billy Penn. - Question 4: Vote YES to make the City’s Fair Housing Commission permanent.
Committee Person Recommendations
There are a lot of committee people running, so we have an interactive map of Philly broken out into wards and districts, as well as a list of the recommended committee persons for each district.
💰 CITY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARINGS
The City budget hearings are underway with three action items.
Item One: 5th Square has an ongoing petition for bus lanes in key arterials, already outlined in City reports. Now they just need to build it! Sign our petition so we can show City Council that the people of Philadephia want to go by bus and wave goodbye to gridlock. More information about the proposed lanes is on the petition page.
Item Two: Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is looking for people to testify regarding traffic calming at the City Council hearing on May 24th at 10am. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier proposes to amend the budget with funds to improve traffic calming, add street lights, and removing abandonded cars. These improvements will help support Vision Zero initiatives. If you have a story to share about your neighborhood and would like to speak about it, email [email protected] for more information.
Item Three: Friends of the Free Library is asking residents to call or email Councilmember Darrell Clarke on May 24th and demand full funding of $30 million and 6 days of service. Public libraries are an important asset to a well-rounded and vibrant neighborhood, providing valuable services and opportunities. 5th Square supports the effort of Friends of the Free Library and encourages you to let your councilmembers know the true value of libraries. FFL has provided tips on contacting them on their Google Drive.
Why not all three? You can also testify independently and tell the city you want bus lanes, traffic calming devices, and libraries!
Illustration by Sublingual Multimedia
(instagram / twitter / twitch)
🧺 JUNE MEETUP!
Join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Manayunk Crossing (next to the movie theater)! This is an outdoor, family-friendly event where we will provide updates on our recent campaigns. We will also be discussing mobility, safe streets, and access to transit specific to Northwest Philly neighborhoods.
This is an outdoor picnic-style meet-up, there's no built-in seating so we encourage you to bring your own chairs and blankets. We will provide hoagies and a cooler with carbonated refreshments for everybody.
We still need your help. Every dollar helps us work with elected officials and candidates to make the case for structural improvements for a more sustainable, walkable, and bicycle-friendly Philadelphia!
Become a 5th Square member TODAY
SURVEYS & EMAIL ACTIONS
PennDOT is conducting a survey for the I-95 Girard Interchange. This covers Allegheny Avenue south through the Interstate 676 Interchange at Race Street. Project sections GR5 and GR6 (covered in this survey) will rebuild northbound and southbound I-95 between Frankford Avenue and Race Street, make surface street improvements under and alongside I-95, and redesign PennDOT-owned spaces under and adjacent to I-95.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
Philadelphia Inquirer / Fishtown neighbors’ beautification effort is deemed a safety hazard by the city
Streetsblog USA / Why Sustainable Transportation Advocates Need to Talk About Zoning
Philadelphia Business Journal / Shops at Valley Square sells for $60M, owner plans to add apartments
WHYY / Philly is finally opening 12 community composting sites, after a pandemic delay
Philadelphia Inquirer / Multimillion-dollar home sales in Philly have reached record levels as prices and remote working increase
The Atlantic / Four Years Among the NIMBYs
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
Philadelphia Inquirer / Philly residents plagued by illegal dumping tell city to invest in solutions
PhillyVoice / Philadelphia could impose heavier fines for illegal dumping as lawmakers push for more spending
Philadelphia Inquirer / High levels of a toxic chemical were recorded as the former South Philly refinery got demolished
Streetsblog USA / American Cities Are Drowning in Car Storage
EVENTS
Reimagining Regional Rail Virtual Public Meeting
Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at 6:30 PM
SEPTA and the Regional Rail staff will be discussing new regional rail options and are looking for comments and suggestions from riders and non-riders. Direct registration link here.
The Ride of Silence Philadelphia
Wednesday, May 18th, 6:45 P.M.
Meet at the North side of the Philadelphia City Hall at the intersection of North Broad Street and JFK Blvd.
The purposes of this silent ride are to honor cyclists killed/injured in motor vehicle related accidents and to raise awareness about the rights of cyclists to ride the roads. A brief pre-ride dedication ceremony will take place at 6:45 PM and the 10 mile per hour ride will start promptly at 7:00 P.M. It will circle City Hall, continue to Independence Hall, through Center City, and head over to West Philly via the Walnut St. Bridge. The ride will then end in the front of the Philadelphia Art Museum for the traditional bike lift in silence. The length of the ride is 7 miles long and is expected to be 1 hour. Helmets and appropriate COVID 19 prevention precaution measures are required and bicycle lights are encouraged. For more info, contact the BCGP at [email protected]
Bike to Work & Wherever Day Group Ride
Friday, May 20, 8:00 am - 9:00 am
Penn Museum (3260 South St)
Meet us at our Penn Museum Bike to Work & Wherever Day Energizer Station for coffee, giveaways, high fives and a group ride! Riders will start to gather at 8:15am. We’ll roll out at 8:30 to arrive at Dilworth Plaza around 9am.
Olmsted 200! Film Screening, Panel Discussion + Reception at Drexel
Fri, May 20 at 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM EDT
Anthony J. Drexel Picture Gallery at Drexel University
3141 Chestnut Street, Main Building, Third Floor
Join The Philadelphia Citizen on May 20th for a reception and screening of “Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America.” An audience Q&A and expert panel discussion on Olmsted's life and legacy to follow the film led by filmmaker and public historian Laurence Cotton, Maura McCarthy, the executive director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and moderated by Alan Greenberger, FAIA. Come learn more about the extraordinary work of the father of American landscape architecture and discover why Olmsted’s designs remain so relevant today. Registration is free.
Cobbs Creek Parkway Safety Improvement Project Walk
Saturday, May 21, 10:00 AM EDT - 11:30 AM EDT
Catherine St & Cobbs Creek Parkway
To commemorate ten years of pedestrian advocacy, Feet First Philly is hosting ten walks alongside Clean Air Council across Philadelphia. The first walk, the Cobbs Creek Parkway Safety Improvement Walk, will explore the new and upcoming Cobbs Creek Parkway traffic safety improvements. This project is particularly important to pedestrians who face difficulty crossing the street to access the park. Learn about new pedestrian crossings, traffic calming, and more. Registration encouraged. Free.
Philadelphia Refinery Legacy Remediation / Evergreen Public Meeting: "Fate & Transport"
Tuesday, May 24, 6:00 PM (virtual)
Evergreen Resources Group, LLC (Evergreen) is hosting its 2nd quarter public meeting on Tuesday, May 24th at 6:00 PM. During this virtual meeting, participants will learn about the basics of "Fate and Transport," interact with others in breakout groups, and learn about updates on the legacy remediation (cleanup) of the Philadelphia Refinery.
How Electric Buses are Moving Cities: Developing a Roadmap to Scale
Tuesday, May 24 at 8 am EDT (virtual)
This two-part webinar series, based on the release of From Santiago to Shenzhen: How Electric Buses are Moving Cities report created by ITDP, examines the electrification of public bus systems, with the primary goal of decreasing carbon emissions from the transportation sector over the next decade. The How Electric Buses are Moving Cities series sheds light on how cities worldwide are embracing and deploying electric buses.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee.
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.
Support our advocacy with a recurring monthly contribution of $5.