🛣️ A Bold Proposal for I-95: Transportation Reparations
The interstate has splintered neighborhoods and magnified inequities since its construction in 1957.
5th Square member and former campaign staffer, Amanda Steinberg, writes for the Philadelphia Citizen:
There are billions in federal and state dollars Philadelphia should be able to access to properly build out non-car centric modes of transportation such as railways. If planned properly, this could lead to a fortuitous reconciliation of economic and racial justice by connecting and reconnecting isolated communities.
It is beyond time for our federal, state and local legislators to correct the decades of transportation inequities created through our car-centered infrastructure.
🌳 48th Street Greenway
Residents of 48th Street have long lamented the reckless driving and crashes that take place on it. When PGW dug up 48th Street for a major project in in the winter of 2022, neighbors from Cedar Park, Garden Court, and Walnut Hill came together, recognizing that a paving project would likely happen before long and that that would be the time to make changes to how the street is designed and operates.
Neighbors organized through block captains and block-level networks, and in the Spring of 2022, over 500 people signed a petition for a safer, greener, and better connected 48th Street.
We are keeping our eyes on this project and we hope the Streets Department can come up with a safer layout for this vital West Philly corridor.
🚌 Bus Lane Enforcement Bill
Thank you to Councilmember Mark Squilla for introducing legislation allowing Automated Camera Enforcement on buses and trolleys!
Bill No. 230489 will be taken up in the fall when City Council reconvenes after the summer recess. The bill creates a new chapter of the Traffic Code to allow a camera-based enforcement system to address stopping, parking and standing that interferes with mass transit.
As everybody who rides a bus or trolley in mixed traffic can experience -- one motorist can delay or even cause a dangerous situation when stopped illegally in a bus stop or transit lane. This is a huge step forward in getting Philadelphia transit up to speed with peer cities.
You can help us make a walkable, transit-friendly city for everyone. Become a 5th Square member today for $5 a month. New Member signups get a free Blvd Subway T-Shirt!
🤝 July Meetup
Join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Resurrection Philadelphia’s Annex in West Philly - 401 S 42nd St! Thursday, July 6th at 6 PM. This is an indoor/outdoor, family-friendly event.
At this meetup, we welcome Nissim Leibovits, a Master's student in city planning at the University of Pennsylvania, who is using data to foster civic engagement and build more sustainable, inclusive cities. Most recently, he published an online mapping tool for residents to identify priority vacant lots for greening to reduce gun crime in our city.
Thanks For Coming to Our Last Meetup!
The best way to stay cool this summer is to rock our "Build the Roosevelt Blvd Subway" CROP TOP -- now in stock!
Looking to buy the T-Shirt? Click Here!
EVENTS
A Prayer for Twitadelphia
Wednesday, June 21 · 7 - 9pm EDT
Pen & Pencil Club 1522 Latimer Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
Now that the primary is over, it's time to put the divisiveness of the election behind us and focus on what really matters - laughing at ourselves and making the City of Philadelphia an even better place to call home. That's why we're bringing together the most terminally online of this election cycle for a happy hour to raise some money for a good cause, all while highlighting the terrible political takes and laughable predictions from this cycle.
Feet First Philly - General Meeting
June 21st at 6pm to 8pm. (Zoom)
The topic of the meeting is Asphalt Art in Philadelphia. Register TODAY and join us to learn about the asphalt art process in Philadelphia, and what other organizations are doing with asphalt art projects.
THE ENGINE INSIDE | Philadelphia Premiere (84 min) Hosted by Bicycle Film Festival & Philly Bike Expo
Thursday, June 29, 7:00PM
401 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
The new documentary feature film, "The Engine Inside" tells the stories of six everyday people from all over the globe, who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
🚌 TRANSIT
🚴 MOBILITY
SURVEYS
PennDOT District 6 Survey - Interstate 95 Girard Avenue Interchange Project Sections GR5 and GR6.
The project team is seeking feedback on potential designs of spaces under and adjacent to I-95 as a follow-up to information presented at recent Near Neighbors Meetings held in Northern Liberties and Old City. Meeting materials from these meetings can be found at 95revive.com. The survey will be open to the community until June 30.
GRANTS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
Community Design Collaborative and StreetBoxPHL Request for Parklet and Ped Plaza Proposals
The Collaborative and StreetBoxPHL are partnering to support transforming streets into public spaces across Philadelphia. Community Based Organizations (CBO's) considering, or currently developing, Parklets, Pedestrian Plazas, or other interventions in the Right Of Way (ROW) to debut in 2024, and looking for design support are encouraged to fill out the form below by August 4th 2023 to participate in the ROW Steward Services Initiative:
StreetBoxPHL - Right Of Way Roundtable
Are you a BID manager, RCO Board Member, or are you the one on your block who organizes block clean ups, block parties, or other gatherings in the street? Join StreetBoxPHL for the Right Of Way Roundtable (ROW Roundtable) a monthly on-line meeting this Fall 2023. If you take care of public spaces in city streets, or want to learn how to build them, sign up here.
StreetBoxPHL | Graduate Fellowship Opportunity 2023-2024
StreetBoxPHL (SBP) is seeking a highly-qualified (graduate) student Fellow to help launch its ROW Roundtable series, increase its communications and advocacy efforts, and support programmatic efforts to provide technical assistance to stewards of public spaces in the ROW, in collaboration with SBP’s partners. due 7/21
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 or more.