Newsletter: 🏛️ Lobby for Speed Cameras / 🚣‍♀️ Meetup Next Thursday / 🛣️ Say No to Highway Spending

Weekly Newsletter, Issue 247

🏛️ LOBBY FOR SPEED CAMERAS

Join us and the Bicycle Coalition in Harrisburg to renew and expand automated speed enforcement in Philly on Tuesday, October 3rd.

Join us in Harrisburg

If you can't join us in Harrisburg, write your state senator to show your support.

Write your senator

🗳️ OUR ENDORSEMENTS

Our membership is deciding our endorsements for the General Election THIS WEEK. JOIN TODAY to be part of this process by becoming a member for only $5 / month!

🚣‍♀️ MEETUP NEXT THURSDAY

Join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Cosmic Cafe & Ciderhouse! This is an outdoor, family-friendly event where we will provide updates on our recent campaigns.

Next Thursday, October 05, 2023 at 06:00 PM
Cosmic Cafe & Ciderhouse - Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, PA

RSVP Here

🛣️ SAY NO TO HIGHWAY SPENDING

PennDOT wants to hear from you about I-95 in Center City and South Philly. Visit their virtual meeting room.

The I-95, like many highways across the country, has been incalculably destructive, robbing neighborhoods of the opportunity to build wealth, costing cities and states billions in maintenance backlogs, and reinforcing car dependence. Take the survey and tell PennDOT to address the disruptions highways bring to Philadelphia neighborhoods.

📈 SUPPORT TRANSIT FUNDING

SEPTA is facing a fiscal cliff--contact you legislator to ensure SEPTA gets the funding it needs.

TAKE ACTION

5TH SQUARE IN THE NEWS
🏫 HOW PHILLY SCHOOLS SUBSIDIZE DRIVING

Strong Towns' Asia Mieleszko wrote about how Philly schools have been incentivizing car ownership by paying parents $300 a month to drive their kids to school, leaving out families who don't own a car.

Source: Flickr/Carlos Ebert.

Featured in this article is 5th Square member and Philly public school parent Peter Kim.

Along with his son, Kim checks all the boxes for eligibility except one: he doesn’t own a car and therefore, for that reason alone, can’t receive the money. Kim bikes alongside his son to school every morning; he’s one of dozens of parents who do so. Unlike parents who choose to drive less than two miles, however, there aren’t any kindred incentives in place to encourage commuting to school on two wheels or by transit. “That option doesn’t exist,” he said. “Even if a parent wanted to do that.”

EVENTS

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging to host Listening Sessions on Pennsylvania’s Master Plan for Older Adults
September 28 at 10:00 a.m., William Way Center at 1315 Spruce St
October 5 at 3:00 p.m., PCA at 642 N Broad St
Stakeholders, older adults and people living with disabilities, their families, caregivers and community leaders are invited to contribute what they think should be the plan’s priority goals, objectives, and initiatives to support the highest quality of life for older adults.

SEPTA - Public Hearings Related to the Bus Revolution Network Changes
Various times and Locations
Members of the public may attend hearings in-person or join a virtual hearing. These hearings will take place at locations throughout the SEPTA service area during the month of September 2023. All locations will be ADA accessible and along an existing SEPTA bus route.

Bike MS: City to Shore Ride 2023
September 30 & October 1, 2023, Cherry Hill, NJ
Bike MS: City to Shore Ride was just named one of USA TODAY’s 10 best road cycling events for 2023! Find out why and cycle through the beautiful back roads and flat terrain of South Jersey along with a community of riders dedicated to changing the world for people with MS.

WHAT WE'RE READING

🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE

www.inquirer.com / Norristown will be criticized at the U.N. regarding people living homeless
nyc.streetsblog.org / City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing
www.inquirer.com / Art Deco Center City office building is being eyed for a residential conversion
www.inquirer.com / A 75-unit apartment building in Kensington hopes to attract professionals making as little as $40K

🌳 PUBLIC SPACE

www.inquirer.com / Private parking in Philly is some of the most expensive in the country
WHYY / Major makeover underway at Southwest Philly recreation center
WHYY / Penn grads to launch reimagined corner store for Philly families in need

🚌 TRANSIT

Pennsylvania Capital-Star / PennDOT, Norfolk Southern reach agreement on expanded Amtrak service to Pittsburgh
www.inquirer.com / SEPTA is changing its bus routes. See how the plan could change your ride home.
www.inquirer.com / NJ Transit apologizes for ‘less than satisfactory’ performance of River Line light rail

🚴 MOBILITY

www.inquirer.com / Uber is giving Temple University $200,000 worth of free rides for students
www.inquirer.com / Lincoln Drive will get devices to force drivers to slow down, PennDot and city officials said
6abc Philadelphia / West Philadelphia community demands change after crashes, deaths caused by speeding
6abc Philadelphia / South Philadelphia residents voice frustrations after car meet disrupts neighborhood

VOLUNTEER with 5th Square

GRANTS & OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

The DVRPC Planning Fellowship provides an opportunity to learn about urban and regional planning by serving in various departments at the Commission over the course of a year. The fellow will participate in the daily activities of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), complete specialized projects, and experience firsthand how transportation plans and investments are made in Greater Philadelphia. This position is designed for people of color to explore the field of city and regional planning without prior training or experience. Fellowship applications are due on October 27.

The Bicycle Coalition is currently looking for winter interns to assist with event planning and administrative work in the policy and development departments. If you are passionate about making our streets safer for all community members and would like to learn how to put your skills to use for better cycling, pedestrian, and transportation networks, read our success stories, and then apply.

Feet First Philly’s Public Space Enhancement Mini-grant program is in its fourth year this year. During its first three years, the program has funded 32 public space enhancement projects throughout Philadelphia. Feet First Philly seeks projects that improve walkability by making neighborhoods safer and easier to walk and roll in. Applications are open now! If you have an idea for a project that could improve the accessibility of your community, you are encouraged to apply. This program is partially funded by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and grants range from $500 to $2000. Due 10/9.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

WHYY / Transportation Reporter

DVRPC

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel

Philadelphia Energy Authority

Research For Action / Research Directors

Esperanza Health Center / Various Jobs

The Philadelphia Citizen / Staff Writer

Children First / Early Childhood Education Policy Director

City of Philadelphia / Transportation Grants Coordinator

Idealist / Full Stack Geospatial Developer

Jawnt / Marketing Lead (Growth/Demand Focus)

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.

Do you like this post?