🤝 JUNE MEETUP
On June 20th at 6pm, join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up over at the PHS Pop Up Garden at Manayunk! 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.
- Tarik Khan, State Representative, 194th House District
- Wendy Green-Harvey, Manager, Local and Community Affairs, SEPTA
- Alon Levy, Research Scholar at the NYU Marron Institute
Want to see more events like this where you can meet other urbanists? Become a 5th Square member for as little as $5 per month.
⏳ TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR TRANSIT FUNDING
SEPTA is facing an urgent fiscal cliff which would mean major service cuts and fare increases. Fortunately, Governor Shapiro has proposed increasing the share of the state budget that goes towards transit funding which would allocate $283 million to transit agencies throughout PA, but time is running out to make this happen.
Transit for All PA is calling on advocates to remind our legislators in this FINAL MONTH of budget season to pass a budget that prioritizes the $282 million dollar service increase without raising taxes.
🤔 HISTORIC PARKING LOTS?
The Philadelphia Historical Commission is currently considering designating a large section of Center City as a historic district. 5th Square opposes the proposed historic district which would restrict the creation of new housing, raise home maintenance costs, preserve vacant lots as "contributing properties", and ultimately raise rents and home prices. We instead support individually designating historic properties which will allow for preservation in a more balanced way without raising housing costs.
One particularly bizarre aspect of the proposed historic district is that a number of parking lots would be included in the district as "contributing properties". A recent Inquirer article on the subject quoted preservationists who cited the archaeological potential of these properties.
See here for our full response to the Inquirer article and the claims made by historic district supporters..
These are some of the "historic" parking lots (denoted as "contributing properties") that would be "preserved" under this proposal
To get involved, sign our petition, and comment at the Philadelphia Historical Commission meeting this Friday, June 14th at 9am over Zoom.
🚲 THANK YOU BIKE LANE ADVOCATES
Last Tuesday, advocates went to Harrisburg to call for the passage of legislation enabling parking-protected bike lanes. Since 2017, the Bicycle Coalition and other advocates have been working hard to push Harrisburg to pass this legislation and they're now fighting to get HB 1283 passed.
Read more about the legislation here.
Weren't able to join the trip to Harrisburg? You can still help by sending a letter in support of this legislation.
A pilot parking-protected bike lane on Market St. Passing this legislation would enable more bike lanes like this.
🚘 I-95 WIDENING UPDATE
In case you haven't heard, PennDOT is planning to widen I-95 in Center City and South Philly.
After conducting a survey, PennDOT just released a slideshow from their June 2024 CSP Planning Study Meeting.
PennDOT has concluded that survey respondents want the “high concept” build option for the Penn’s Landing and Walt Whitman Bridge Interchanges, despite a significant portion of respondents selecting "None" for the presented concepts, indicating dissatisfaction with all of the proposals.
We anticipate upcoming engagement meetings and future actions and will share with you as soon as we hear more. In the meantime, please sign and share our petition opposing this expansion of I-95.
🏗️ STATEWIDE SUPPORT FOR MORE HOUSING
As Harrisburg considers a number of bills that would make it easier to build housing in PA, a new poll from YouGov shows widespread support for pro-housing policies across Pennsylvania.
The poll found that a majority of Pennsylvanians support abolishing parking mandates, ADU legalization, reduced minimum lot sizes, streamlining housing approval, and more policies that would make it easier to build more housing across the state.
Source: YouGov Pennsylvania Housing Survey
Read more in the Inquirer: Pennsylvanians want to make it easier to build housing, but the politics are complicated, new polls show
🚨 ACTION ITEMS
🚴♀️ Support Circuit Trails
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is opening its public comment period for the 2025 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for Pennsylvania.
The Bicycle Coalition is asking for comments in support of funding for trails which provide important transportation routes and space for recreation. See here for instructions on providing public comment.
💰 Bartram's Garden Petition for Improved Trail Conditions
Bartram's Garden is currently seeking state funding to support improved conditions, access, and amenities along the Bartram's Mile Trail. Sign their petition to show your support for their funding request.
🚲 Fishtown and Strawberry Mansion Neighborhood Bikeways Survey
OTIS is soliciting feedback on their project to identify several neighborhood streets for bikeways in Fishtown and Strawberry Mansion. Read more and fill out their surveys:
✍️ Historic District Petitions
5th Square opposes the proposed historic districts in Washington Square West and Spruce Hill because we believe they will raise rents by restricting the development of new housing as well as increase costs for existing homeowners by making home repairs more complicated, expensive, and time-intensive. We are instead calling to preserve historically significant buildings with individual historic designations. Learn more and sign the petitions:
Several parking lots in Washington Square West that would be protected as "contributing" properties by the proposed historic district
🏫 Support Student SEPTA Passes
The School District of Philadelphia gives SEPTA passes to certain students if they live far enough away from their school. A student concerned that this places an unfair financial burden on some families has set up a petition to call for free SEPTA passes for all students regardless of where they live. Sign the petition here.
🚲 Withdraw the Bike Lane Parking Permits on Spruce and Pine Streets
Ever used the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets on a weekend? You might have noticed that the bike lanes turn into a parking lot due to an arrangement the city has with nearby houses of worship to allow parking in the bike lane. This practice creates a dangerous situation for those using the bike lane, and it may even be illegal. Join Philly Bike Action in signing their petition and calling to end this dangerous practice.
💸 Support SEPTA Funding
Governor Shapiro has announced that he plans to direct $282 million in sales tax revenue to SEPTA and other PA transit agencies. This will cover a significant portion of SEPTA's deficit, but we must keep up the fight ensure Governor Shapiro's proposed funding comes through and to find an additional funding source to cover the remaining deficit.
You can help by signing this petition, and reaching out to elected officials.
🛣️ Stop I-95 Expansion
PennDOT is planning to expand I-95 in Center City and South Philly by adding lanes and new ramps. This will threaten the well-being of our neighborhoods by worsening air quality, increasing noise pollution, and harming our access to the waterfront.
Join us in telling PennDOT that highway expansion has no place in the core of Philadelphia by signing our petition.
EVENTS
Philadelphia Historical Commission - Washington Square West Historic District
June 14th, 9am | Virtual via Zoom
5th Square believes the proposed historic district for Washington Square West will harm residents of the neighborhood and the city by increasing housing costs. During this meeting, the Philadelphia Historical Commission will be reviewing the proposed district and there will be an opportunity for public comment.
June 5th Square Meetup
June 20, 2024 at 6:00pm – 8pm | Manayunk PHS Pop Up Garden, 106 Jamestown Ave
Join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up over at the PHS Pop Up Garden at Manayunk for an outdoor, family-friendly event. We will be discussing mobility, safe streets, and access to transit specific to Northwest Philly neighborhoods.
League of American Bicyclists - Cycling Advocate Workshop
July 24 · 5pm - July 26 · 3pm | Venue TBA
The workshop will cover advocacy basics such as the history of bike advocacy, how to get organized, effective political engagement, making the case, coalition building, policy basics, funding, storytelling, equity and mobility justice, and more.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
🚌 TRANSIT
🚴 MOBILITY
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Philadelphia Housing Development Corp.
- Director, Multi-Family Development Finance
- Rehabilitation Housing Inspector III
- Risk and Insurance Manager
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.
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