🚲🥳 NO MORE BIKE LANE PARKING!
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee, organizing and advocating for better transportation, land use, and public space policies. Our work is made possible through the support of nearly 450 members donating anywhere from $5 to $25 a month.
🚲🥳 NO MORE BIKE LANE PARKING!
We have a major victory to announce! After more than a decade of hard work by activists, it will soon be illegal for drivers to stop in bike lanes.
Last Thursday, City Council unanimously passed Bill 240657, which prohibits stopping in any bike lane citywide and increases fines for bike lane parking.
After Mayor Parker signs the bill, it will go into effect immediately. Thank you to Council President Johnson and Councilmember Gauthier for introducing the bill and all our activists for seeing this fight through to the finish line!
💰 ANOTHER OPTION TO FUND SEPTA
The fight to fund SEPTA became more challenging this past week as the PA legislature session ended without securing a funding source to stave off SEPTA's impending fiscal cliff.
Not all hope is lost, however. Federal highway funding can be flexed to fund transit. This means we could redirect federal dollars away from unwanted projects like I-95 expansion and instead fund SEPTA.
Read more in this Op-Ed in the Inquirer:
SEPTA's funding crisis comes amidst news of a pending strike by TWU 234 as well as the resignation of SEPTA's general manager, Leslie Richards. See our full statement on her resignation and tenure at SEPTA here.
🗳️ VOTE NEXT TUESDAY
Election day is almost here! If you'd like to vote by mail, today at 5pm is the deadline to apply for a mail-in or absentee ballot. Otherwise, make sure you show up to your polling place next Tuesday, November 5th.
For a full election guide, sample ballot, and to make sure you're registered, see this guide from Committee of 70.
🏀🏗️ 76ERS ARENA SHOULD HAVE HOUSING
🎄 SAVE THE DATE FOR OUR HOLIDAY PARTY
Join 5th Square members and friends for our annual Holiday Party + Urbanist Awards Ceremony at Indy Hall on December 13th at 7 PM!
Come celebrate with other Philadelphia built environment activists, neighborhood and community leaders, architects, planners, builders, and sustainability advocates at the urbanist holiday party of the season!
Nominate a friend or colleague for one of our awards here! Nominations are due by Sunday, December 1st at 5pm.
We also need volunteers to help us run the party. Sign up to volunteer here and you'll get free admission.
🚨 ACTION ITEMS
🛣️ DVRPC Wissahickon Ave Survey
BY OCTOBER 31st, respond to DVRPC's Wissahickon Ave survey.
DVRPC is studying Wissahickon Avenue from Hunting Park Avenue to Midvale Avenue, and on Midvale to W. Coulter Street due to a high number of severe crashes. Let them know how they can make the street safer.
🚲 Support the Spruce and Pine Streets Redesign
Opponents in Society Hill have been circulating flyers with a petition opposing life-saving measures which would add concrete protection to the bike lanes on Spruce and Pine Streets. To help us push back and show our elected officials that we support safer Spruce and Pine Streets, sign and share our petition supporting the redesign.
🏘️ More Housing in PA
🚲 22nd St Bike Lane Petition
Philly Bike Action is organizing efforts calling for a bike lane on 22nd St from Fairmount Ave to Brown St. Sign their petition here.
🚲 47th St Bike Lane Petition
With the upcoming repaving of 47th St, Philly Bike Action is calling for traffic calming measures and the creation of a parking-protected bike lane along 47th St from Chestnut St to the Grays Ferry Bridge. Sign their petition here.
🛣️ 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, harming our access to the waterfront, and destroying sports facilities. To make matters worse, PennDOT has been deceitful about its engagement efforts.
Join us in telling PennDOT that highway expansion has no place in the core of Philadelphia by signing our petition.
EVENTS
BIPOC Urbanists Meetup
October 29, 6pm – 8pm | Indy Hall, 709 N 2nd St
Calling all Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) urbanists! Whether you are an urban planning advocacy expert or brand new and curious -- you are welcome here! This is a casual social gathering.
ELECTION DAY
November 5th, 7am to 8pm | Find your polling place
For a full election guide, sample ballot, and to make sure you're registered, see this guide from Committee of 70. For more details, see the Philadelphia City Commissioner's website.
November 8–9 | Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
The goal of the conference is to provide extensive discussion of new and innovative research in urban and regional economics. Previous editions have convened 40 or more economists from around the world to present, discuss, and participate in the workshop.
November 18, 12pm – 1pm | Hybrid: Indy Hall and remote via Zoom
At this meeting, we will introduce our organization and recent campaigns,
onboard folks with our tech, discuss and brainstorm upcoming 5th Square priorities and volunteer opportunities.
5th Square Holiday Party + Awards Ceremony
December 13, 2024 at 7:00pm – 9pm | Indy Hall, 709 N 2nd St
Join 5th Square for our annual holiday party and an awards ceremony where we will be presenting awards to members of our community for their outstanding contributions to Philadelphia’s urbanist movement.
WHAT WE'RE READING
🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE
🌳 PUBLIC SPACE
🚌 TRANSIT
🚴 MOBILITY
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
DVRPC
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.