🚋 THIS THURSDAY: MEETUP AND TROLLEY MODERNIZATION UPDATES

Join us this THURSDAY November 21st from 6-8pm for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Resurrection Philadelphia’s Annex! This is an indoor/outdoor, family-friendly event.

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.

🚋 THIS THURSDAY: MEETUP AND TROLLEY MODERNIZATION UPDATES

Join us this THURSDAY November 21st from 6-8pm for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Resurrection Philadelphia’s Annex! This is an indoor/outdoor, family-friendly event.

We will be welcoming guests from SEPTA to discuss their work on Trolley Modernization, a program that will transform SEPTA’s trolley network into an accessible, fast, and easy to use system.

🏆 NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR OUR URBANIST AWARDS

Our annual holiday party and urbanist award ceremony is less than a month out!

Do you have a friend or colleague who has made an impact in the world of Philadelphia urbanism this past year? Nominate them for one of our awards here! Nominations are due by Sunday, December 1st at 5pm. 

And while you're at it, don't forget to get your ticket!

Holiday Party + Urbanist Awards Ceremony
December 13th at 7 PM!
Indy Hall (709 N 2nd St)

We also need volunteers to help us run the party. Sign up to volunteer here and you'll get free admission.

❄️ MORE RITTENHOUSE OPEN STREETS IN DECEMBER

After a successful series of open streets in September, Center City District is bringing back car-free Sundays on December 8th and 15th.

Find out more from WHYY: Car-free streets will return to Philly’s Rittenhouse Square this winter. Here’s what to know

📱 BETA TEST SEPTA'S NEW APP

SEPTA is working on a new mobile app and they're looking for riders to beta test it and provide feedback.

See here for more details and to download the app.

💸 KEEP UP THE PRESSURE TO FUND SEPTA

The PA legislature failed to find a sustainable funding source for PA's transit agencies, and now SEPTA riders will see service cuts, fare hikes, and Bus Revolution has been halted indefinitely.

In the short term, this can be stopped if Governor Shapiro flexes federal highway dollars to SEPTA, but we need you to help make this happen:

1. Testify on Thursday in support of City Council's resolution calling on Governor Shapiro to flex funds to SEPTA.

2. Sign Transit For All PA's petition calling on Governor Shapiro to flex highway funds to our state's transit agencies.

3. Use this call script to contact Governor Shapiro and ask that he flex federal highway funding.

Contact Form: https://www.pa.gov/form/governor/contact.html
Text: 717-788-8990 -- or -- Call: 717-787-2500

SIGN THE PETITION

🚨 ACTION ITEMS

🚲 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

🛣️ 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

City Council Transit Funding Resolution
Thursday, November 21st, at 10 AM | City Hall
Philadelphia City Council will be voting on a resolution calling on Governor Shapiro to flex federal highway funding for public transportation. We need speakers to come and voice their support for this resolution.

November 5th Square Meetup
November 21, at 6:00pm – 8pm | 401 S 42nd St 
Join us for an informal, in-person meet-up over at Resurrection Philadelphia’s Annex! This is an indoor/outdoor, family-friendly event. We will be hosting guests from SEPTA to talk about Trolley Modernization.

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

• inquirer.com / Councilmember Mark Squilla proposes mandatory affordable housing in apartment construction in Chinatown

• inquirer.com / Race should not determine where you live | Editorial

🌳 PUBLIC SPACE

• WHYY / Car-free streets will return to Philly’s Rittenhouse Square this winter. Here’s what to know

• The Trellis / Pedaling Through Time in Philadelphia

🚌 TRANSIT

• Billy Penn at WHYY / SEPTA postpones Bus Revolution due to budget deficit

• Philadelphia Magazine / Here’s What SEPTA’s Next GM Must Do to Avoid Doomsday

• PhillyVoice / Could SEPTA be saved from fiscal cliff by federal infrastructure funds? Some City Council members think so.

• usa.streetsblog.org / How State DOTs Keep the Public In the Dark About How They Spend Our Transportation Dollars

• inquirer.com / Ridership is up and crime is down, but SEPTA faces a challenging future | Editorial

• Billy Penn at WHYY / Intercity bus riders at Spring Garden terminal will get a waiting room trailer

🚴 MOBILITY

• NBC10 Philadelphia / City releases guidelines to keep bike riders safe in Philly construction zones

• West Philly Local / Bicyclist warns about massive trench near 46th and Baltimore after getting injured

• inquirer.com / City Council says it is (finally) going to investigate Philly’s ‘courtesy tow’ problem

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.