If we don't act now to address SEPTA's funding crisis, SEPTA is planning to slash service by 45%, hike fares, and eliminate 50 bus routes and 5 regional rail lines.

We need your help to stop this!

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 over 400 members donating anywhere from $5 to $25 a month.

P.S. If you also think this parking garage is a bad idea, sign our petition!

🚨 ACTION ITEMS

🚫 Grays Ferry Is Not a Parking Lot

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is proposing a 1,000-vehicle parking garage at 30th and Grays Ferry Avenue. This garage would be over 70 feet tall, reserved for employees, and would require a separate shuttle service. Sign our petition telling CHOP: Don't Treat Grays Ferry as a Parking Lot

✍️ DVRPC Vision Zero Survey

DVRPC wants to hear from you! DVRPC and its partners are developing a Regional Vision Zero (RVZ) plan to make roadways safer for all users. Click here to log your safety concern on the map. Survey closes on 5/23.

🏛️ SURVEYS for Public Space, Bike Lanes & Trolleys

• The Chinatown Stitch project has a survey to gather community and public feedback on capping a portion of the Vine Street Expressway. SURVEY LINK

• The City of Philadelphia is looking to make roadway improvements to Market St, JFK Boulevard, and 20th St. SURVEY LINK

• SEPTA is modernizing trolleys, staring with T5 (route 36) SURVEY LINK

🛣️ 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

Smart & Sustainable Mobility Showcase with Québec, SEPTA, and the City of Philadelphia
Tuesday, May 13 · 9am - 3pm | Navy Yard, 4747 S Broad St #Building 101
The Québec’s government office in New York, SEPTA, and the City of Philadelphia are partnering on this event which will host more than 20 companies from Québec who will showcase the latest innovations in transportation and equipment.

Castor Avenue Traffic Safety and Beautification Project
Wednesday, May 14th, 4pm Open House, 5pm Town Hall | Northeast High Cafeteria, 1601 Cottman Ave
PennDOT, the City of Philadelphia, and SEPTA are hosting an open house and town hall about their plans for safety improvements along Castor Avenue from Oxford Circle to Cottman Avenue. Road safety opponents are trying to stop these changes so we need advocates to push back and fight for safer streets.

PA Safe Roads PAC Spring Friend/Fund Raiser
Thursday, May 15th from 5–7pm | Center City (address upon registering)
Join road safety advocates for a Spring Friend/Fund Raiser. Come and learn about PA SAFE ROADS PAC and their legislative agenda including the continued expansion of speed safety cameras in Philadelphia (Broad Street later this year!) and their efforts to make parking protected bike lanes legal on PennDOT roads.

Enviro Happy Hour with State Senator Nikil Saval and State Rep. Ben Waxman
May 15, 6:00 - 8:00pm | Nam Phuong, 1100 Washington Ave
Join PennEnvironment for an Environmental Happy Hour with State Senator Nikil Saval and State Representative Ben Waxman to hear about their priorities for this session, ask questions you have, meet other environmentally-minded neighbors, and learn how you can get involved.

Schuylkill River Trail Christian to Crescent Opening Day Celebration
Saturday, May 17 from 10:30am to 2:30pm | Plaza on SRT near Christian St
The Schuylkill River Trail's connection between Christian Street and Grays Ferry Crescent is finally opening! Join the opening day celebration for the SRT's newest segment.

2025 Fair City Challenge Pitch Competition
Wednesday, May 21 · 5 - 8:30pm | Center for DesignPhiladelphia, 1218 Arch Street 
More than a dozen teams will be pitching their ideas for revaluing properties in historically disinvested Philadelphia neighborhoods to a panel of expert judges and competing for 5 prizes of $10,000 and entry into the Fair City Challenge Accelerator Program.

21st Annual Ride of Silence
Wednesday, May 21st, 6:45 PM | North apron of City Hall
This year's Ride of Silence will honor the eight cyclists killed over the past year with a ceremony followed by a slow ride around the city in complete silence.

5th Square May Meetup
May 22, 6:00pm – 8pm | Resurrection Philadelphia’s Annex, 401 S 42nd St 
Join 5th Square organizers and volunteers for an informal, in-person meet-up! This is an indoor/outdoor, family-friendly event. These meet-ups are casual social gatherings, and are intended as a fun way for new and existing supporters to connect with other people involved with 5th Square and urbanist issues in Philadelphia.

Design Advocacy Group: One-on-One with Angela Brooks
Wednesday, May 28 · 5:30 - 7pm | 1218 Arch Street
Join DAG as they host Angela Brooks, Philadelphia's new Chief Housing & Urban Development Officer and Immediate Past President of the American Planning Association (APA), for a one-on-one conversation that will touch on issues related to affordable and accessible housing and community development.

PBA Citywide Meeting - with Rich Lazer (PPA)
June 2 @ 6:30-8:00 p.m. | Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Sq
Join Philly Bike Action for their monthly citywide meeting with PPA Director Richard Lazer on new safety and mobility projects.

Grassroots Lobby Day for Parking Protected Bike Lanes
Tuesday June 3rd • 8:00 am | Pennsylvania Capitol Complex in Harrisburg
The Bicycle Coalition will be meeting Families for Safe Streets and Bike Pittsburgh in Harrisburg for a day of advocacy and speaking with legislators about the safety benefits of parking protected bike lanes

We Want Transit for All PA! Rally & Lobby Day
Wednesday, June 4, 10am – 3pm | PA Capitol Building, East Wing Fountain
Join Transit for All PA! for a day of rallying and meeting with state legislators to share our stories and tell them: Pennsylvania deserves transit that moves all of us!

WHAT WE'RE READING

🏙️ HOUSING & LAND USE

🌳 PUBLIC SPACE

• WHYY / New section of trail to open along Schuylkill in Grays Ferry

• Bloomberg.com / How to Better Design Cities for Families

• Grid Magazine / Philadelphia is making moves to ban toxic and noisy gas-powered leaf blowers

🚌 TRANSIT

• The Philadelphia Citizen / Two Problems, One Solution — SEPTA

• Pennsylvania Capital-Star / With public transit agencies in dire straits, Pa. House puts Shapiro's funding plan into play

• Inquirer.com / Memo from Montco: Deep SEPTA cuts would make the county less livable and prosperous

• usa.streetsblog.org / US DOT Says It's 'Getting America Building' — But Leaves Transit and Safety In Limbo

🚴 MOBILITY

• Inquirer.com / Bike lane opponents challenge city plan for loading zones on Pine and Spruce Streets

• Inquirer.com / Cyclist killed in West Philadelphia ID’d; was riding in unprotected bike lane

• 6abc Philadelphia / Bicyclist hospitalized after being hit by SUV in South Philadelphia

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Montgomery County / Business Analyst/Project Manager

SEPTA / Supervisor Property Development

Lehigh Valley Planning Commission / Director of Regional Planning

City of Philadelphia

• Part-Time Project Manager – Philadelphia Reparations Task Force
  
• Executive Director of Training Curriculum and Professional Development
• Data Visualization Specialist
• Transit Project Coordinator (OTIS)

Temple University / SBDC Business Consultant

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.