ACTION

5th Square members are invited to attend a members-only meeting on January 23rd where we'll be kicking off our 2019 City Council organizing efforts with a special briefing on the state of the campaign landscape, and an informal straw poll of members to help focus our 2019 endorsement process. Become a member today or sign up at the meeting, and get involved to help us organize for the 2019 Council elections!

EVENTS

Wednesday, January 22, 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Greenworks Review Magazine Launch & Community Celebration
Join Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability at the Blue Cross RiverRink Winterfest to reflect on the many ways Philadelphians are working towards a more just and environmentally friendly future. Special guests include Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney, Climate and Urban Systems Partnership’s Climate City, local community leaders, and more!

Wednesday, January 23, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Green Soul Panel Discussion
Eryn Santamoor, Candidate for City Council At-Large, will be moderating a panel discussion about how City Council decisions affect Philadelphians. Ticket prices start at $10.

Wednesday, January 23, 6:30 pm
5th Square Members Event - 2019 City Council Organizing Kick-off
We're kicking off our 2019 City Council organizing efforts with a special member briefing on the state of the campaign landscape, and an informal straw poll of members to help inform our 2019 endorsement process. Become a member today, or sign up for a membership at the meeting to participate.

Thursday, January 24, 6:15 pm
Grays Ferry Community Council Meeting - Proposed Traffic Calming Plan
if you live, work, or travel through Grays Ferry, come to a Grays Ferry Community Council meeting where plans for traffic calming will be discussed along with information on the neighborhood's new bus route.

LATER THIS MONTH

Wednesday, January 29, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
OTIS Open House on Protected Bike Lanes for 2nd, 5th, and 6th Streets
Join the City's Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (oTIS) for an open house to discuss prospects for protected bike lanes on N. 2nd, N. 5th, & N. 6th Streets in Old City and Northern Liberties.

Wednesday, January 29, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Funding the Civic Commons: Land Value Capture and Public Space
5th Square co-hosting a discussion with Reimagining the Civic Commons and the Knight Foundation about RCC's new 'Value Capture' toolkit, and innovative public financing strategies for funding the "Civic Commons" here in Philadelphia. Guest speakers include Carol Coletta of the Kresge Foundation, Joshua Vincent of Urban Tools Consulting, Jen Mahar of Fairmount Park Conservancy, and Kevin Dow of The Rail Park.

Wednesday, February 20, 7:30pm 
GRASP - 2nd District City Council: Q&A and Meet-and-Greet
Hosted by Grassroots Advocacy for South Philadelphia, their first 2nd District Council forum is scheduled for 2/20 at Guerin Rec Center, featuring Democrats Kenyatta Johnson and Lauren Vidas, who is challenging the incumbent Councilman. 

LOCAL NEWS

In a pathetic surrender to Philly's ridiculous parking entitlement politics, the Kenney administration's street-sweeping pilot will try blowing trash into the street with leafblowers to avoid making anybody move their cars. Gas-powered leaf blowers like the kind the administration is considering have been banned from many cities due to health, noise and pollution problems.

Also in the Street Sweeping front, WHYY looked into the city's paltry eight morning street sweeping routes and found they swept those streets a mere 25% of the time! The article also looks into Philadelphia's history with street sweeping and how we got to our minimal service levels today.

Philadelphia's state House delegation, which contains many younger newly-elected members, released their Philadelphia Platform of state-level policy priorities for Philadelphia. Among the transportation policy priorities is for supporting funding stability for SEPTA by allowing for greater local revenue in the capital and operating budgets.

PennDOT's plans to widen I-83 in Harrisburg to 12 lanes is facing push-back from city officials that said they would prefer a system that encourages the use of mass transit and alternate methods of transportation to reduce traffic congestion. 

NATIONAL AND WORLD NEWS

Great news on the national transportation planning front! The National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, a powerful group of engineers, voted last week to require city transportation officials to consider “pedestrian and bicycle activity” when determining the speed limit on most urban and suburban streets.

Smart Growth America released a new "Shared Mobility Playbook" for cities trying to get a handle on e-scooters, dockless bike share, and other emerging transportation technologies.

In a bold move towards mobility and sustainability, Paris is making all public transit free to people under 11, and people with disabilities under 20.  Join our Transit Committee to help bring this much-needed policy change to Philadelphia! 

The National Association of City Transportation Officials’ Global Designing Cities Initiative (NACTO-GDCI) is currently accepting applications for cities interested in receiving technical assistance as part of its Streets for Kids (SfK) program.  SfK is a multi-year program to develop new technical guidance and advance street designs that create safe public spaces for kids of all ages and abilities to learn, play, and move around a city. 

OPPORTUNITIES

Center City District is looking to hire several positions: Park Facilities and Streetscape Manager, Research Analyst, Marketing Coordinator, Community Service Representatives, Director of Business Retention & Attraction.

SMU DataArts is seeking a Director of Technology.

Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority released an RFP for Environmental Consulting Services

The City is hiring a Philadelphia Global Identity Project Fellow

Generocity is hiring an Editor

SOSNA is looking for Zoning Committee volunteers in Graduate Hospital

Fairmount Park Conservancy is hiring an Associate Director of Corporate Relations

Riverfront North is hiring a Programs and Partnerships Manager

Habitat for Humanity is hiring a Grants Manager

NKCDC is hiring a Corridor Manager

The City is hiring a Community Arts Coordinator

GreenLight Fund is hiring an Associate

Witty Gritty is hiring a Social Media Coordinator (Part-Time)

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.