FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 10, 2022
PHILADELPHIA —
On Monday, 5th Square established its Safer Washington Avenue Fund, specifically dedicated to electing Philadelphia candidates who will pledge to uphold the City's stated Vision Zero goals. In four days, it has drawn more than $10,000 in donations.
We launched the fund in response to the deeply troubling decision made by the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) to eliminate from consideration the 3-lane plan for Washington Avenue. This plan had been previously described as the final—and safest—plan after a nearly-decade-long public engagement process.
As of this press release, 90 individual donors had contributed a total of $10,800 to the Safer Washington Avenue Fund, with the median donation amount of $60. This is in addition to the $33,000 that 5th Square has accrued from our small-donor supporter base.
This shows the depth and breadth of support for meaningful action to make Washington Avenue – a major part of the city’s High-Injury Network – safer for everyone walking, rolling, biking, and driving. The outpouring of support from grassroots donors demonstrates that Vision Zero is a critical electoral issue in Philadelphia, and that voters are eager to hold elected representatives accountable on this issue.
The Safer Washington Avenue Fund will be reserved for candidates endorsed by 5th Square running for the office of the Mayor, as well as for 1st and 2nd Districts Councilmembers, who will fully support road safety. The endorsements will be made by a vote of 5th Square members (any supporter contributing $60 or more over a year), through a process including candidate questionnaires.
Separate from the Safer Washington Avenue Fund, 5th Square also made a donation of $1,000 on Wednesday to State Senator Nikil Saval, who has been one of the foremost champions for road safety, including specifically on Washington Avenue.
PRESS EVENT: This Saturday, 2/12/2022, 5th Square is hosting a casual event at Dock Street South (22nd St & Washington Ave) for families with children and seniors to create posters and postcards advocating for more robust safety measures on Washington Avenue. Press are invited at 12 PM to document the event and talk to supporters for a safer Washington Avenue.
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.
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5th Square volunteers can be reached at [email protected]