The Hub 1/31/2020: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-Up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up to date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
TRANSPORTATION ACTION ALERT: CLEAN AIR COUNCIL NEEDS YOUR HELP
Ever wonder why there aren’t more safe, comfortable places for you to ride your bike? It’s because of a weird provision in the state vehicle code that defines where you can park your car. House Bill 792, introduced by State Rep. Dave Maloney of Berks County, would change that law, allowing cities and towns to govern how they use their street space and invite more people to ride bicycles using parking-protected bike lanes, which we’ve begun to see all over the country, and the world. We’re supporting that legislation and hope you will too.
Call or email PA State Senator Kim Ward and ask her to support HB792, Pennsylvania’s parking-protected bike lane legislation. Only Senator Ward can bring this bill up for a vote in the Transportation Committee, which after months of delay could happen next week. House Bill 792 would change the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code to allow for vehicles to park more than 12 inches from a curb, allowing cities and towns to build parking-protected bike lanes. Parking-protected bike lanes are proven to make pedestrians and cyclists safer, and invite more people to use active transportation to get where they are going.
TAKE ACTION: Call or Email PA State Senator Kim Ward and ask her to put SB565 or HB792 up for a vote at the January Committee meeting. This bill will allow PennDOT to work with cities and towns to make their roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians. Moving the bill forward now is critical to ensuring projects can happen during the 2020 paving season.
Phone: (717) 787-6063
Email: kward@pasen.gov
Plan Philly: SEPTA’S new GM Leslie Richards will consider 2020 fare increases with eye to ‘equity’ – Leslie Richards transitioned from Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Transportation to SEPTA’s General Manager at the beginning of the year. Richards has repeatedly stated that equity will be central to all of SEPTA’s decision making going forward. The cash strapped agency hasn’t raised fares since 2017, and Richards warned that there may be an increase on the way.
The Inquirer: Will speed cameras end Roosevelt Boulevard’s days as a ‘corridor of death’? | Pro/Con – Speed cameras are coming to our region’s most deadly road, Roosevelt Boulevard. This pro/con piece features two safety advocates one of which is thrilled with this change and another that feels its is not enough, stating that increased police presence along the Boulevard is necessary.
Smart Cities Dive: Carmel, IN’s secret to reducing traffic fatalities? Roundabouts – Carmel, IN experiences only 2 deaths per 100,000 residents. The long standing mayor cites the hundreds of roundabout intersections installed since the late 90s. By slowing traffic at these conflict points, traffic safety has been drastically improved.
StreetsBlog: How Much Does a Mile of Road Actually Cost? – Estimating costs for street improvements can be a tricky business. Many factors including labor cost and terrain affect the price tag of roadwork. Strong Towns has shared the Federal Highway Administration’s handy chart showing the average cost of different road improvements by the mile.
Clean Air Council’s Clean Commute Awards honors a commuter and a workplace each year who do the most for sustainable commuting. You could win great prizes like a monthly Transpass or a gift certificate to your favorite bike shop. Nominate a workplace or an individual here!
Image Source: Smart Cities Dive
