The Hub 4/24/20: 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.

 

PlanPhilly: Pedestrian deaths on the rise in Philadelphia – There were 17 pedestrian deaths in Philadelphia in the first three months of 2020. This is a staggering 88% increase from the same time period in 2019. No traffic death is acceptable, and Philadelphia must do more to protect the most vulnerable road users.

 

Billy Penn: Meet 20 frontline workers essential to SEPTA service in Philly – Billy Penn profiles 20 SEPTA workers that are vital to keeping essential services accessible during the stay at home order. The workers profiled work in a wide range of departments from dispatch to maintenance. 

 

Progressive Railroading: SEPTA signs power contract for two solar farms – SEPTA entered into an agreement with Lightsource BP, which is financing and building two solar farms in Pennsylvania, to purchase 43.8 megawatts of solar energy. This solar energy will reduce SEPTA’s carbon emissions by 47,390 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.

 

CityLab: Europe’s Cities Are Making Less Room for Cars After Coronavirus – Many European cities are carefully planning their reopenings as COVID-19 cases decrease. Correlation between high COVID-19 mortality rates and poor air quality has been shown in cities throughout the world, so officials are working to get ahead of the surge of vehicle traffic. Active transportation like walking and biking remain the safest ways to get around, and many city officials plan to increase the amount of space dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists.

 

Image Source: Billy Penn