The Hub 4/5/19: 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.
Philly.com: Lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s transit funding dismissed – A federal court dismissed the lawsuit brought against the PA Turnpike Commission that threatened a significant portion of state transit funding. The suit was filed in March, 2018 and alleged that using Turnpike toll money for anything other than the Turnpike itself was illegal. SEPTA receives $232 million annually from Turnpike toll funds.
PlanPhilly: Is a crackdown on renegade drivers in Center City speeding up your commute? – Since late September, Philadelphia Police have issued more than twice the amount of tickets as they usually do in a whole year along Chestnut Street in Center City Philadelphia. This increased enforcement is aimed at lessening the severe congestion of Center City. The Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability hopes to add automated enforcement to the equation to further reduce congestion downtown.
City Lab: A Modest Proposal to Eliminate 11,000 Urban Parking Spots – Amsterdam is phasing out downtown automobile parking to make way for pedestrian and cyclist focused infrastructure. The freed up space will become bike lanes, wider sidewalks, and greenspace. Only 22% of trips in Amsterdam are made by car, yet there is currently a disproportionate amount of space dedicated to automobiles.
Next City: Buffalo Argues It Deserves Light Rail Funding — And Gets It – New York State’s new budget allotted $100 Million for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority to improve and expand Buffalo’s aging metro line. Ridership has suffered in recent years as the line has fallen into disrepair. The funding will pay for a new trackbed, a new fare collection system, vehicle upgrades, station escalators, and many safety improvements.
Strong Towns: New York Is Finally Getting Congestion Pricing. Other U.S. Cities Can Learn a Thing or Two. – New York State legislature passed a budget that included a congestion fee in Manhattan. Congestion pricing has been proven to reduce traffic in cities abroad. This reduction not only improves air quality, but also the safety of the streets.
Image Source: Next City
