The Hub 6/14/19: 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.
PlanPhilly: SEPTA nods to customer feedback, reduces Key Card minimum load to $1 – SEPTA has reduced the minimum amount that can be loaded onto a Key Card from $5 to $1. The original load minimum was $10 in 2016, placing key reloads out of reach for many Philadelphians. This minimum reduction allows individuals to load discounted single rides onto their key card, as opposed to having to pay a premium for a single use Quick-Trip ticket.
The Inquirer: Philly lays out options for Roosevelt Blvd.’s future and envisions a road remade – Several proposals are being considered for Roosevelt Boulevard’s long term redesign. Ideas range from light rail to an expressway. The fact is that as one of America’s deadliest roads, the Boulevard needs a serious overhaul.
NextCity: Price Tag for a “Faster Bay Area”: $100 Billion – Advocacy groups in the San Francisco Bay area are lobbying for an ambitious transportation tax referendum to build new infrastructure and increase service. The Bay Area is one of the most desirable places to live in the United States, leading to crippling congestion. The plan would include the construction of a second trans-bay rail line, a more southerly bridge for motor vehicles, and expanded ferry service.
City Lab: In Safety Towns and Traffic Gardens, Kids Rule the Streets – Safety Villages and similar programs in schools help to educate children on how to safely navigate streets. Some programs also teach the “ABCs of Biking” familiarizing students with the rules of the road and providing each child with a bike helmet. Advocates of these programs believe that they can help kids understand how to navigate our car-centric streets safely.
Smart Cities Dive: Uber Elevate shows off skyport concepts – Futuristic Uber Air Skyports were one of the concepts unveiled at Uber’s Elevate Summit. Firms that design these hubs must retrofit underused parking structures. The designs also must include lounges for Uberdrivers, EV charging stations, ride-hailing pick up and drop off sites, and parking for dockless bikes and scooters.
Image Source: Smart Cities Dive
