“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.
Feet First Philly’s Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant Application is CLOSED.
The City Fix: Is Your Commute Harming Your Health? – Consistently commuting via car and experiencing traffic congestion can affect individuals physically, mentally, and socially. Commuters stuck in traffic experience increased stress and anxiety. Traffic congestion increases air pollution and commuters who are exposed to elevated levels of air pollution experience worsened respiratory conditions. On the other hand, sustainable commute options such as walking and biking provide great health benefits including enhanced mood and reduced stress.
CBS News: Philadelphia has a plan for concrete-protected bike lanes in Center City, officials tell residents – Concrete-protected bike lanes will prevent vehicles from blocking bike lanes. This will add more protection for cyclists. Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) is recommending additional protection to bike lanes on Pine and Spruce streets, such as concrete curbs and potentially planters. These recommendations are not final as the city is still soliciting feedback from residents.
CommonWealth Beacon: Bike lanes don’t just benefit cyclists – Bike lanes help to enhance safety, accessibility, and promote environmental sustainability. Studies have shown that bike lanes are a “vital component of a safer urban landscape”. Separated bike lanes also act as a traffic calming measure. Bike lanes, especially protected bike lanes, encourage more people to commute using alternative modes of transportation which helps to lower traffic congestion and reduce carbon emissions.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: PennDot has a $10M plan to improve Church Road intersections, but some Cheltenham residents say it will make life worse
PhillyVoice: Amtrak starts working on $462 million maintenance facility in Penn Coach Yard
BillyPenn: As legislators dither, SEPTA considers giant fare hike
Streetsblog USA: Six Reasons Why a Big Truck, SUV or Van is More Likely to Kill You in a Crash
Next City: The Truth About Whether Speed Cameras Make Us Safer
Streetsblog USA: Bike-Friendly Campuses Can Inspire the Rest of Car-Centric America
Clean Air Council, Tiny WPA, and Amber Arts and Design are gathering community inspiration, creativity and imagination to re-envision four Cobbs Creek Park entrances between Spruce St and Florence Ave. The goal of this project is to encourage community members to explore the park and trail at safe crossings, offer new play and learning spaces for children, and connect residents to park programming and activities.
This project follows years of community advocacy surrounding dangerous driving behavior and an absence of pedestrian infrastructure along Cobbs Creek Parkway. Cobbs Creek Park residents reported feeling unsafe walking, biking, and driving near the Parkway, creating a barrier to access the park and trail. Community demands for safer roadway conditions were finally answered in 2021 by the Streets Department and PennDOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Project, which installed life saving road safety measures including new guard rails, traffic signals, speed cushions, and other traffic calming measures.
With new road improvements installed along the Parkway and additional safety improvements planned for the future, neighbors can more safely connect to Cobbs Creek Park. The Cobbs Creek Play Art Project aims to strengthen these connections by creating an overt welcome to the park and trail and inviting residents to have their fun. These sorts of inviting infrastructure, signage, and safe spaces follow recommendations from the Equity of Access to Trails Study, which was informed by Cobbs Creek residents.
The Play Art Project will incorporate asphalt art murals painted on the paved trail, and play structures immediately adjacent in the park next to the trail. The murals will highlight safe entrances with bright colors and community inspired images, themes, and words. Play structures next to the trail will further connect residents to and from the park, and offer features that children can climb, jump, and interact with to create lasting links between neighbors and the benefits and resources of the park and trail. Both features will offer learning opportunities that build children’s literacy related to the nature found in the park.
Three community workshops were held in the Spring of 2024 to identify locations, ideas, and themes for the project’s design inspiration. Workshop activities included Lego building, image voting, theme identification, collective poetry, location selection, and group mural drawings in order to identify community themes and subject matter for the designers to draw inspiration from.
Over the Spring of 2024 the project team sorted through resident input and feedback collected through the workshops and landed on final project locations and themes. Several themes emerged from workshops and survey’s with three guiding focuses for the design including active play, nature, and seating. The design will include child age appropriate connections to nature that highlight native plants, animals, creek/stream and trails that can be found within the park. The project will also include active play and rest areas that have elements of climbing and various forms of balancing. Four locations were identified for the project including Cedar Ave, 61st, Thomas Ave, and Florence Ave along Cobbs Creek Parkway/63rd St. The Play Art Project will begin design, permitting and fabrication in Summer of 2024 with installation due in Fall of 2024.
The Cobbs Creek Park Play Art Survey is open through June 1st, 2024 for Cobbs Creek Park area neighbors to inform the project. To learn more about the Cobbs Creek Play Art Project contact Will Fraser at wfraser@cleanair.org. Many thanks to KABOOM! And William Penn Foundation’s Play Everywhere Philly Challenge Grant funding for making this project possible.
Clean Air Council and Philadelphia Department of Public Health recently teamed up to install pedestrian counters along Cobbs Creek Trail. This effort comes as Philadelphia’s Streets Department and Parks and Recreation take steps to connect Cobbs Creek Trail from Woodland Avenue and Cobbs Creek Parkway to Eastwick Park and Recreation Center.
Over the past decade the Council has partnered with City, State, and Federal agencies to advance the construction of the Cobbs Creek Trail while advocating for safe access to the trail. The Council has worked with partners and stakeholders to activate and program the park and trail with the aim of improving the neighborhood’s connection to the space, and making it a place that all residents can enjoy the mental, emotional, and physical health benefits of this green space.
The Council has previously conducted two manual trail counts, one in 2021 and the other just recently in 2023, in order to gain a better understanding of where and how Cobbs Creek Trail is used. The additional trail use data from these counters will help shed light on which sections of the trail are used most and least and inform where future programming could be planned. In addition, long term trail use data will help the Council create a better understanding of the effectiveness of our current and future programming’s effect on trail and park use, and whether or not these engagements build long term connections to the green space.
There are two weeks left of the May Bike Month Challenge and it’s not too late to register! How can a bike challenge help us move towards a more sustainable Philadelphia? Nationally, transportation is responsible for almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing just one of your quick drives with a bike ride can have a big impact on reducing pollution and improving air quality, especially if it becomes a habit.
In 2022, The Department of Energy reported that 52% of car trips are for distances under 3 miles and 28% of total trips are to destinations under a mile away. You don’t have to go far to contribute towards cleaner air and a healthier environment for all.
To encourage more cyclists to get out on the road, Clean Air Council partners with Indego, Philly’s bike share program, and Love to Ride, a global biking advocate, to host bike challenges in May and September every year. Participants register, log rides, and are automatically entered into drawings for cash prizes, including this Spring’s grand prize of a $2500 Visa gift card.
Biking is not only a sustainable mode of transportation it also boasts physical and mental health benefits, preventing cardiovascular disease and reducing stress. If you don’t own a bike, Indego has you covered! Philadelphia’s bike-share has over 250 stations throughout the city where you can rent a manual or electric bike and ride to popular events and places. Enjoy 75% off your first month with code INDEPRO24 up until May 31st.
You don’t just have to bike for a work commute. There are several accessible biking trails and exciting places to experience in Philadelphia. GoPhillyGo is a mobile friendly site with destination ideas and biking routes to get you out and having fun while reaping all of the benefits biking has to offer. Here are a few of our favorite trips:
- Take a ride along the river on the Schuylkill River Trail and stop by Fairmount Waterworks to view the falls. Take a break at the Cosmic Café and Ciderhouse or continue riding up scenic Kelly Drive.
- Parks on Tap is in full swing at a different park location every weekend this month. It’s a great way to visit greenspaces throughout the city.
- Want to go a bit further out into nature? Take a ride on the Wissahickon Valley Park Trail.
As a way to incentivize taking just one trip – GoPhillyGo will be giving away a swag bag to one lucky Bike Challenge participant in Philadelphia, and all you have to do is log a single ride. So join the challenge today and let’s make every ride count!
Clean Air Council is excited to announce we have been awarded the Play Everywhere Philly Challenge grant from KABOOM! and William Penn Foundation. This grant will support child development and literacy skills by creating play and learning spaces at entrances to Cobbs Creek Park. This project will transform four park entrances to include mural art on the paved trail and areas for children and families to learn and play together.
The Council has partnered with Amber Art and Design and Tiny WPA to develop, design, and build art and play spaces in the vision of community members. Throughout the next several months we will be gaining inspiration and ideas from residents in order to guide the new play space designs.
The project team has created a short survey as a starting place to learn more about what Cobbs Creek Park neighbors would like to see included in the design. We invite Cobbs Creek Park users and area neighbors to our first workshop which will include an evening of creativity, story sharing and imagination as we collectively envision and design mural art on trails and play areas for children and families. This free family-friendly event will take place on Wednesday, March 6th from 5-7:30pm at Christy Rec Center, located at 728 S 55th St, Philadelphia, PA 19143.
RSVP for the workshop at eventbrite.com and complete the survey using this link.
Left to right: Elaine Fultz (Citizen’s Climate Lobby), Eric Cheung (Clean Air Council), Dennis Newman (Amtrak), Joe Minott (Clean Air Council)
PHILADELPHIA (February 1, 2024) – In mid-November, Amtrak made the decision to forego the installation of new gas boilers for heating in favor of clean, renewable energy, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and public health. Clean Air Council is now recognizing Amtrak for its actions to protect the environment and health of surrounding communities. Amtrak will convert its current steam generation to electricity that would be generated by wind and solar, or use biofuels. In addition, Amtrak has committed to purchasing 100 percent clean energy by 2030 and to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045.
“Amtrak’s decision to use clean renewable energy instead of methane gas boilers is a big win for the climate and public health,” said Eric Cheung, Clean Air Council Acting Executive Director. “Amtrak’s action will help us advance the rapid transition off of fossil fuels and towards clean, renewable energy needed to combat the climate crisis. It also prevents Philadelphia residents from being exposed to the harmful air pollution that would have been emitted by the gas boilers.”
“After considering valuable external perspectives from stakeholders— including the Clean Air Council and Citizens Climate Lobby — Amtrak chose to eliminate gas boilers from the Gray 30th Street Station Redevelopment Project plans,” said Dennis Newman, executive vice president, strategy and planning, Amtrak. “We are grateful to be recognized with the Environmental Award from the Clean Air Council as we continue our efforts to be good community partners and a leading provider of sustainable travel.”
In addition to its action and commitment to protect the environment, Clean Air Council is presenting Amtrak with this award for its meaningful engagement with community organizations and listening to their concerns about the switch to gas-fired boilers it had been considering. By engaging with the community, the best possible outcome was achieved for all parties involved.
Every September and May, the Council runs month-long biking challenges through the Love to Ride platform aimed at getting new and occasional riders to bike more frequently. Workplaces and riders across Philadelphia compete for prizes and encourage each other to embrace biking as a sustainable form of transportation. This is a piece of the Council’s transportation work to convert single occupancy vehicles trips to sustainable transportation options like walking, transit, and biking!
Transportation is the leading source of emissions that contribute to climate change, and private cars make up the largest part of that sector. Additionally, traffic and idling negatively impact local air quality and are a major contributor to ozone pollution which in turn can cause Air Quality Action Days for the region. Therefore, encouraging more people to take up biking, and providing resources to support them switching is a vital piece of tackling transportation emissions.
During the course of the 2023 Philadelphia Cycle September Challenge 412 riders took part from 56 workplaces and logged a total of 4,898 trips including 1,751 transportation trips which reduced CO2 emissions by 3,050 lbs. Of these riders, 96 were new and occasional riders. All told, during the month of September riders logged 73,235 miles of trips – equivalent to traveling three times around the earth at the equator!
One of the ways the Love to Ride challenge encourages new and occasional riders to get more comfortable riding is through courses. These short interactive lessons on how to navigate the complexities of biking help to build riders’ confidence – whether that is biking in all weather conditions, how to bike as safely as possible in the city, what to wear while riding, or how to make sure your bike is safe for the road. The most popular courses for Philadelphia riders include Riding in the Rain, Riding in the Heat, and Riding One-handed, which shows that riders are looking for resources that help them expand their biking skills and allow them to bike even when conditions are not ideal.
This Spring, the Council will run the May Bike Month Challenge and even if you haven’t participated before, or are not someone who thinks of themselves as a cyclist it’s a great time to push yourself to try using this sustainable form of transportation. You can set personal goals at the start of the month – whether that is simply getting on a bike one time, riding to work twice a week, or riding every day all month – it’s a great way to take fewer single occupancy car trips. If you are already an ardent cyclist, the Bike Month Challenge is a great time to encourage coworkers, friends, and family to give biking a try. At the end of the day, more people biking means fewer people in cars as well as more people interested in adding bike infrastructure like bike lanes and bike racks, which make it easier for even more people to adopt biking as a form of transportation.
Car centric road design requires a tremendous amount of parking, but what if this public space was used for something else? Each year in cities across the world, people come together to reimagine street parking into safe and inviting pedestrian spaces. The Council and its pedestrian advocacy group Feet First Philly are long time participants in this international celebration, and this year the Council’s team turned a parking space on the 1800 block of Chestnut St. into a temporary parklet where people walking by could try their hand at redesigning a city street with an interactive game. Check out these photos from our parklet in Center City, Philadelphia.
Learn how you can get a permanent parklet in your Philly neighborhood with this Feet First Philly Infographic, or contact Titania Markland, Transportation Outreach Coordinator to learn more about parklets and PARK(ing) Day at tmarkland@cleanair.org.
Reductions in cross-state smog-forming emissions will go forward
Environmental and health groups celebrated an important step toward clean air after a federal appeals court today denied the requests of states and industry groups to block the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “Good Neighbor Rule.” The rule, designed to address cross-state air pollution and the adverse health effects of ozone pollution, also called smog, will improve public health and air quality.
The Good Neighbor Rule, a vital measure aimed at reducing cross-state air pollution, requires coal-burning power plants and other high-polluting industrial sources to decrease emissions that contribute to smog. Polluters in upwind states like Indiana and Ohio that had previously avoided implementing pollution controls are slated to reduce their contributions to hazardous smog levels in downwind states like Connecticut and Wisconsin.
“The court’s refusal to block this protective air rule serves as a critical step towards holding upwind polluters accountable for their contribution to cross-state smog,” said the coalition of health and environmental groups defending the rule. “We remain committed to fighting for cleaner air and a healthier future, ensuring that polluters are held responsible for jeopardizing air quality.”
The federal appeals court’s decision to reject the stay request is a triumph for communities striving to combat the health risks posed by air pollution. EPA estimates that the Good Neighbor Rule, when fully implemented, will prevent more than a million asthma attacks annually and at least a thousand premature deaths. This rule will also improve the health of forests and waterbodies harmed by ozone and its precursor pollutants.
“This court decision marks a crucial step in our ongoing battle to hold upwind polluters accountable for exacerbating cross-state smog pollution,” said Earthjustice Attorney Kathleen Riley. “With more than 127 million people residing in regions plagued by harmful ozone levels, the Good Neighbor Rule protects public health. Earthjustice will keep fighting to ensure that this and national air quality rules truly protect public health.”
The U.S. Court of Appeals decision for the D.C. Circuit is notable after other courts blocked a related rule from going forward in certain states. With support from the coalition of environmental and health organizations, EPA has consistently argued that all challenges to these national protections should be heard in the D.C. Circuit, the court with experience reviewing prior Good Neighbor rules.
Smog, a harmful form of air pollution generated by vehicles, factories, and power plants, leads to asthma attacks, heart and lung diseases, and premature deaths nationwide.
The Good Neighbor Rule is just one necessary step to protect people from the adverse health impacts of air pollution. Recent studies show that the national standards for particulate matter—soot—and smog- are far too weak to protect people from premature death, lung cancer, reproductive harm, and cardiovascular disease. This year, the EPA proposed a new standard for soot, but it’s not nearly as strong as scientists and doctors say it needs to be. Stronger soot and smog regulations would save tens of thousands of lives.
A coalition of environmental and health groups has defended the Good Neighbor Rule in court. The coalition includes the Environmental Defense Fund; Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Clean Air Council, and Clean Wisconsin represented by the Clean Air Task Force; and Air Alliance Houston, Appalachian Mountain Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Downwinders at Risk, Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Sierra Club, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, and Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, represented by Earthjustice.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 1, 2023) Feet First Philly (FFP), a volunteer led pedestrian advocacy organization and a project of the Clean Air Council, launched the fourth round of their Public Space Enhancement Mini-grant program that funds projects aimed at improving Philadelphia’s pedestrian environment. The mini-grant winners receive funding ranging from $500 to $2000 to create public space enhancements and safety improvements. FFP is hosting an informational webinar on August 24th for anyone who is interested in learning more about the mini-grants.
FFP is Philly’s only volunteer advocacy group dedicated to pedestrians and sponsored by the Clean Air Council. In 2020, FFP launched its first pedestrian enhancement mini-grant program with seven projects that were led by and benefited local communities. Since then, the program has awarded 34 mini-grants to local organizations all over Philadelphia. These projects provided funding for extended efforts to clean up the Cobbs Creek Trail, create a pocket park for community members to access and engage with, hire a contractor to do reconstruction of a severely damaged sidewalk in Kensington, paint a mural on a newsstand, add amenities to a local meadow to make it a walking destination, install bike racks to prevent illegal parking and so much more. With the mini-grant funding, FFP and its partner organizations have been able to enhance public spaces in Philadelphia in unique ways.
“The mini-grant program has successfully funded 32 projects that include Kensington Neighborhood Association, Village of Arts and Humanities, Hunting Park Community Garden, Cobbs Creek Ambassadors, ACHEIVEability and so many more,” said Nick Zuwiala-Rogers, Clean Air Council Transportation Program Director. “We’ve had a lot of new grant proposals come in to expand the program. We’re so excited that we can continue to fund community and pedestrian improvements.”
“Pedestrian advocacy projects bring communities around Philadelphia together to create safer and healthier spaces,” said Titania Markland, Clean Air Council Transportation Outreach Coordinator. “They allow for people from all walks of life to come together and make this city a safer and healthier place. Through the mini-grant, we can give Philadelphians the ability to build their communities in ways that benefit their neighbors.” Safety is a top priority for this program and applicants are encouraged to identify ways their project can improve safety in their communities.
FFP received funding from the Department of Public Health for the mini-grants. If you are interested in applying or want more information, attend the webinar on August 24th at 6pm EST. Applicants can email tmarkland@cleanair.org to set up a one on one meeting with Clean Air Council staff to discuss their project ideas. Applications for the mini-grant are open until Monday, October 9th at 11:59 PM EST.
Funding limits the amount of amazing projects the program can support, but supporters can help. Every $2000 raised means one more project gets funding, and a community in Philadelphia can improve a public space in a way that reflects their vision for more walkable, safe, and accessible neighborhoods. Feet First Philly has set up a donation page with funds raised going directly to supporting more mini-grants. Make an impact with a gift today, and help fund more public space enhancement projects in Philadelphia. Support this program here.
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Feet First Philly is Philadelphia’s only advocacy group dedicated to pedestrian rights sponsored by the Clean Air Council. Feet First Philly volunteers meet regularly to plan advocacy campaigns, public walks with a theme, and to discuss policy issues that affect pedestrians.
