“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.
PhillyVoice: Community groups kick off ‘walk audits’ to improve pedestrian pathways – A ‘walk audit’ is a tool that advocates and community groups can use to understand the walkability of a street. This Spring AARP, Clean Air Council, the Livable Community Coalition, and other advocates and community groups are conducting walk audits in three Council districts. The first was conducted in District 5 on North Broad Street. These audits aim to provide recommendations to city council and the Mayor’s administration to improve walkability in these areas.
The Morning Call: Allentown to make multi-million dollar investments in safer pedestrian, biking infrastructure – Allentown recently launched their “Safe Streets for All” program which is a multi-million dollar investment for traffic safety improvements city-wide. Allentown aims to achieve Vision Zero by 2030. The city’s comprehensive action plan will outline investments the City will take to reach its Vision Zero goal. They are currently collecting residents’ input on where better biking and pedestrian infrastructure are needed.
The Inquirer: SEPTA flips the switch on its website to highlight new ‘Metro’ branding – SEPTA’s new branding is currently on its website. The transit agency aims to install new wayfinding signs and symbols before 2026 when Philadelphia hosts the World Cup. The new wayfinding signs and symbols are currently at the Drexel Station at 30th Street and will eventually be seen at all the other stations. Changes will have transit lines denoted by capital letters on a color badge.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: Philadelphia’s roving Greyhound bus station could move by Labor Day, says neighborhood group
Billy Penn: New map offers transit-based guide to Philly green spaces
The Inquirer: Comcast’s Sports Complex plan for South Philly would make our city less livable
“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.
The Inquirer: Five dangerous Philly roads will get cameras to catch speeders. People are clamoring for them. – Last December, Pennsylvania’s legislation authorized the city of Philadelphia to install speed enforcement cameras on five dangerous traffic corridors in addition to the ones already on Roosevelt Boulevard. The Boulevard has seen a decrease in traffic crashes since speed cameras were installed, and therefore lawmakers passed a measure making those cameras on the Boulevard permanent. For the additional five roadways, at-large Councilmember Isaiah Thomas is conducting an advisory survey to get residents’ opinions on the speed cameras and suggestions for where they should be placed.
PhillyVoice: Philly police to crack down on North Broad Street traffic violations – Over the next month, Philadelphia police will conduct an aggressive campaign to deter traffic violations on the eight-mile stretch of North Broad Street. This roadway has seen increased dangerous driving, double parking, and other parking violations such as blocking intersections and crosswalks. There will be an increase in police presence on the corridor to crack down on these traffic violations.
The Inquirer: SEPTA wants to spend $2.6 billion to add police and upgrade cars but needs Harrisburg to step up with funding by June 30 – SEPTA is consolidating its annual budget to include operating expenses and capital projects. The agency plans to spend $2.6 billion to add more police officers, upgrade cars on the Market-Frankford line, and increase service on Regional Rail. The agency still faces service cuts and fare increase issues as the Federal pandemic relief money dries up. Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed increasing the share of sales tax revenue to help get SEPTA closer to solving its funding problem. If this is not passed by June 30, the agency will cut service starting in the fall.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: Outside this Philly church Sunday, activists partied to stop cars from parking in bike lanes
The Inquirer: SEPTA cancels $185 million Chinese contract for double-decker Regional Rail cars
BillyPenn: South Street’s Triangle Plaza project inches forward with a $1.6 million grant
StreetsBlog USA: What to Say When Someone Claims ‘No One Bikes or Walks in Bad Weather’
“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.
The Inquirer: SEPTA’s Drexel Station reopens with major upgrades, including efforts to connect it to Amtrak’s 30th Street Station – SEPTA’s newly renovated Drexel Station at 30th Street officially opened on Monday. Station upgrades include new stairs, escalators, elevators, new tiles, and brighter lights. SEPTA’s new way-finding system was also added to this station. Travelers have long wanted the SEPTA station to be reconnected to Amtrak’s William H.Gray III 30th Street Station, and SEPTA extended their elevators to the lower level to accommodate a future connection of the two stations.
WHYY: New Jersey Transit approves a 15% fare hike, the first increase in nearly a decade – For the first time in approximately 10 years, New Jersey Transit’s board of directors approved a 15% fare increase. This increase goes into effect on July 1st and aims to help close over $100 million budget gap for the new fiscal year. This increase also calls for a 3% fare increase annually.
The Inquirer: SEPTA bus overhaul will not exacerbate inequalities, new study says, despite critics’ concerns – The nonprofit think tank TransitCenter completed an independent analysis of SEPTA’s Bus Revolution. The study found that the Bus Revolution would result in minor changes and would not increase inequalities. It also found that residents will be able to access more jobs within 30 to 45 minutes of their start time on weekdays and weekends across all demographics.
The Inquirer: SEPTA’s bus route overhaul is getting another look in public meetings. Many say they are still baffled or frustrated.
PhillyVoice: I-95 North in Port Richmond reopens after Conrail wraps up bridge repairs
Wgal.com: Electric vehicle fee could be coming to Pennsylvania, but how much will it cost?
StreetsBlog SF: Eyes on the Street: San Francisco Joins the Sidewalk-Level Bike Lane Club
SmartCitiesDive: Cities look to AI-powered cameras to keep bus lanes clear
WASHINGTON (April 10, 2024) –Yesterday, a D.C. Circuit panel unanimously dismissed and rejected challenges to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to reinstate its waiver to California’s Advanced Clean Car Program.
“Emissions from the transportation sector need to be eliminated to achieve our climate and public health goals. We commend the decision, which upholds California’s ability, under the Clean Air Act, to reduce emissions and protect public health and the climate through its Advanced Clean Car Program,” said Veronica Saltzman, an attorney at Clean Air Task Force (CATF). “California has been a longstanding leader in climate action, setting the gold standard for emissions and air pollution regulations. Its leadership has prompted action from many other states and the auto industry itself. Manufacturers continue to make investments in zero-emissions vehicles and have been for quite some time. The chorus of support for stronger regulations to tackle transportation emissions is loud, and the court’s decision will have immense public health and climate benefits in California and across the country.”
CATF represented the Clean Air Council and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) in the case.
“Clean Air Council is thrilled the D.C. Circuit Court dismissed petitioners’ claim that California’s higher vehicle emission standards would harm their businesses or states,” said Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of Clean Air Council. “It is a major win that the court ruled that any injury from California’s emissions’ standards was too far-fetched. Now, more than ever, states must be able to take actions, like enacting stronger emissions standards, to protect health and the climate.”
“We are thrilled the court upheld California and other states’ ability to clean up vehicle pollution affecting national parks and the communities which rely on them,” said Ulla Reeves, Interim Director of NPCA’s Clean Air Program. “NPCA found in our 2024 Polluted Parks report that air pollution harms 97% of national parks at concerning levels, with the most polluted located in California. This decision is one major step toward cleaner air and a livable climate for the public, as well as the culturally and historically significant places we cherish.”
The Advanced Clean Car Program (ACC), which was granted its initial waiver from EPA in 2013, (1) sets emissions requirements for new cars to reduce CO2 emissions and (2) requires increasing percentages of manufacturers’ fleets to be zero-emissions vehicles, for model years 2017-2025. In 2019, the Trump administration withdrew the waiver, which was then reinstated in 2022 by the Biden administration. Two groups – (1) entities that produce and sell liquid fuels and their raw materials and (2) seventeen states – challenged EPA’s decision to reinstate the waiver. The court’s decision allows the waiver – and the ACC – to stay in place.
“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.
The Inquirer: MLK Drive will once again close to cars on weekends – The city announced that the Martin Luther King Jr. Drive between the East Falls Bridge and Sweetbriar Drive will be closed to traffic on weekends. This will provide a car-free space for pedestrians and bikers to enjoy, starting this Saturday through November from 7 am Saturday to 7 am Monday. This closure has occurred seasonally since 1995.
The Inquirer: SEPTA’s 69th Street station gets new, taller gates to combat fare evasion – At the end of the month, SEPTA is launching a 3-month pilot program to address fare evasion at the turnstile of 69th Street Transportation Center, which currently sees the highest amount of fare evasion. This program will use high-tech glass gates with alarm systems that activate when someone tries to access the transit platform without paying. 20 gates will be installed, for a cost of about $1 million. Cashiers generally make notes on the amount of fare evasion that occurs daily, but this new system will provide more accurate data. The agency estimates to be losing approximately $30-$40 million per year from fare evasion.
WHYY: Delaware has seen a 16% decrease in traffic deaths – In 2022 Delaware saw a spike in traffic fatalities, but in 2023 this declined by 16%. There were 137 fatalities in 2023 compared to 164 in 2022. Even since the beginning of 2024, there continued to be a decline in the number of fatalities compared to 2023. This decline varies across the different types of traffic fatalities. Importantly, among vulnerable road users, the state has seen a 50% decrease in bicyclist fatalities and a 42% decrease in pedestrian fatalities. Delaware’s Office of Highway Safety is focused on achieving Vision Zero.
Other Stories
Transportation Today: EPA finalizes strict greenhouse gas standards for heavy-duty vehicles
BillyPenn: Here we go again: I-95 shut down after bridge hit by oversized truck
CBS News: Unused “T” lines could be revived during massive improvement project
The Inquirer: A viral tweet caused $10,000 in SEPTA merch sales — in one day
Transportation Today: FTA announces $17.6M to help communities add affordable housing near public transit
“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.
The Inquirer: PPA is planning a crackdown on sidewalk parking and blocked curb ramps that make it hard for people with disabilities to get around – The Philadelphia Parking Authority(PPA) will target violators that park on sidewalks and block curb cuts. The PPA and their partner Variety will officially announce in mid-April the new program the “Mobility and Access Initiative” through a series of public announcements. The agency will hire 30 new enforcement officers to focus on vehicles illegally parked on sidewalks and blocking ADA-accessible curbs. Enforcement will start in May, providing a three to four week warning period after the official announcement. Illegal parking greatly affects pedestrians, especially vulnerable populations including people with disabilities, older adults, and children.
The Morning Call: Long-awaited Lehigh Valley passenger train study identifies 5 ‘most likely’ routes. See the report. – The Lehigh Valley Passenger Rail Feasibility Analysis that was recently unveiled was created by PennDOT and consulting company WSP. This study identified the five most likely routes to be:
- Allentown to New York via Hackettstown
- Allentown to New York via High Bridge
- Allentown to Philadelphia via Lansdale
- Allentown to Philadelphia via Norristown
- Allentown to Reading
There is still a long process from this report to construction but the estimated cost for the five routes ranges from $450 million to $739 million, with the Philadelphia routes being more expensive.
BillyPenn: “This isn’t route 420”: Smoke-Free SEPTA works to curb smoking on public transit – Complaints about smoking on SEPTA have increased drastically from approximately 10 complaints per month in 2017 to about 260 complaints per month in 2024. In 2022 the transit agency partnered with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, to launch a no-smoking campaign called “Respect the Ride”. It is being continued today with new branding as “Smoke-Free SEPTA” and will include redesigned signage, verbal announcements, and increased police presence. This campaign aims to encourage passengers to stop smoking on SEPTA platforms and vehicles.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: ‘Always in the back of my mind’: Bus-related shootings fall hard on SEPTA drivers
WHYY: New safety initiative announced to reduce crashes along N.J.’s White Horse Pike
Next City: Philly’s Fast and Furious Thoroughfare
Pittsburgh Magazine: POGOH Bikeshare Hits 1 Million Rides, Proposes 53 New Stations
The Inquirer: Philly-area port authority plans to review bridge safety features in the wake of Baltimore bridge collapse
“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: Roosevelt Boulevard’s speed cameras have been ‘overwhelmingly successful.’ It’s still Philly’s most dangerous road – Roosevelt Boulevard received speed cameras in 2020. Researchers found that these cameras led to a 95% reduction in speeding along the Boulevard, but despite this, the roadway remains the most dangerous road in Philadelphia. The city plans to redesign parts of the road and proposed improvements include extending and realigning curbs to reduce pedestrian crossing distance. Construction is estimated to start in 2027.
BillyPenn: Philly floats plans for another intercity bus terminal – City officials are planning to relocate Philly’sintercity bus terminal for the third time in less than a year. A new temporary terminal proposed to relocate to a privately owned lot next to a Lukoil gas station on Spring Garden Street will provide service for the Greyhound, FlixBus, Megabus, and Peter Pan buses. Advocates believe the proposed site has similar complaints to the current site. City officials aim for this site to improve passengers’ experience.
WHYY: Gov. Shapiro’s plan to boost mass transit aid passes Pa. House, but faces long odds in Senate – Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives approved Gov. Josh Shapiro’s plan to increase funding for public transportation. The Democratic-controlled chamber voted 106-95, with only one Democrat opposing and only five Republicans in favor. This bill would provide approximately a 20% increase in State aid to public transportation systems, “to avoid service cuts and fare increases when the federal COVID-19 relief aid runs out”. But this bill still faces long odds in the Republican-controlled Senate.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: What a 76ers arena in Center City would mean for parking, foot traffic, and SEPTA
Centre Daily Times: PennDOT issues new rules under update to school bus stop arm camera law
The Inquirer: Four takeaways from Philadelphia’s Washington Avenue redesign, according to the city
PlanPhilly: New rules aim to boost EV sales as Philly drivers await more charging stations
The Inquirer: Delco’s Tyler Arboretum to reopen miles of trails closed by devastating beetle attack
“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.
The Inquirer: A big step forward for the Chinatown Stitch as $158 million is awarded to cap the Vine Expressway – The Chinatown Stitch, which is a project to reconnect Chinatown by capping parts of the Vine Street Expressway, was awarded a $158 million federal grant to build the cap. The Stitch will include a public park, traffic calming measures, and a connection to the Rail Park. This money is from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot grant program.
Metro Philadelphia: Additional SEPTA Bus Revolution community meetings begin this week – SEPTA scheduled 8 more community meetings about its Bus Revolution. These meetings are scheduled from March 12 to April 4 in the 5th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Council districts, to give these neighborhoods additional opportunities to review the proposed changes. The Bus Revolution includes a decrease in the number of total bus routes, but an increase in the number of frequent routes, and better service on weekends and in the evening. Visit septabusrevolution.com to review specific changes and meeting schedules.
Streetsblog USA: Find Out How Much Your State Would Benefit From Cutting Car Travel – There is a new tool that advocates can use to show how states would benefit if residents drive less. Cutting vehicle miles traveled will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce traffic congestion, and improve public health. It can also show how much taxpayers would save.
Other Stories
WHYY: Bike Trends and Trails, Secretary of Transportation Buttigieg, Beer and Cheese – What a Pairing
The Inquirer: This Philly bus driver is also a substitute teacher and public transit activist
BillyPenn: Meet the transit-savvy student on a mission to visit every SEPTA station
The Inquirer: Traffic safety, Washington Ave., and a new way of thinking about urban planning
Next City: An App That Helps Riders With Vision Loss Navigate Complex Transit Systems
“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.
City of Philadelphia: What We’ve Learned from the Washington Avenue Year 1 Evaluation Report – The Washington Avenue Repaving and Improvement project was completed in 2023. This project aimed to improve safety and curbside management. Traffic calming measures including speed cushions were installed, and new loading zones were added, along with other improvements. According to the city’s year 1 evaluation results, the street is safer, greener, and more efficient. The city also found that between fourth and 11th street, where protected bike lanes were installed, bike volumes increased by 181%. Illegal parking was a mixed bag – double parking and median parking decreased, but there was an increase in sidewalk parking by 81%. The next evaluation is scheduled for March 2025.
PhillyVoice: PennDOT, PA Turnpike Commission implement work zone speed cameras – Pennsylvania entities started to enforce the Work Zone Speed Safety Camera program, which Gov. Josh Shapiro made permanent by signing House Bill (H.B.) 1284 into law in December. This program tickets drivers at least 11 miles over the speed limit in an active work zone. The program aims to raise awareness and change unsafe driving behaviors to prevent work zone crashes. This legislation became effective on February 15th. First-time violators will get a warning letter in the mail, a $75 fine for the second offense, and a $150 fine for the third and other subsequent violations.
Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh officials recommit to goal of zero traffic related deaths – Between 2018 to 2022 fatal crashes in Pittsburgh increased by 70%. In response, Pittsburgh’s officials have recommitted to a “vision zero” plan, which aims to achieve zero traffic fatalities. With this recommitment, the city has invested approximately $1.4 million in the 2024 budget for traffic calming measures.
Other Stories
WHYY: Three trains involved in ‘collision and derailment’ in eastern Pennsylvania; no injuries reported
The Inquirer: NJ Transit says it needs $917 million, but riders say poor service doesn’t warrant paying more per ride
CBS News: SEPTA study using AI finds parking in bus lanes blocks safe access for disabled community
The Inquirer: New York is tapping the National Guard to combat crime on its subways. Here’s why Philly isn’t doing the same.
Government Technology: To Fund Micromobility, Connect It to Public Transit
“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.
WHYY: Philadelphia Navy Yard begins autonomous, electric shuttle service – On Tuesday, Philadelphia’s Navy Yard launched its driverless shuttle one-year pilot program. This program aims to reduce congestion and carbon emissions. Initially, the shuttle will have four stops within the Navy Yard with the next phase extending trips down Broad Street to NRG Station. The shuttle will operate from 10 am to 2 pm and can carry 9 passengers, a wheelchair, plus the operator. While the electric shuttle is good for the environment, autonomous vehicles have a track record of safety concerns. Public feedback will be gathered throughout the year, but this new program is already attracting pushback from drivers’ unions.
BillyPenn: Could Indego reinstate single-trip option amid online clamor? – Approximately six years ago, the Indego bike share program removed its single-ride option due to a massive increase in bike theft. Since then users have complained on social media about the loss of the single-ride service. Currently, the cheapest service offered is a $ 15-day pass, creating a need for a cheaper single-trip option. With better security parameters, Indego plans to do some feasibility work to determine if they can bring back the single-trip pass.
PhillyVoice: I-95 South to close overnight next week for highway capping project – As a part of the $329 million project to cap I-95 at Penn’s Landing, there will be multiple road closures on sections of I-95 including“between the I-676 and Callowhill Street exit in Center City and the Morris Street on-ramp in Pennsport,” along with the I-676 east on-ramp to I-95 South. Closures will begin Monday night from 11pm to 5am and will last for four days. There will also be a south lane closure on I-95 in Center City between Market and South Street from 7-11pm each night.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: Pictures of demolition on second weekend of I-95 closure
PlanPhilly: Why has SEPTA once again delayed its bus revolution?
WHYY: SEPTA considering regional rail service expansion this Fall
The Inquirer: License plate cameras coming to Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin, Walt Whitman, and Commodore Barry bridges
Streetsblog USA: Pedestrian Deaths Are Down — But They’re Still Higher Than Pre-Pandemic
