The Hub 2/26/2021: 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.
Plan Philly: Philadelphia releases its Transit Plan on Monday 02/22/2021. This new ambitious plan spans through 2045 and aims to make transit safer, more reliable, and very accessible in order to shift trips from personal vehicles to transit. We welcome this plan as the decrease in single-occupancy vehicles on our roads results in a decrease in emissions into the atmosphere. This plan also seeks to address long-standing racial inequities to help create a more just Philadelphia.
The Inquirer: It is a long journey for an electrified vehicle future for the U.S, but different automakers have different timelines to when they want to eliminate tailpipe emissions. According to Geoff Bristow, manager of EV initiatives for the Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania “is aiming to replace 25% of its fleet of light-duty vehicles with electric by 2025.”
Billy Penn: Trails are a big part of the Philadelphia transportation system, and a sinking portion of the Schuylkill River Trail is getting fixed as a part of a larger renovation project PennDOT is working on. This is a $1 million project and construction will last for the next 3 months. We welcome this renovation as we encourage active transportation like walking, biking, and even running.
CITYLAB: COVID-19 has caused a stop to a lot of services throughout the world. It is the main reason for New York’s 24/7 system closure between 1 am – 5 am. Proper cleaning and sanitation of the trains and stations which was needed was the main reason for the nightly shut down, but unfortunately, it hasn’t allowed MTA to speed up other repairs as the trains are still running.
WHYY: As a way to cut emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants that are harmful to human health and the environment, Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration is drafting regulations to boost the sale of electric cars in Pennsylvania. This is one method that can help to reduce transportation pollution in our city and state overall.
The Inquirer: 4 bridges in Wissahickon Valley Park to be closed at least through fall for renovation beginning this Monday. Wissahickon Valley Park’s four bike bridges will be closed for a large renovation project that will last approximately nine months. This means cyclists and pedestrians will not be able to use the trail to connect Forbidden Drive to Ridge Avenue. Read about the suggested detour and learn more about this closure.
Image Source: Plan Philly
