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cargobikeofseitan.bsky.social
Ross A
@cargobikeofseitan.bsky.social
260 followers 310 following 2 posts
Jenkintown, PA cargo bike dad, designer, Bike Montco advocate, Philadelphia urbanism fan, fund Septa! ATX -> PHL
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Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
Powerful words!

💣 “if a handful of our Center City neighbors get their way, Barbara Friedes and Emily Fredricks will be far from the last victims of traffic violence in the bike lanes along Spruce and Pine Streets.”
January 4, 2025 at 4:24 AM
Reposted by Ross A
norton.bsky.social
One hundred years ago today:

Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover opened the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety in Washington on December 15, 1924.

That same day, Barnett Wartell of Philadelphia, age 40, read about the event in the newspaper and wrote a personal letter to Hoover.
December 15, 2024 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Ross A
visionzerovancouver.ca
The city of Richmond removed the slip lane to fix this dangerous intersection. (Daytime picture = before, night = after). Great work Richmond! Let's keep removing slip lanes throughout the lower mainland.
Before: a street with a slip lane to the right. After: same street with the slip lane removed
December 12, 2024 at 5:26 AM
Reposted by Ross A
nbminor.bsky.social
Denver is proposing to end ALL parking minimums for new developments across the city, @kyle-a-harris.bsky.social reports: denverite.com/2024/12/09/d...
Denver wants to get rid of minimum parking requirements for all new development
Colorado wants cities to reduce their use of parking minimums. Denver could go even further.
denverite.com
December 10, 2024 at 3:57 PM
Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
“For years, PennDOT has studied possible solutions for the 21st-century economy, from mileage-based fees on vehicle usage to leveraging E-ZPass and toll-by-plate technology on more roads and highways. In the end, making those who use roads the most responsible for funding them makes the most sense.”
Editorial: SEPTA bailout shows need for permanent transportation funding solution
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s bailout of the struggling Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), using federal funds that had been set aside...
www.post-gazette.com
December 2, 2024 at 4:53 PM
Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
Urbanist Award nominations are closing this weekend!
bit.ly/3YIAQcL
5thsqadvocacy.org 5th Square Advocacy @5thsqadvocacy.org · Nov 10
Looking forward to giving our Urbanist Awards out this year

🎖️ Lifetime Achievement Award
🚍 Changemaker of the Year
🏛️ Public Servant of the Year
🚲 Neighborhood RCO Champion
🏙️ Best Development of the Year
📰 Media Champion
🏆 Volunteer of the Year

Nominate someone today!
bit.ly/3YIAQcL
Photo of all 7 the award cones on a table
November 30, 2024 at 3:52 PM
Reposted by Ross A
civicgrit.bsky.social
Local Philadelphia 'urbanists' played an important role in encouraging Governor Shapiro to save SEPTA by flexing funding.

In particular @jongeeting.bsky.social early on raised awareness of the possibility: www.inquirer.com/opinion/comm...
After legislative failure, Gov. Shapiro should ensure transit funding success | Opinion
Without a solution, the commonwealth’s 57 transit agencies — carrying almost a million daily passengers — face double-digit service cuts and fare increases.
www.inquirer.com
November 22, 2024 at 11:32 PM
Reposted by Ross A
sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Great turnout tonight!! I’ll be mailing out 80 letters and postcards to governor josh Shapiro advocating for septa funding 🚃

Thank you to everyone who came out tonight!
Sarah and Ashlei hold stacks of letters while beaming
November 18, 2024 at 1:47 AM
Reposted by Ross A
civicgrit.bsky.social
Quince Street when the leaves turns yellow is one of the most beautiful fall sights, so I keep swinging by to check in on the leaves.

So far there's still a fair bit of green in them!
A very narrow street with yellow-ish green leaves on the trees along it. Rowhouses line the street. A narrow street with stone paving. A tree with yellow / green-ish leaves leans over the street. A historic American flag and a French flag hang from one of the rowhouses lining the street.
November 17, 2024 at 12:49 AM
Reposted by Ross A
thunderwolf08.bsky.social
TONS of passenger rail funding has been announced today!! 🧵
November 15, 2024 at 9:20 PM
Reposted by Ross A
yonahfreemark.com
In our recent report on the fiscal cliff faced by transit agencies, we show that Pennsylvania could "flex" its federal *highway* funding for transit, and then move state & local funds to support SEPTA operations. This would increase operations funding to SEPTA by 23%. www.urban.org/research/pub...
November 12, 2024 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Ross A
jaypitter.bsky.social
Check out my 10 Rules For Better Public Spaces 👇🏾👇🏾👇🏾
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list; I didn’t include public space healing, which is a significant part of my practice. But I’ve captured several key ideas. Thoughts? Additional ideas? #cities #public #space
November 13, 2024 at 2:14 AM
Reposted by Ross A
sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Everyone feel free to share the corrected poster, sorry for organizing-while-exhausted lmao 🤦‍♀️
The 15 trolley stands at its little middle-of-the-damn-road bus stop thing. Words say ALL ABOARD! SEPTA advocacy letter writing party. Meyer's Brewing Sunday Nov 17th 6:30pm
November 14, 2024 at 3:27 AM
Reposted by Ross A
civicgrit.bsky.social
Painfully true here in Pennsylvania.

Across PA there are stories of towns and cities upset with PennDOT.

In small towns PennDOT spends countless $ to overbuild massive interchanges while neglecting the towns themselves.

In Philly PennDOT severs communities and maintains deadly roads.
transitcenter.bsky.social TransitCenter @transitcenter.bsky.social · Nov 14
“State DOTs face disturbingly little public transparency or accountability for how they spend our tax dollars, and as a result, we're often getting more highway expansions and fewer local projects that could give Americans the real mobility choices they deserve.”

usa.streetsblog.org/2024/11/14/h...
How State DOTs Keep the Public In the Dark About How They Spend Our Transportation Dollars — Streetsblog USA
State DOTs control hundreds of billions of dollars of our transportation funding. Where does it all go — and what do we actually get for it?
usa.streetsblog.org
November 14, 2024 at 10:14 PM
Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
Our partners at Transit For All PA released this fact sheet:
“Federal Highway Flex Funding Can Support Public Transportation in Philadelphia & Across PA”
Federal Highway Flex Funding Can Support Public Transportation in Philadelphia & Across PA November 8, 2024 Background In April 2024, SEPTA spent down the federal American Rescue Plan dollars it used to support public transportation operations that move 791,000 riders in Southeastern Pennsylvania each day. The end of that funding in combination with recovering ridership, record inflation and legislative gridlock has left SEPTA with a $240 million structural deficit. Fare increases & service cuts are proposed to go into effect in early 2025, which will kick off a "transit death spiral" that will have dire impacts on PA's economy. Immediately, Federal Highway Flex Funding can avoid SEPTA fare increases (+30%), and service cuts (~20%). In the long term, Flex Funding can play a part in improving transit access across Pennsylvania. Transit, For All PA! Nearly 800,000 people per day ride SEPTA - four times that of 1-95 - and service disruption would mortally wound the economy, mobility, efficiency, and sustainability of Philadelphia. Though SEPTA received one-time funding in the July state budget, there remains a $153 million gap to deliver current service through the remainder of the budget year. SEPTA'S recent investments have increased ridership & produced: 37% decrease in violent crime 100 new cleaning staff hired Dozens more safety and police staff hired AND made tens of thousands of touches of unhoused and addicted riders via the SCOPE program Losing operations funding now would stymie these improvements, leading to a "death spiral" of rising fares, declining ridership, and worsening service. The 2023-24 legislative session has concluded with no action in sight, and SEPTA nears the end of stopgap measures. Governor Shapiro can direct PennDOT to allocate funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and "flex" it to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund transit. What is flexing? Local Precedent for Flexing Federal Highway Funding for Transit 2% Pennsylvania has already flexed about 2% of this formula funding to transit projects since 2013, but other states do much more. 15% In particular, New Jersey has flexed 15% of its highway formula funding to public transportation. In 2005, Governor Ed Rendell flexed money to avert transit cuts. He then threatened to do it again in 2010, successfully compelling the legislature to pass Act 89, with dedicated, sustainable transportation funding. What Can Be Done? During times of crisis, PennDOT and local MPOs like DVRPC must prioritize essential service. Governor Shapiro can take leadership and direct PennDOT to allocate funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and "flex" it to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund transit. This would allow action across PA. Additionally, Shapiro has multiple appointees on DVRPC's board who can influence decisions more locally. MPO boards would need to vote to support certain changes. A waiver request from the Shapiro administration or DVRPC, individually, could be approved within as little as three months, according to the Federal Highway Administration. The Philadelphia region's economic recovery from the pandemic remains tenuous, while we prepare for a 2026 filled with the Semiquincentennial celebration, World Cup soccer, March Madness, and the MLB All-Star Game. SEPTA must be well-prepared to scale up to keep the region mobile for visitors and residents during major events. When transit service is cut and fares increase, ridership suffers. SEPTA's own estimates around a second fare increase anticipate $40-50 million in lost revenue annually. Far from a virtuous cycle, service cuts and fare increases will feed one another and produce a death spiral for transit service in the sixth-largest transit system in the country.
November 14, 2024 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
Reach out to Gov. Shapiro and ask that he flex federal highway dollars to public transportation to avoid major service cuts and fare increases.

Call (717)787-2500
- or -
Text (717)788-8990

Call script 👇
Call Governor Shapiro - Fund PA Transit! Without new money from the PA state government, SEPTA will be the first to fall: 29% fare increases in January, and 20% service cuts in June. All other agencies will do the same in the months that follow. Since the pandemic, transit service and ridership has yet to fully return due to permanently-changed travel patterns, while drivers and conductors remain understaffed with wages and safety conditions lagging. Federal pandemic relief funds are running out, so action must be taken quickly. Governor Shapiro and the state legislature failed to include necessary transit funding in the budget passed in July. This Fall, the PA legislature has functionally ended their session without solving the problem. There is no more time: we need the Governor to use executive authority now to keep transit, our economies, and our communities from failing on his watch. The governor has tools to act unilaterally to flex or use discretionary money. He can direct PennDOT to allocate funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and “flex” it to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to fund transit. But he must act now. Without increased operations funding, we face service cuts and fare increases for large systems like SEPTA, and an inability to keep up with service needs in rural systems like Westmoreland County Transit Authority. All agencies will shed good, union jobs. This is a stopgap measure, to manage the state legislature’s irresponsible delay in developing a sustainable, dedicated transit funding solution. Pennsylvania’s residents will still need the legislature and the governor to pass a long term funding solution in the Spring of 2025. The Governor and the PA State Legislature should act on that information and ensure that our Commonwealth provides the resources to meet the mobility needs of residents in all 67 counties. Call the Governor, and tell him we need to Fund PA Transit! Click here and here for background on the issue. TAKE ACTION 1. Call Gov. Shapiro at (717)787-2500 OR Text at (717)788-8990 2. Ask to speak to a staffer about a legislative issue. Or, if it goes to voicemail, leave a message. Remember to leave your name, ZIP code and city, and a call back number if you are leaving a voicemail. 3. Follow the script below. 4. If you'd like, pass along any notes or information from the call to connor@transitforwardphilly.org. We'll log it as we continue to advocate. CALL SCRIPT "Hi, I'd like to leave a message for Governor Shapiro. "My name is [FIRST NAME] [LAST NAME], and I am a resident of [YOUR CITY/TOWN/TOWNSHIP + ZIP CODE] in Pennsylvania. I'm calling to ask Governor Shapiro to exercise his authority to flex federal highway dollars to public transportation to avoid major service cuts and fare increases. The PA legislature has ended its session without producing meaningful legislation, so you must step up and use executive powers to direct PennDOT and MPOs to reopen their TIPs to temporarily reallocate money to transit. Governor Rendell took exactly this action in 2005 and threatened it again in 2010 to respond to crisis. Governor Shapiro's action will stabilize our agency and ensure [YOUR TRANSIT SYSTEM] can make good on improvements to safety and cleanliness, while improving staffing and stabilizing good, union jobs to help buses and trains run on-time. The entire commonwealth worked to fix I-95 when it collapsed, despite serving one-fifth as many people. (160k daily I-95 vs 791k daily SEPTA) Why can't we do the same for transit? "Public transportation is essential to Pennsylvania's economic competitiveness and overall success: [CHOOSE ONE OR MORE FROM THE BELOW] ➔ It eases traffic, lowers pollution, and creates and sustains living wage jobs. ➔ It attracts major employers and events ➔ It connects elders and people with disabilities to family, culture, healthcare, and jobs. ➔ It provides stable, union jobs
November 14, 2024 at 10:41 PM
Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
We are hearing that Center City Orgs are pushing ‘alternative’ (ie: less safe) plans for the Spruce & Pine Streets.

Do you live in Center City & want to see a fully-protected bike lane on these heavily-biked streets?

Sign our petition 👇
Protect the Spruce & Pine Bike Lanes
Sign this petition to show your support of the City's plan to make Spruce & Pine Streets safer for all users.
www.5thsq.org
November 14, 2024 at 2:28 AM
Reposted by Ross A
sarahmackattack.bsky.social
Philly! Mark your calendars!

Sunday @ 6:30pm at Meyer's Brewing we're gathering to write letters to Josh Shapiro to pressure him to flex federal funding to support SEPTA.

The Fishtown Neighbors Association will provide all the letter writing supplies you need, along with a template of what to say.
The 15 trolley stands at its little middle-of-the-damn-road bus stop thing. Words say ALL ABOARD! SEPTA advocacy letter writing party. Meyer's Brewing Sunday Nov 16th 6:30pm
November 14, 2024 at 2:18 AM
Reposted by Ross A
spinellicross.bsky.social
people who use goodreads: jeff bezos owns goodreads and if you want a better alternative there is a black woman owned company called storygraph that you can use to replace it. you can transfer all of your data from goodreads to storygraph and have your mind be free of trumpie jeff bezos! win win. 💙
November 13, 2024 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Ross A
phillyjames.bsky.social
What a beautiful morning for Josh Shapiro to step in and use every lever at his disposal to secure @septaphilly.bsky.social funding.

Also go birds!
November 14, 2024 at 12:57 PM
cargobikeofseitan.bsky.social
GO GO GO! Fund SEPTA, friends!
phillyjames.bsky.social James @phillyjames.bsky.social · Nov 11
Josh Shapiro isn’t on here. How am I supposed to pester him to fund SEPTA and other transit agencies in the commonwealth?

That’s right, with this mass email link. Philly and PA peeps tell this man to fund public transit!!!!
www.transitforallpa.org/takeaction/
STOP Transit Cuts & Fare Increases – Contact Governor Shapiro NOW! – Transit for All PA!
www.transitforallpa.org
November 13, 2024 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Ross A
5thsqadvocacy.org
@marketstel.bsky.social has these good asks for the next SEPTA General Manager. Including continuing the path towards reforming the system that Leslie Richards has begun.
Here’s What SEPTA’s Next GM Must Do to Avoid Doomsday
These five priorities can be put into three buckets: Secure steady funding. Improve safety and security. And continue the transformations started under Leslie Richards.
www.phillymag.com
November 13, 2024 at 4:55 PM
Reposted by Ross A
davidzipper.bsky.social
In US cities, ~2/3 of crash deaths occur on streets owned by the state – not local gov.

Outdated, deadly state roads are preventing cities from building the safe, comfortable, and transit-friendly streets that residents want.

My deep dive, in @vox.com 🧵

www.vox.com/future-perfe...
November 13, 2024 at 1:06 PM
Reposted by Ross A
weel.bsky.social
can we have some partisan polarization against this plz thx
holz-bau.bsky.social Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · Nov 11
Project 2025 leans *heavily* into sprawl & single family zoning - and i cannot tell you how bad this will be for cities...

it will exacerbate climate change

it does nothing to address the social isolation crisis

it's running backwards on affordability (esp as affordable housing gets defunded)
holz-bau.bsky.social Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · Jul 12
project 2025 also calls to kill missing middle zoning reforms, hold exclusionary zoning and economic segregation as sacrosanct, and promote endless sprawl.

'American homeowners... know best what is in the interest of their neighborhoods and communities'

yikes.
November 13, 2024 at 6:25 AM
Reposted by Ross A
fjohnboyle.bsky.social
Parking Protected Bike Lane Bills are still alive in PA's incredibly brief lame duck session.
Parking protected bike lane bills (SB 1283 & SB 1147) need your support today. Script for HB 1283 and SB 1147. Call Senator Pittman 717.787.8724 and Rep. Bradford 717.772.2572 today.
November 13, 2024 at 11:05 AM