Announcing 5th Square Advocacy! A new non-profit to house the work of urbanist grassroots organizing, issue advocacy, and engagement with elected officials — locally in Philly and statewide in Pennsylvania. Join us here ⬇️

Bringing intercity buses back to a proper terminal is a recognition that people deserve more than a curb under a highway overpass — they deserve shelter, dignity and respect.

This lack of safe infrastructure and this driver behavior is what led to the death of Dr. Barbara Friedes last year on the same street. These are not isolated incidents.

Absolutely deadly behavior causing another crash on Spruce Street at 5th st early this morning. This is on the busiest bike lane in Philly with over 1,500 riders who use it daily. We deserve so much better than paint and flexposts, we deserve real protection.

Kelly Drive in Fairmount Park has been engineered to remove most pedestrian crossings and amenities, to speed up traffic. A thread with 8 examples of things that have been lost, with historical images. South to north. 1. A staircase from the river trail to the Girard Ave Bridge, and Brewerytown:

Someone on the @5thsq.org Slack asked about urbanist museums. I've been to a lot! I consider a museum "urbanist" if it tells the story of urban society or culture. Typically architecture, transit, and city museums meet that requirement. Here are the ones I've been to and recommend!

@5thsq.org is having its next meetup this coming Tuesday:) www.5thsq.org/sept2025

Hi @npr.org! We worked late tonight putting together this handy pocket guide! It doesn't address road design issues, but if we're going to educate road users, we should include drivers. It's the size of a folded business card. Print it, fold it, put it in your wallet!

The wealthiest people in Philly have hijacked a local civic org and has effectively turned it into a funnel for money to fight roadway safety citywide. 😡

Take this post as our permission to wear this shirt all day, every day! Go Birds.

Thank you for putting together this SEPTA-themed burlesque and inviting us!

So after ALL that, it’s looking like we’re gonna have a budget without more transit funding.

Transit Tuesdays is kicking off at Republican Senator Picozzi’s office! Join riders citywide to push for SEPTA funding. Tuesday, August 19, 5:30 – 7pm EDT Senator Joe Picozzi's District Office 12361 Academy Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19154

Senate Majority Leader Pittman’s response to calls for transit funding.

We're just gonna say it: this proposal sucks! Our position is that this proposal is deeply unserious and doesn't contain a long-term funding solution for SEPTA. Raiding our capital dollars to pay for operations is a lose-lose proposition for everyone, not just Philly!

Another crash and injury on Spruce St. This one taking out a streetlight, an Indego bike corral, and sending another person to the hospital. Our city cannot prevent all reckless driving, but our city can provide for the safety of our most vulnerable. It’s time for concrete protection.

Looks like Harrisburg is really gonna let SEPTA fail.

Another crash & serious injury on Spruce St in Center City. There’s still no protection for people biking & walking, and reckless driving is as prevalent as ever. It’s beyond time for concrete protection. #concretenow @bcgp.bsky.social @bikeaction.org

One week in and it's clear who keeps this city running. The workers of DC 33 deserve a fair contract and workplace protections, and we stand with them.

Thank you @councilmemberjg.bsky.social! A budget without transit funding will utterly devastate our region.

We knew CHOP's proposed parking garage was bad for Grays Ferry. But we didn't know exactly how bad, or why CHOP assured everyone it wouldn't worsen traffic. Now through PA's Right-to-Know Law, 5th Square analyzed the traffic study and found numerous red flags. Read below: 5thsq.org/chop_garage_...

Our “HAHA… YES!” was premature. Let’s get these signs in the ground already!

Cuts to transit service are really an existential threat to so many in our region. Excellent reporting by @inquirer.com featuring our own Fae Ehsan & @sylviaodhner.bsky.social

Sickos: “HAHA… YES!”

I wrote an Op-Ed about SEPTA funding and how our Agency is actually one of the most efficient in the country with handling money. The last thing we need is for SEPTA to get defunded, enjoy the gift link 🤙

Guerrilla Urbanism at its best

Philadelphia eliminating parking minimums in Center City is a very good long-term decision. This may prove to be an important factor in revitalizing Market East.

This was a huge win for safer streets around City Hall! We will be watching this bill closely as it progresses through Council in the fall.

We urgently need your help to make City Council authorize a brand-new bike lane on Penn Square (City Hall)! Sign our petition and leave a comment stating your support. Email City Council using our form that pops up after signing. Share with friends! bikeaction.org/campaigns/bu...

One-by-one @councilmemberjg.bsky.social is diligently working to erase every high injury network street off the 3rd Council District map! Vision Zero is an achievable goal and CM Gauthier is proving this with each corridor safety improvement.

The budget cuts SEPTA is being threatened with are very concerning. The Overton window has shifted to the point that the conversation is no longer about helping SEPTA thrive, it's about if it can survive.

We packed the Capitol today with Transit riders and workers all with one ask: FUND PA TRANSIT 🚊 🚇 🚌

City is finally gonna start ticketing the [insert word] who park in the Spruce & Pine bike lanes. www.phila.gov/2025-06-04-c...

Join us this Thursday, June 5th for our first ever meetup in Roxborough! We have a ton of guest speakers lined up including State Rep @tarikforpa.bsky.social This Thursday at 6:00pm Roxborough Pocket Park 6168 Ridge Ave

This is the main image Friends of Spruce and Pine has on their homepage: a car turning into a bike lane (that is filled with vehicles thanks to the illegal loading) while a child on a bike tries to cross the street. They are suing the city for adding loading zones and improving bike safety.

This is spectacular! 🌳 🏫 🚶

Biking across the Walnut Street Bridge was always a bit precarious because of the door-zone bike lane next to two lanes of one-way traffic and cars crossing over the bike lane to get to the turn lane for I-76. It's so much better now! youtu.be/KobrwwtzoDc?...

Great reporting by the Inquirer's Tom Fitzgerald on the effects of impending SEPTA cuts on the lives of everyone in our region. Featuring our very own Lead Transit Organizer, Jerrett Johnson, on his commute to UPS!

This Saturday, join us at Dock Street Brewery South for an informal event writing postcards to PA legislators stressing the need for transit funding as part of the state budget. Dock Street Brewery South, 2118 Washington Ave THIS Saturday, May 31st, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron published a powerful column criticizing the project’s design and disregard for neighborhood impact.

Tell City Council: Abolish Parking Mandates in Philly Parking mandates make housing more expensive and entrench car dependency by forcing businesses and housing developments to build parking spaces.

Ray, a long-time organizer of the Ride of Silence in Philly, was at the @wednightrides.org last night handing out flyers for next week's ride. Please attend! If you're not in Philly, there are hundreds of rides across the US and world @5thsq.org @bcgp.bsky.social

Victim identified as Jeff Ishibashi, resident of Lansdowne. Likely biking to his job as a cancer researcher at Penn

Thank you @bikeaction.org for staying on top of this issue.

Teachers are a cornerstone of our neighborhoods, cities, and world. To truly appreciate them, we must invest in resources that support them, from fair wages to public transit. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Kencrest, where ALL the teachers rely on SEPTA! #NationalTeacherAppreciationWeek

Completely senseless death in West Philly yesterday as a person riding a bike gets run over and dragged by a turning truck. This was at 58th & Baltimore Ave, the intersection of multiple streets on our High Injury Network. 1/

Check out this world-class pedestrian plaza that will accompany this 1,005-space garage.

This should be required viewing by every legislator in Harrisburg.

Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs, NIMBY edition