๐ Next Month: Life After Cars Book Talk / ๐ฏ๏ธ Ride of Silence / ๐ New Bus Terminal Opens Next Week
April 23, 2026
Weekly Newsletter #22 · April 23, 2026
5th Square Advocacy is an urbanist organization of grassroots advocates building a coalition for better transportation, housing, and public space in Philadelphia. Thanks to our growing network of sustaining members
for making this work possible.
Thursday, May 14 at 7 PM
— Spend an evening with Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, hosts of the War on Cars
podcast and authors of Life After Cars. The event will be kicked off by safe-streets champion Senator Nikil Saval, with Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron as emcee.They'll discuss the negative impacts of car-dependency and how we can build safer, more livable streets in Philadelphia.
Each year, Philadelphia's bicyclists come together to remember and honor those on bikes who were killed or injured by motorists with a ride around the city in complete silence. Since last year's ride, 13 bicyclists have been killed in the Delaware Valley.
This year's Ride of Silence
will happen next month on May 20th. Following a brief ceremony at 6:45pm at the north apron of City Hall, participants will bike at a casual pace around the city ending at the Art Museum steps.
๐ NEW BUS TERMINAL OPENS NEXT WEEK
Next week, the former Greyhound bus terminal will be reopening as a freshly renovated hub for Philadelphia's intercity bus passengers.
Ever since the terminal first closed years ago, we've been fighting for a facility that meets the needs of our city's bus riders so we're very excited for it to open next week!
๐ฅณ SATURDAY: CELEBRATE TRAILS DAY
This Saturday, April 25th, is Celebrate Trails Day!
We have a great network of trails throughout the region--so let's celebrate them!
There will be outdoor community events throughout the city and region at various times throughout the day. Find an event here.
๐ BECOME A MEMBER
Thank you to everyone who has already joined as a member! Our members fuel our grassroots work
for a more accessible, sustainable, and equitable Philadelphia.
Jerrett Johnson of 5th Square
, a transit advocacy group, urged the Council to approve a new delivery fee for nonessential products, saying the tax “will allocate funds for public transportation without impacting schools.”
The passes work from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on school days, but are deactivated overnight and on weekends, holidays and over the summer.
Transit advocate Will Tung
held up his daughter’s pass during a City Hall press conference Monday and compared it to Cinderella’s carriage, which “turns into a pumpkin, useless,” at midnight.
๐จ ACTION ITEMS
๐ฒ LEGALIZE PARKING-PROTECTED BIKE LANES
Parking-protected bike lanes are a great way to make our bikes lanes safer and lower stress, but they are illegal on state roads! Sign the Bicycle Coalition's petition to legalize parking-protected bike lanes!
๐ KEEP TRANSIT WINS IN THE BUDGET
We worked hard to get Zero Fare, municipal Key Advantage, and increased resources for SEPTA into the Mayor's budget plan-- help us keep up the pressure on City Council to make these wins a reality!
Saturday, April 25th is Celebrate Trails Day! Throughout the city and region, there will be outdoor community events to celebrate our great network of trails.
7:00 PM, doors open 6:30 PM · Resurrection Philadelphia, 123 S. 17th St
Spend an evening with Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, hosts of the War on Cars
podcast and authors of Life After Cars. They'll discuss the negative impacts of car-dependency and how we can build safer, more livable streets in Philadelphia.
6:45 PM · North Apron of City Hall to Art Museum steps
Honor the bicyclists killed or injured on our streets with a ride in complete silence throughout the city. The ride will cover 8 miles at a slow, casual pace and will occur rain or shine.
5th Square Advocacy is a grassroots nonprofit organization driven to advance a vision for a more accessible, sustainable, equitable Philadelphia for all residents. Donations are not tax deductible.
