๐ Tomorrow: Life After Cars Book Talk / ๐ฏ๏ธ Ride of Silence Next Week / ๐ Safer Streets... For Drivers
May 13, 2026
Weekly Newsletter #25 · May 13, 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.
๐ TOMORROW: LIFE AFTER CARS BOOK TALK
It's finally here: our book talk event
with Life After Cars
authors Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon is tomorrow night!
Life After Cars Book Event with Sarah Goodyear & Doug Gordon from The War on Cars Podcast TOMORROW, THURSDAY, May 14th at 7 PM Resurrection Philadelphia, 17th & Sansom Streets
The event will be kicked off by safe-streets champion, State 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.
Next week on Wednesday, May 20th, join us for the Ride of Silence.
To honor the bicyclists killed or injured on our streets over the past year, we'll ride together in complete silence.
The ride will leave from City Hall, traveling 8 miles at a slow, casual pace to the Art Museum for a brief memorial bike lift.
2026 Ride of Silence Wednesday, May 20th, 6:45 PM North Apron of City Hall to Art Museum Steps
๐ SAFER STREETS... FOR DRIVERS
Our streets are getting safer... for some road users.
An analysis by Philly Bike Action
found that while overall fatal crashes decreased last year, crashes with serious injuries were up for non-motorists! This means more pedestrians and micromobility riders were getting hit and seriously injured by drivers.
Any reduction in deaths on our streets is a step in the right direction, but we can't leave vulnerable road users behind. We need streets that are safe for all, not just those behind the wheel.
Here are three actions you can take to help make that happen:
May 13, 8:30 am-10:30 am | 52 nd
& Lancaster Avenue
May 14, 6 pm-10 pm | Overbrook Night Market
May 18, 3 pm-5 pm | 41 st
& Lancaster Avenue
May 28, 2 pm-4 pm | 63 rd
& Malvern Loop
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.
Tell PennDOT to make Aramingo Ave safer!
We're calling onPennDOT to improve safety on Aramingo by replacing flexposts with concrete and funding the City's Aramingo Ave Traffic Safety project.
๐ซ UNIVERSAL STUDENT FARES PETITION
Sign this petition
to support expanding student transit cards to cover more students and provide transit access on evenings, weekends, and summers.
โ๏ธ TRAIL SURVEY
Take this quick, 3-minute survey
to help the Bicycle Coalition and Circuit Trails understand how you use trails throughout the region.
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!
7:00 PM meet, 7:10 PM roll · SW Corner of Dilworth Park
Join WNR for a tour riding through and by new infrastructure like the Old City Market Street project, Walnut Street bus/bike lanes, the cable stay bridge on the recently opened Schuykill River Trail extension, and the soon-to-open swing bridge that will connect the SRT to Bartram’s Garden!
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.
