Newsletter: 🥳 A Win for Transit Access / 🌉 Tonight: SRT Bridge Tour / 🍻 Monday: South Street Meetup

October 27, 2026
Weekly Newsletter #48 · October 27, 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.

🥳 A WIN FOR TRANSIT ACCESS

Great news! The Transit Access Fund is moving forward!

This past week, Councilmember O'Rourke introduced the bill along with 13 other co-sponsors. This bill would improve Philadelphians' ability to access transit, as well as provide a stable funding stream to SEPTA.

Thank you to everyone who signed the petition and got involved to help make it happen.

Read more about it from PhillyVoice:  SEPTA affordability programs would be permanent under proposed Philly law

transit_access_fund_city_hall.png

🌉 TONIGHT: SRT BRIDGE TOUR

Join us tonight at 5:30 PM for a tour of the Schuylkill River Trail's new swing bridge and cable-stayed bridge. 

Our tour will be led by two construction engineers from the city’s Department of Streets and Transportation who will share what it took to design and build these new crossings.

We'll meet at the north end of the cable-stay bridge (Christian St side) then walk south to the swing bridge. 

RSVP here.

🍻 MONDAY: SOUTH STREET MEETUP

Join us next week on Monday, November 2nd, for a meetup focused on South Street!

We'll meet at Nikki Lopez at 6pm for a data-driven presentation from Eleanor Ingersoll, Executive Director of the South Street Headhouse District, and Brandon Engelhardt, author of the Saving South Street study.

They'll discuss more than 50 years of South Street’s economic history and how its vacancy and corridor-health trends compare with East Passyunk, as well as what could improve the corridor’s vibrancy, from parklets and a pedestrian plaza to upzoning and new ways to reinvest in empty storefronts.

RSVP here. SouthStreet_Meetup_Event_1000x563%20(1).png

🗳️ GET READY TO VOTE

Are you ready to vote next Tuesday?

If you plan to vote in-person on election day, 11/3, find your polling place here.

If you want to vote absentee or by mail, you have until 5pm tonight to  request your ballot.

If you already have a mail-in ballot, find a place to drop it off here.

city_hall_isometric.jpg

📰 5TH SQUARE IN THE NEWS

5th Square Advocacy Board Member Fae Ehsan was on City Cast Philly last week for a discussion about how daylighting intersections can make our streets safer.

City Cast Philly / Cheap Meals, Safer Streets & Funding The Arts

👋 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.

BECOME A MEMBER

🚨 ACTION ITEMS

✍️ PHILADELPHIA2050 Survey

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission's Philadelphia2050 plan will shape the future of housing, transportation, and public spaces in our city.  Take their survey here   and show your support for more housing, safer streets, and better public spaces!

 

🛠️ FIX THE SOUTH STREET BRIDGE

Far too many bicyclists are getting hit by cars on the South Street Bridge-- tell the city to fast-track safety improvements!

 

🚗💨 DON'T LOWER FINES FOR RECKLESS DRIVERS

Council Bill 260699 would weaken our city's lifesaving speed camera program by cutting speed camera fines, even for reckless drivers going 30+ mph over the speed limit--tell Council:  Say NO to Bill 260699!

 

💰🚲 SAVE FEDERAL BIKE FUNDING

DOT Secretary Sean Duffy is asking Congress to end federal funding for bike lanes and even remove existing bike lanes from roads that receive federal funding.  Tell your representatives in Congress: Save Our Bike Lanes!

 

🏘️🚇  SUPPORT HOMES NEAR TRANSIT

Sign to show your support for more homes near transit! City Council passed a bill to increase housing near certain transit stations--we need your support to expand coverage to additional stations citywide.

📅 EVENTS

Oct 29

Pitchfest: Transportation

2:30 to 6:30 PM · Penn Museum, Widener Lecture Hall, 3260 South St

Transportation Initiative at Penn is hosting an event designed to connect transportation-focused public agencies with faculty and staff at the University of Pennsylvania to collaborate on applied research projects. Public agency staff are invited to give low-stakes, two-minute pitches on short-term, high-impact projects that could benefit from external expert support.
Oct 29

Transit Forward Philly Book Club: The Lost Subways of North America

5:30 to 7:00 PM · TFP Office, 1500 Walnut St, Ste 1107

Discuss Jake Berman's The Lost Subways of North America for Transit Forward Philly's October book club.
Oct 29

Car Brain Documentary Premiere

7:00 PM · Bok Auditorium, 1901 S 9th St

Attend the free world premiere of Car Brain, a feature documentary about parking and the crisis around car ownership in Philly. The film covers the PPA, the activists of Philly Bike action, and a host of eccentric Philadelphians
Nov 2

November 5th Square Meetup - Saving South Street

6:00 to 8:00 PM · Nikki Lopez, 304 South St, 2nd Floor

Join us for our November social meetup, focused on South Street! We're hosing a data-driven look at more than 50 years of South Street’s economic history and how its vacancy and corridor-health trends compare with East Passyunk, featuring special guests Eleanor Ingersoll, Executive Director of the South Street Headhouse District, and Brandon Engelhardt, author of the Saving South Street study.
Nov 3

Vote Transit - Philly

7:30 AM · Transit Forward Philly Office, 1500 Walnut St, Ste 1107

When transit riders vote, we win. Canvass Philadelphia transit riders to help them make a plan to vote in the November 3rd election.
Nov 4

DVRPC: Transit-Oriented Development

5:30 PM · DVRPC office (190 N Independence Mall W, 8th Fl) or Zoom

DVRPC’s Public Participation Task Force is hosting a hybrid meeting about how SEPTA and NJ Transit are supporting the creation of livable and walkable places near transit stations.
Nov 10

Accelerate: SEPTA’s Best-in-Class Vision for the Authority & Region

12:00 to 1:00 PM · Virtual via Zoom

Design Advocacy Group will host SEPTA GM Scott Sauer for a virtual presentation on the agency's Accelerate plan. They'll discuss plans for new trolley and subway fleets, more frequent service, and bringing high-quality transit within reach of millions more residents and jobs.
Nov 15

World Day of Remembrance

11:00 AM · Butler Triangle (between Germantown Ave, Broad St, W Butler St)

Join us to honor those who have lost their lives or been impacted by roadway crashes. We will hear from local elected officials, city staff, community leaders, and families who have lost their loved ones to traffic violence.
Nov 21

Housing Justice Film Series

1:00 to 2:30 PM · AAPA Temple, 6008 Germantown Ave

Join Germantown Residents for Economic Alternatives for a film screening and discussion, with free popcorn and beverages.

💼 JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Office of Councilmember O’Rourke / Communications Manager

Glitter / Ambassador

Reclaim Philadelphia / Executive Director

Office of State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler / Constituent Services Advisor

Impact Services / Portfolio Manager

Clean Air Council / Trail and Watershed Outreach Coordinator

Tree House Books  / Development Director

University City District

Bread & Roses Community Fund

City of Philadelphia

Only One / Chief of Staff

Friends of the Wissahickon / Business Manager

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging / Quality Improvement Manager

< Older Post