Philadelphia

View of narrow alley on Philadelphia's Quince Street with fall leaves.

Video: A ‘European-Style’ Street in Philadelphia

With its narrow lanes and mature trees, Philadelphia’s Quince Street illustrates what’s possible.

December 28, 2023 - Next City

Phialdelphia skyline at sunset with close-up of bridge in foreground.

How Effective are Philadelphia’s Keystone Opportunity Zones?

The impacts of a tax break designed to create jobs, stimulate development, and reduce blight are proving hard to track.

December 13, 2023 - Next City

Row of five white chairs set against a blue wall with a round white analog clock. Clinic waiting room.

The Messy Politics of Saving Lives from Drug Overdoses

Philadelphia was on the verge of approving a key harm reduction strategy to prevent fatal drug overdoses until the city council all but banned supervised injection sites, overriding a mayoral veto. A New York Times report explores the controversy.

October 26, 2023 - The New York Times

Overhead view of white BUS LANE sign painted on red background on concrete street.

Philadelphia Bus Cameras Document Over 30,000 Violations

A pilot program tested AI-powered cameras that monitored bus-only lanes for parked vehicles.

October 15, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Green parking-protected bike lane in Philadelphia with old church in background

Philadelphia Traffic Calming Initiative Pays Off

City officials say serious crashes are down by 34 percent on streets that were the target of Complete Streets projects.

October 12, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Close-up of SEPTA logo in white letters on red line at top of SEPTA bus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Moves to Improve Paratransit Services

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority’s partnership with a technology provider will boost the system’s paratransit and microtransit services to improve access and accessibility.

October 11, 2023 - Mass Transit

Riverfront park in Philadelphia with white gazebo and skyscrapers in background.

Identifying Park Inequities Through Data Science

Researchers used a machine learning algorithm to analyze over 200 parks in Philadelphia, revealing insights about differences in access to quality parks.

October 10, 2023 - Phys.org

Yellow and black "SLOW SPEED HUMP" sign on residential street

Philadelphia Continues Traffic Calming Program

The city is installing ‘vertical deflection devices’ such as speed tables on some of its most dangerous streets.

October 4, 2023 - WHYY

Blue picnic table with attached benches and colorful children's playground in background.

A Data-Driven Approach to ‘Playspace Inequity’

Mapping playgrounds and their conditions can reveal how childhood play opportunities are inequitably distributed within cities.

September 29, 2023 - Next City

Rendering of people walking in waterfront park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philly Waterfront Park Breaks Ground

Penn’s Landing is an ambitious redesign of 11.5 waterfront acres.

September 15, 2023 - The Architect's Newspaper

SEPTA Bus

The Bus Revolution Has Been Revised in Philadelphia

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority went back to the drawing board with its Bus Revolution system redesign after an initial round of feedback completed earlier this year.

September 4, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Vintage green Phialdelphia trolley moving down street

Retro Trolleys Returning to Philadelphia

The freshly restored vintage fleet will maintain service frequency on Route 15 before eventually being replaced by newer models.

July 11, 2023 - Billy Penn

"I [heart] Philadelphia" sign in front of fountain with city hall building in background

Philadelphia’s City Center Rates Highly for Transit, Walkability

While not all parts of the city are equally accessible, its central district boasts one of the nation’s densest transit networks and high ridership rates.

June 15, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Two white SEPTA buses with red and blue lines on urban Philadelphia street

Philly Bus Cameras Catch Over 20,000 Bus Lane Violations

A pilot program revealed roughly 4,000 instances of vehicles blocking bus lanes or bus stops every week.

June 12, 2023 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Aerial view of 30th Street Station with train tracks and buildings in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Master Plan Envisions New Neighborhood Around Philly’s 30th Street Station

A partnership led by Amtrak plans to redevelop the area around a historic train station with mixed-use buildings, cultural amenities, and open space.

June 7, 2023 - Governing

Colorfu rowhouses in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Examining Philadelphia’s Zoning Overlay Districts

A decades-old policy allowing hyperlocal zoning exemptions and restrictions creates a confusing patchwork of zoning regulations across the city.

May 4, 2023 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Bus Service

SEPTA Launches On-Demand Transit

The service will expand SEPTA bus service to the Philadelphia suburbs.

April 23, 2023 - NBC Philadelphia

View of Philadelphia City Hall building at sunset

Philadelphia Mayor Hopefuls Want More Affordable Housing on Vacant Lots

Many of the candidates agree that a slow, complex sales process and strong councilmanic prerogative hinder the development of city-owned lots.

April 14, 2023 - WHYY

Two white SEPTA buses with red and blue lines on urban Philadelphia street

SEPTA’s Strategy for Easing Its Staffing Shortage

The agency is taking multiple steps to recruit and retain more transit operators, but it likely won’t be enough to prevent the agency from having to cut service on some of its bus lines.

April 6, 2023 - WHYY

White SEPTA bus driving through snow in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

‘Bus Revolution’ Revised in Philadelphia

The bus system redesign underway in Philadelphia changed direction after riders and local politicians complained about an initial draft plan.

March 23, 2023 - WHYY

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