As exciting events continue in Philadelphia, learn how you can get around to major summer 2026 events without a car, or being stuck in traffic with GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map!
The Inquirer: SEPTA gets $13.3 million from D.C. for new Silverliner Regional Rail train cars – A $13.3 million federal grant is going to SEPTA to help replace the 223 Silverliner IV train cars that were pulled from service last year. After being in service for half a century and several fires, the train cars were pulled for safety inspections and repairs. The grant is part of the Rail Vehicle Replacement Program, and work will begin in the Fall. 234 new cars will be built, at an estimated cost of $2 billion.
ABC 6: More than 330K drivers ticketed along Broad Street since speed camera enforcement began: PPA report – Speed cameras have been capturing driver data along Broad Street since November 2025 at 15 locations. Drivers exceeding 11 miles over the speed limit are fined starting at $100, and the Philadelphia Parking Authority released a report on violations through March 2026. In total, more than 330,000 drivers were ticketed along the Broad Street corridor.
CBS Pittsburgh: $82M in federal grant money will help Pittsburgh Regional Transit purchase new light-rail vehicles – Pittsburgh Regional Transit is receiving over $82 million in grant funding. The funding will be used to purchase new vehicles for the light-rail system, the “T.”. 45 new vehicles will be replacing old cars on the T, and will feature a more modern interior and on-vehicle wheelchair lifts.
Other Stories
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Lawmakers wrestle with the proliferation of e-scooters on Pa. roadways
WHYY: Philadelphia Cycling Classic returns, reconnecting fans and cyclists with longtime traditions
The Inquirer: New speed cameras in West and North Philadelphia will start warning drivers on Monday
WPXI: Bicyclists flock Pittsburgh’s streets for 33rd annual Pedal PGH fundraiser
Pittsburgh City Paper: Lawrenceville’s guerrilla crosswalks are a white-striped call for change
Philadelphia Today: IBX Partners with Philly Bike Ride for One of the City’s Signature Fall Traditions
]]>As exciting events continue in Philadelphia, learn how you can get around to major summer 2026 events without a car, or being stuck in traffic with GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map!
Transit 4 All PA is hiring fellows, with two paid positions in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties: to support transit advocates in building local demand for transit. If you live in Luzerne or Lackawanna County, and you ride transit, apply TODAY. Application closes on September 2, 2026. Learn more here.
Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Additional Amtrak passenger train service to and from Pittsburgh to begin in mid-November – A second daily passenger train will be running between Pittsburgh and New York, via Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The train will begin running in mid-November. Ridership on Pittsburgh to Philadelphia trains exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time in 2024, with nearly 234,000 passengers.
The Inquirer: The return of the Philadelphia Cycling Classic will close roads – This weekend the Philadelphia Cycling Classic is back, utilizing the original route of the Ben Franklin Parkway to Kelly Drive. Road closures will start on Saturday and continue into Sunday. SEPTA routes that travel through Manayunk and Roxborough or on Kelly Drive will be detoured.
Metro Philadelphia: Open Streets returns to Center City for 7 Sundays of car-free fun this fall – Center City is bringing back Open Streets: West Walnut, for 7 weekends this fall. Starting September 13 through October 25, along Walnut Street between Broad and 19th Street, and 18th Street between Chestnut and Locust, will close to vehicles from 7 AM until 6 PM. Open Streets will run from 10 AM until 5 PM on Sundays. Businesses along the closure routes reported an average 59% increase in foot traffic, and 37% increase in sales.
Other Stories
WHYY: Market Street Bridge closed to cars for a year as part of a nearly $150 million upgrade
The Inquirer: Lower Merion has issued more than 600 violations from red-light cameras since mid-July
StreetsBlog USA: Philadelphia Figured Out to Stop Double Parking — Will Other Cities Follow Suit?
The Inquirer: New trail connector lets bikers ride 70 miles from Philly to Reading. It’s ‘a really, really big deal.’
CBS Pittsburgh: Signs for upcoming PennDOT projects causing concerns for drivers, but impacts won’t be long-lasting
Philadelphia Today: Philadelphia Named Finalist to Host 2028 Democratic National Convention
]]>“Today, students are experiencing longer stretches of extreme heat, unpredictable weather, heavy rainfall, and changing seasonal patterns. And while we might assume that modern schools are equipped with reliable heating and air-conditioning systems, the reality is that many school buildings struggle to maintain comfortable learning environments. And here’s the reality that educators face: the students who are usually engaged, motivated, and eager to learn can become disengaged when their basic environmental needs aren’t being met,” said Austin Minor, Founder/Executive Program Director of the Jacob’s Puzzle Foundation and Secondary Special Education Math Interventionist with Mastery Charter Schools.
Climate change is exacerbating extreme heat. Summer temperatures now extend well into the fall months, putting children in classrooms without air conditioning at risk. Students and teachers are having to learn and teach in sweltering classrooms and, at times, schools are forced to dismiss early because of extreme heat. Furthermore, federal attacks on clean energy and climate protections are moving us in the wrong direction.
“Our current climate is NOT ‘the new normal.’ It’s the normal – for now. Unless we reduce greenhouse gases, extreme heat will keep coming earlier in the spring and last into fall. There will be more and more school days cancelled because it’s too hot,” said Glenn “Hurricane” Schwartz, meteorologist for 50+ years.
Students deserve safe schools. Teachers and school staff deserve safe workplaces. Parents deserve the confidence that their children can learn without interruption. Speakers at the press conference called on our leaders in Washington to stand up for students and make classrooms better for learning. It’s time to defend environmental protections that tackle climate change and clean energy investments that reduce climate pollution and, in turn, the extreme heat conditions it fuels.
“As a teacher at my state-funded summer program in a district building, we went virtual three times this summer. Part of the reason was due to the sweltering heat, but the other reason was due to the air being too dangerous to breathe. These conditions can extend into the school year, so it is far past due to invest in sustainable, clean energy,” said Emmie Ledesma, Educator, George Washington High School.
“As my children head back to school, climate change is turning their classrooms into health hazards. Research has shown that without adequate air conditioning, children can’t concentrate, retain information, or perform well on tests. In the most extreme cases, heat can cause illness or even death. As an environmental attorney, we must take meaningful action on climate change with strong environmental policies that invest in clean energy and cut climate pollution before it’s too late,” said Lauren Otero, Clean Air Council Staff Attorney.
At the event, Philly-area residents gathered for a rally to send the message to their elected officials to act on climate now. The gathering was part of a national movement of communities coming together and demanding strong climate action of their elected officials while they’re back in their home states during the August recess. At the press conference, volunteers also handed out “back to school kits” that highlighted what tools are needed to keep a child safe on hot school days.
Hear from members of the selection committee, from previous awardees, and others all about the application and awarding process!
Register for the free webinar at bit.ly/MiniGrantWebinar
The webinar will also be recorded and posted online afterwards, so follow along to see it if you can’t make it on 8/25!
]]>Today, Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order that creates new rules for companies that want to build data centers in Pennsylvania.
The Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) standards require data center developers to bring their own energy capacity, ensure transparency with local communities, and contribute to local workforce development.
This executive order will enact these standards to set legally binding requirements for all data center developers seeking permits in Pennsylvania.
In addition to complying with GRID standards, data center developers would be required to obtain local or municipal approvals before a state permit can be issued. It would also prohibit non-disclosure agreements related to data center projects and prevent the fast-tracking of such projects. Notably, the executive order did not propose a moratorium on data center development.
Alex Bomstein, Executive Director of Clean Air Council, issued the following statement:
“Pennsylvania needs a statewide moratorium on AI data centers to give communities the time needed to protect themselves from this rush of polluting proposals. The Pennsylvania public has been clear on this. Today’s executive order is not a moratorium, but it is a welcome step in the right direction. Requiring local voices with a greater stake in the outcome to weigh in before the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection reviews the permit applications is a sensible change that will conserve resources and weed out some of the worst proposals. And while the GRID principles fall short of the protections that Pennsylvanians deserve, they are better than today’s wild west landscape.
“Energy usage and air pollution are still major concerns, and it’s disappointing that stronger protections have not been put in place. The biggest danger from AI data centers is the fossil fuels burned to power them. GRID’s emission reduction efforts are weak. The technology and industrial infrastructure exists today to power data centers with renewables and batteries alone.
“Clean Air Council continues to urge the Governor, the General Assembly, and every official grappling with dirty AI data center proposals to focus on protecting the public from the dangerous pollution they so often promise to bring to our neighborhoods.”
]]>As exciting events continue in Philadelphia, learn how you can get around to major summer 2026 events without a car, or being stuck in traffic with GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map!
Register now to join Transit for All PA! for a statewide call on Wednesday, August 19th from 6-7 PM. Join to discuss how transit riders and transit advocates can win funding for transit in 2027. Register here!
Transit 4 All PA is hiring fellows, with two paid positions in Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties: to support transit advocates in building local demand for transit. If you live in Luzerne or Lackawanna County, and you ride transit, apply TODAY. Application closes on September 2, 2026. Learn more here.
Metro Philadelphia: SEPTA’s 11th Street Station closing for major accessibility upgrades – Beginning early September, the Market-Frankford Line will be skipping 11th Street for around a year. The station will be closed though the end of August of 2027, according to SEPTA. Plans include building two elevators, improving lighting, and structural repairs, making the station fully ADA compliant as part of a $44 million project. Other than 11th Street, the 34th Street and Spring Garden stations are the only remaining inaccessible, with future plans to construct elevators at both.
WHYY: SEPTA celebrates new Navy Yard bus service in the rapidly changing Philadelphia neighborhood – The Route 45 bus travels from Center City to the Navy Yard, simplifying a route that many commuters and riders previously relied on a shuttle bus transfer for. This change is part of the New Bus Network, which began in phase 1 this month. The planned goal is to consolidate routes and adjust service for riders.
Northeast Times: Self-driving SEPTA buses unlikely soon, but a state bill aims to prepare – State Representative Ben Waxman, representing House District 182, which includes parts of Center City and South Philadelphia, has introduced a bill that bares completely autonomous transit vehicles. The bill would require transit vehicles weighing over 10,000 pounds and using an automated driving system to have a licensed driver on board. SEPTA has announced no plans to introduce autonomous buses, but Representative Waxman said he discussed the proposal with SEPTA officials.
Other Stories
The Inquirer: Self-policing loading zones have worked in Center City, the PPA says, so they’re adding more
Northeast Times: Bridge Street ramp to I-95 closing permanently this month
PhillyVoice: Walnut Street will go car-free for seven Sundays this fall
Philadelphia Today: PennDOT Launching $2 Million Repair Project on Historic University Avenue Bridge
CBS Pittsburgh: Tolls on the Pennsylvania Turnpike will increase in 2027. Here’s how much more drivers will pay.
]]>As exciting events continue in Philadelphia, learn how you can get around to major summer 2026 events without a car, or being stuck in traffic with GoPhillyGo: Car-Free Routes Map!
WHYY: After SEPTA’s summer success, riders fear momentum could stall – This year’s state budget once again failed to provide dedicated transit funding, and advocates worry support and momentum could decline. Over 155,000 riders were moved by SEPTA to and from FIFA World Cup matches, and the agency rose to the occasion. Previous emergency funding diverted by SEPTA will expire in July 2027, which will result in a fiscal cliff without state intervention.
Billy Penn: Philly’s smart loading zones are a boon or a plague, depending on who you ask – Automatic camera systems on 23 blocks of Chestnut, Walnut, and Sansom streets in Center City have issues an average of 8,000 tickets per month, for unregistered drivers parking in smart loading zones. The zones are meant for commercials vehicles, and by registering and enforcing these vehicles, surrounding areas have seen a decrease in illegal parking and idling. Bike and fire lanes are more open, and pedestrians have clearer walkways. This represents an ongoing shift for the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) towards automated enforcement, with officers going through the images, verifying license plate scans, and if necessary, issuing tickets.
PhillyVoice: SEPTA to close 2 trolley lines this weekend to replace rails – Two trolley lines in Delaware County will temporarily close this weekend, and service will be replaced with shuttle buses through Sunday. Starting on Friday, sections of Landsdowne Avenue will be closed through Monday evening to vehicles. The D1 and D2 trolleys will be paused through Sunday, and bus Route 115 will also be detoured around the construction.
Other Stories
Mainline Times: Ardmore Rock N’ Ride celebrates 10 years, will also host state criterium finals
Metro Philadelphia: Pine Road bridge in Fox Chase to close through summer 2027
CBS Pittsburgh: New legislation in Pittsburgh removes loophole to prevent vehicles from parking on sidewalks
Mass Transit Mag: NJ Transit offers discounts, but not to these riders. That needs to change, groups say
Philadelphia Today: Century-Old Philadelphia Bridge Left to Decay as Preservationists Demand Action
PhillyVoice: Camden County bridge closes for 3 months to undergo repairs
Inside Climate News: In Philadelphia’s Chinatown, a Fight to Restore Funding for a Critical Highway Cap
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The Cobbs Creek Park Ambassadors are a grassroots and volunteer-run West Philadelphia organization dedicated to transforming our local green spaces. Founded in 2018 by neighbors Rich Guffanti and Andrew Wheeler, the initiative grew from weekly cleanups into a dedicated network of volunteers who adopt and maintain specific sections of Cobbs Creek Park.
We’re proud to say that in 2026 alone, we’ve hosted 50+ cleanups, removed over 6,000 pounds of trash, and engaged hundreds of volunteers. Beyond picking up litter, we work to cultivate community pride and environmental stewardship. Through events like our annual Summer Festival, we bring hundreds of neighbors together to celebrate the park.
We invite you to join us in keeping Cobbs Creek Park beautiful because our park thrives when our community steps up to care for it. Ambassadors host cleanups every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, and volunteers are welcome to attend whenever they can.
Upcoming cleanups:
*please use the registration form found on our website and monitor your inbox in case of a cancellation
- Wednesday, August 5, 8-9 a.m. at S 61st and Baltimore Ave.
- Sunday, August 9, 2-4 p.m. at Little Whitby Meadow
- Wednesday, August 12, 8-9 a.m. at S. 61st and Baltimore
- Sunday, August 16, 2-4 p.m. at Woodland Ave. and Cobbs Creek Parkway
- Wednesday, August 19, 8-9 a.m. at S. 61st & Baltimore
- Saturday, August 22, 9-11 a.m. at Mt. Moriah Cemetery and Cobbs Creek Parkway
- Sunday, August 23, 2-4 p.m. at Catharine St. and S. 63rd St.
- Wednesday, August 26, 8-9 a.m. at S. 61st and Baltimore
Please use the registration form found on our website and monitor your inbox in case of a cancellation
Additionally, our 4th annual Summer Festival is coming up on September 12 at Whitby Park from 11a.m. – 3 p.m. Join us for a bounce house, horseback riding, fishing lessons, a birding walk, free watermelon, and more! Thank you to Clean Air Council and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for financial support of this work.
Email cobbscreekparkambassadors@gmail.com with questions or to join our listserv. Find us at cobbscreekparkambassadors.org and @cobbscreekambassadors.
PHILADELPHIA, PA (August 3, 2026) Feet First Philly (FFP), a pedestrian advocacy project of the Clean Air Council, launched the seventh round of its Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant program in partnership with Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention.
The initiative funds projects aimed at improving Philadelphia’s pedestrian environment and public spaces, with Mini-Grant recipients receiving funding ranging from $500 to $2,500 to create public space enhancements and safety improvements. FFP is hosting an informational webinar on August 25.
“For the past six years, our Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant program has successfully funded 80 projects that are led by community groups, businesses, and individuals across the Greater Philadelphia region”, said Titania Markland, Clean Air Council Sustainable Transportation Program Manager. “With the launch of the seventh round, we are excited for the new ideas that community leaders will propose to improve their public spaces. We are also able to offer an increase in funding for the first time since launching this program.”
“Environments shape health,” said Dr. Kinnari Chandriani, Director of the Health Department’s Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention. “It is a joy to support communities throughout the city to enhance public spaces with mini-grant funding. We are excited for another round of inspiring projects to make our city safer, cleaner, and greener.”
In 2020, FFP launched its first Public Space Enhancement Mini-Grant program with seven projects that were led by and benefited local communities. Since then, the program has awarded 80 Mini-Grants to local organizations all over Philadelphia and provided funding to:
- Extend efforts to clean up the Cobbs Creek Trail
- Create a pocket park in Southwest Philadelphia
- Replace a severely damaged sidewalk outside of a community garden in Kensington
- Create a mural on a newsstand in Germantown
- Paint an artistic crosswalk in North Philadelphia
- Add amenities to a local meadow to make it a walking destination
- Install bike racks to prevent illegal sidewalk parking outside of a school
- Help develop community gardens all over the city
For the full list of projects awarded during the sixth round (2025-2026), read more here.
“Pedestrian advocacy projects bring communities together to create safer and healthier spaces,” said Sally Hecht, a Clean Air Council Transportation Program Coordinator. “They bring people from all walks of life together and make neighborhoods around Philadelphia safer and healthier. Through the Mini-Grants, we can give Philadelphians the ability to build their communities in ways that benefit and directly support their neighbors.”
Safety is a top priority for this program, and applicants are encouraged to identify ways their project can improve safety in their communities.
If you are interested in applying or want more information, attend the webinar on August 25 at 12 p.m. (noon) ET. Applicants can email shecht@cleanair.org to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Clean Air Council staff to discuss their project ideas. Applications for the Mini-Grant are open until Saturday, October 3 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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Feet First Philly is Philadelphia’s only advocacy group dedicated to pedestrian rights, sponsored by the Clean Air Council.
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