Philadelphia Named America’s Most Bikable Large City

Philadelphia, December 21, 2012 – The website www.walkscore.com, in collaboration with researchers at Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia, announced this week that Philadelphia ranks as the ninth most bikeable city United States and the best city for biking with a population more than one million. The rankings are based on four factors: bike lanes; hills; destinations and road connectivity; and bike commuting mode share.

 

“I am pleased to see Philadelphia recognized as among the nation’s most bikable cities,” said Michael A. Nutter.  “The work of the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities to coordinate agencies across City government has led to major strides in making biking a safe and convenient option for traveling around Philadelphia,” Nutter continued.

 

More than two percent of Philadelphians bike to work according to the 2011 Census Bureau’s American Communities Survey, this is a full percentage point higher than the next American City with a population more than one million; Chicago.  The Census Bureau data also ranks Center City Philadelphia and South Philadelphia as among the top twenty five biking neighborhoods in the United States.

 

In the past five years the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and Streets Department efforts have significantly expanded bike infrastructure in high demand and key employment areas including Center City, University City and around Temple University. In 2010, the City was awarded a $17.2 million US Department of Transportation TIGER Grant to fill critical gaps in the regions biking and walking trail network. By the end of 2013, nearly five and half miles will be added to the trail network knitting together a more that 50 mile network of cycling and walking trails, with a focus on the ability of the trails to be used for transportation.  By the end of 2014, the City expects to complete another five trail projects creating more than ten miles of new trail that leverage the existing network.

“We have been working hard for five years to make Philadelphia easier to get around, however you travel. The latest survey shows that our efforts are working. Perhaps most importantly, our streets and trails have never been safer for cycling, with bike commuting up by 150 percent since the year 2000 and the number of accidents involving cyclists down 50 percent,” said Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler.

ship in Energy and Environmental Design) standards, and it was a pilot site for a city-wide effort to employ more women and minority contractors in public projects.  Site-specific artwork was commissioned for inclusion in the PJJSC as part of the City’s ‘Percent for Art’ program.  Two Philadelphia-based painters were chosen to decorate the lobby, the community room and the second-floor waiting area.  A documentary by Greenhouse Media featuring the artists’ creative process will be displayed in the building.

 

 

More than 15 City departments, agencies and programs are affiliated with the PJJSC, and major tenants of the facility will include the Department of Human Services, the Juvenile Justice Division, Family Court, the School District of Philadelphia, the District Attorney’s Office, the Public Defender Association, and the Department of Public Property Facilities Division.

City Of Philadelphia Encourages Applications for Green Infrastructure Competition

Deadline Approaching for National Design Competition Highlighting Green Infrastructure $10,000 Top Prize for Innovative and Creative Designs for Philadelphia and Other Cities

November 16, 2012 – The Philadelphia Water Department, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Community Design Collaborative have partnered to launch a national, interdisciplinary design competition promoting the creative and innovative use of green stormwater infrastructure in Philadelphia and other cities. The design competition is part of Infill Philadelphia: Soak it Up!—a design initiative exploring how green stormwater infrastructure can revitalize urban neighborhoods.

Design teams must register by Friday, November 30, 2012.  Nine finalists will be selected to present at an awards event at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University next year. A jury will select one winning design for each of the three sites. The three winning competition teams will each receive a cash prize of $10,000.

Interdisciplinary teams of architects, landscape architects, engineers and other professionals will be challenged to develop new models for green stormwater infrastructure, focusing on one of three sites in Philadelphia:

• Warehouse Watershed: A warehouse and a city-owned vacant lot that offer possibilities for public-private partnerships and the revitalization of a high-vacancy, mixed-use residential/industrial district.
• Retail Retrofit: A retail strip center that has the potential to play a more central role in the surrounding neighborhood through improved walkability, pop-up space for community events and access to river recreation.
• Greening the Grid: An historic neighborhood with an engaged community and a dense network of streets, alleys, roofs and open space that offers possibilities for an array of small-scale interventions.

Green stormwater infrastructure is crucial to the implementation of Green City, Clean Waters, the City’s innovative, environmentally-sustainable, 25-year plan to protect and enhance local waterways primarily through the use of green stormwater infrastructure. “As we evolve Philadelphia into America’s most sustainable and green city, the opportunities ahead will be limited only by the confines of our imaginations and the extent of our determination,” says Howard Neukrug, Commissioner of the Philadelphia Water Department.

“Our partnership with Philadelphia represents the EPA’s firm commitment to encourage, support, and assist municipalities that adopt green infrastructure to improve both water quality and the sustainability of their communities,” says EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin.

Beth Miller, Executive Director of the Community Design Collaborative, adds, “This design competition will get everyone thinking about the broader community benefits of green stormwater infrastructure. We look forward to seeing the results.”

A Competition Packet with full details about the competition is available online at http://infill.cdesignc.org.

Philadelphia City Planning Commission Establishes Civic Design Review Committee

Philadelphia, October 24, 2012 – The City of Philadelphia announced the establishment of the City’s first Civic Design Review Committee.  The seven-member  committee, mandated as part of the city’s new zoning code,  will advise the City Planning Commission as it reviews development projects that have a significant impact on public streets, sidewalks, trails, parks, and open spaces. The committee will consist of six standing members and one rotating member depending on the project’s location.

 

“Establishing the Civic Design Review Committee demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that development projects make the most positive impact possible on Philadelphia’s treasured public spaces, both downtown and in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter.

 

The committee intends to meet monthly, two weeks prior to scheduled City Planning Commission meetings, but only if projects are submitted for review that month and have been identified by the Department of Licenses and Inspections during the permitting process.  The meetings will be open to the public and advertized on the City Planning Commission’s website:  www.phila.gov/cityplanning.

 

According to the zoning code, projects to be reviewed by the committee are determined by such factors as use, size, height, location, and zoning.  For instance, any large nonindustrial project with more than 100,000 square feet of floor space or 100 dwelling units will qualify. Smaller projects also may require review, particularly if they are very different in proposed size from nearby properties.

 

Six members of the committee have been appointed by Mayor Nutter; under the zoning code, each of the six must have a specific set of professional credentials. Committee members include:

• Nancy Rogo Trainer, principal at VSBA, LLC, architect, and member of the City Planning Commission since 2008;
• Michael Johns, acting deputy executive director for operations at the Philadelphia Housing Authority and architect;
• Anita Toby Lager, managing principal at LRSLAstudio and landscape architect;
• Dan Garofalo, environmental sustainability coordinator and senior facilities planner at the University of Pennsylvania;
• Anne Fadullon, director of real estate development and investment at the Dale Corporation; and
• Cecil Baker, architect and long-standing Washington Square West Civic Association zoning committee member.

 

The seventh seat on the committee is rotating for each project, to be filled by a representative of a local registered community organization in the project’s area.  The new zoning code also established a formal registry of community organizations to help ensure involvement by communities in the development process.

 

Nancy Rogo Trainer, the committee’s City Planning Commission representative, will serve as chairman as stipulated in the code.  Gary J. Jastrzab, the City Planning Commission’s executive director, will advise the Civic Design Review Committee but is not a voting member.

Philadelphia Streets Department Recognized for Innovative Practices

Philadelphia, April 18, 2012 – The City of Philadelphia Streets Department has been recognized for “innovative community and government initiatives” by the Corbett Administration for the implementation of BigBelly Solar compacting litter baskets and recycling containers. The baskets have saved the City a million dollars in annual costs by reducing the trash collection rate per trash can from an average 17 times per week to 2.5 times per week. The award was part of the 16th Annual Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence, which were presented on April 17th, 2012.

“I commend the Streets Department on the installation of BigBelly Solar litter baskets, which have been both an economic and sustainable benefit to Philadelphia,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “I congratulate Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson, Deputy Commissioner Carlton Williams and the rest of the department on this great recognition.”

Beginning in April of 2009, the Streets Department replaced litter baskets with nearly 900 BigBelly solar-powered compacting litter baskets and more than 400 public recycling containers. The new technology has allowed for a dramatic increase in collection efficiency. The recycling containers mark the first time that Philadelphia has on-street public recycling, keeping approximately 23.5 tons per month of recyclable materials out of the trash stream.

“The Streets Department is proud to be using this innovative technology and to embrace ideas like Big Belly, ideas that save money and natural resources,” said Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson. “We would like to thank Governor Corbett and the Department of Community and Economic Development for recognizing our ongoing measures to support Mayor Nutter’s commitment to advancing recycling and sustainability. The use of Big Bellies allowed for the introduction of public space recycling to the City for the very first time. This is one more important step towards achieving the City’s sustainability goals.”

Since December 2009, the Streets Department has installed BigBelly units with recyclers outside of Center City. Most of these have been installed in 12 commercial corridors throughout Philadelphia. Funding for BigBelly Solar baskets has come from Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development, the City of Philadelphia Commerce Department, Cleaning and Streetscape project grants and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-EECGB grants. # # #

Citizens Planning Institute Announces Philadelphia Zoning Code Training Series

Philadelphia, March 16, 2012 – The Citizens Planning Institute (CPI), the Philadelphia City Planning Commission’s educations program to engage citizens in the city planning process, will offer a Spring-Summer 2012 training series on the new Philadelphia zoning code, which was signed by Mayor Michael A. Nutter in December 2011. The classes, sponsored in partnership with the Department of Licenses and Inspections, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, and the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, will provide citizens with the opportunity to learn more about the zoning code. Registration opens today, and the first classes will begin on April 24, 2012.

“The Citizens Planning Institute is a new way to educate Philadelphians about city planning,” said Mayor Nutter. “We set out to educate our citizens on development and zoning so they can share this information with their neighbors, friends and colleagues. Planning is about the future of our communities, our neighborhoods, our city, and I want to encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about how we can create a more livable, green and sustainable Philadelphia.”

The new zoning code includes changes to the City’s development regulations and approval procedures such as:

• Making the zoning code more user-friendly;
• Reducing number of zoning classifications;
• Incorporating a civic design review process; and
• Establishing the role of citizens in the zoning approval process.

To sign up, individuals can visit www.zoningmatters.com to participate in two core classes, the Comprehensive Overview of the Zoning Code and Administration & Procedure, as well as have the opportunity to sign up for three electives. The registration fee for the core classes is $160 and each elective class is $45. Currently also open for registration is the CPI Spring Citizen Planner course series. Registration for these classes ends on March 27, 2012.

Mayor Nutter Announces Completion of Manayunk Canal Towpath Renovation Project

Philadelphia, February 23, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced the completion of $645,000 in renovations to the Manayunk Canal Towpath. The project was funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the City of Philadelphia. The Manayunk Canal Towpath is a key linkage in Fairmount Park’s multi-use recreational trail system. It is also part of the larger Schuylkill River Trail, which will ultimately connect Philadelphia to Pottsville in Schuylkill County via a multi-use trail extending the entire length of the river—a distance of approximately 130 miles.

“The improvement and beautification of our trails and natural lands are vital to the livability of the city” said Mayor Nutter. “The renovated Manayunk Canal Towpath will benefit thousands of cyclists, joggers, runners and pedestrians who rely on a safe and functional recreational trail network. I would like to thank the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for their support of this project.”

The project includes restoration of 2.2 miles of trail with crushed stone on path, improvements to drainage, gateways, re-decking/repairing four bridges, fencing for safety of trail users, paving approaches to bridges and boardwalks with porous paving for stormwater management, bollards and gates, new retaining wall construction at the Leverington Avenue parking lot and tree removal.

“The trail helps keep children and youth safe, active, and healthy by connecting them to the park and the natural world along the Manayunk Canal and the Schuylkill River” said Michael DiBerardinis, Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources. “The collaborative approach used on this project represents a new way of working at Parks & Recreation; leveraging partnerships and community engagement to create and accomplish bold and innovative projects”

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the partnerships that led to the completion of this project,” said DCNR Deputy Secretary John Giordano. “Like many of our projects across Philadelphia, the teaming together of the city, the state and regional organizations are what made this project possible.”

The Manayunk Canal Towpath is one of several capital projects underway in Manayunk:

• The Philadelphia Water Department’s Lower Venice Island project, which will include a brand new multi-million dollar performing arts center to be managed by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.

• A joint project between Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Philadelphia Water Department, which will restore flow to the Manayunk Canal.

• A federally funded (TIGER) trail project, sponsored by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, constructing a new portion of Schuylkill River Trail from Shawmont Avenue to Port Royal Avenue and widening the existing trail from Port Royal Avenue to the Montgomery County line.

Mayor Nutter and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Launch TreePhilly and Citywide Tree Giveaway Program

Philadelphia, February 14, 2012- Mayor Michael A. Nutter launched the TreePhilly Initiative: a campaign led by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PP&R) in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Wells Fargo & Company. The campaign directly engages Philadelphia property owners, businesses and neighbors to plant and maintain trees. This initiative will also include a citywide yard tree giveaway, through which residents can request a free yard tree to plant on their private property. Wells Fargo is sponsoring the yard tree giveaway; both Wells Fargo Bank and the Fairmount Park Conservancy will provide marketing and promotional support for the campaign.

“TreePhilly is an investment in our city’s future,” said Mayor Nutter “Our city will be healthier, safer and more attractive as a result of the trees we plant through this program. The TreePhilly campaign is the result of a Greenworks goal to plant 300,000 trees by 2015 and will provide Philadelphians with the knowledge and support they need to successfully plant and care for a new tree. I would like to thank Wells Fargo & Company and the Fairmount Park Conservancy for their support of this important initiative.”

“Our data tells us that the most effective way to reach our ambitious tree planting goal is to engage with communities and neighborhoods to encourage people to plant trees on their own property. TreePhilly gives us the resources and mechanisms to do just that.” said Michael DiBerardinis, Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources.

TreePhilly will galvanize residents, property owners, neighborhood organizations, civic associations, businesses and other partners to reach its goal by offering a number of different programs to allow Philadelphians to get involved with planting trees on both public and private property. By working in neighborhoods throughout the City, TreePhilly and its community partners will be able to plant trees that will benefit these neighborhoods for years to come. PAGE 2

“Wells Fargo is pleased to provide a $75,000 grant to TreePhilly because this program will make Philadelphia more attractive and environmentally sound for generations of future Philadelphians,” said Vince Liuzzi, Wells Fargo’s regional president for Greater Philadelphia/Delaware. “Tree Philly aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and will further the vision of Philadelphia’s founding father, William Penn, of Philadelphia as a ‘greene country towne.’ ”

Citizens can get involved with TreePhilly by planting and caring for trees on their property, volunteering for a tree planting event in their local park, or sponsoring community service days to plant and maintain trees. For more information, citizens can visit www.TreePhilly.Org or call 215-683-0217.

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About Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Philadelphia Parks & Recreation promotes the wellbeing of the City, its citizens and visitors, by offering beautiful natural landscapes and parks, historically significant resources, high quality recreation centers and athletic programs, along with enriching cultural and environmental programs.

About Wells Fargo Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 270,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 23 on Fortune’s 2011 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.

About The Fairmount Park Conservancy The Fairmount Park Conservancy enhances the quality of life of the Greater Philadelphia region through the financial and programmatic support of projects throughout the Fairmount Park System. In partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Philadelphia community, the Fairmount Park Conservancy has raised more than $20 million for capital improvements and innovative programming. For more information, please visit www.myphillypark.org.

Mayor Nutter Philadelphia City Planning Commission Release Two District Plans

Philadelphia, January 31, 2012– Mayor Michael A. Nutter and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission released two draft district plans for lower South Philadelphia and the area around City Avenue and West Fairmount Park. The district plans are open to public comment for the next month. In June 2011, the Philadelphia2035 Citywide Vision was adopted as the City’s new comprehensive plan. It is part of an “Integrated Planning and Zoning Process” that also includes the district plans, the new zoning code, and the Citizens Planning Institute.

“The Philadelphia 2035 planning process along with these first two district plans exemplify my vision for the rebirth of planning in Philadelphia and engagement with neighborhood residents,” said Mayor Nutter. “Community leaders in West Park and Lower South should feel empowered by the way they were involved and listened to during the preparation of these plans.”

The Philadelphia2035 comprehensive planning process continues with the preparation of 18 district plans covering every section of Philadelphia. The first two of these plans are: 1) The Lower South District Plan, and 2) The West Park District Plan. District plans recommend future land use and contain an analysis of municipal facilities. Development scenarios for key opportunity sites in each district are illustrated through urban design plans and renderings.

“The district plans have a key role in implementing the Philadelphia2035 Citywide Vision and guiding future investment in our neighborhoods and business districts,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Alan Greenberger, FAIA. “Amazing things can happen as a result of good planning supported by citizens who truly care about the future of the city.”

The Lower South district covers the Navy Yard, stadium complex, Sunoco refinery and neighborhoods to the south of Packer Avenue. The draft plan calls for improved highway and transit access, well-designed housing for seniors and families, and better connections to parkland and the riverfronts. Exciting new restaurants and amenities will make the stadium complex a busy and more vital place at all times of the day and night. The Navy Yard will continue to expand as a first class business campus, and the port will add roads and shipping facilities to support job retention and the creation of new jobs in Philadelphia.

The West Park district includes West Fairmount Park, adjoining communities and the neighborhoods along City Avenue. Draft recommendations call for new mixed-use development on 52nd Street, Lancaster Avenue and Parkside Avenue, allowing Fairmount Park and nearby communities to improve in a coordinated and well-planned manner. Neighborhood playgrounds will be upgraded at locations most accessible to local residents, while City Avenue will develop into a more urban and pedestrian-friendly corridor at the city’s edge.

Community engagement was conducted through a steering committee and three public meetings in each district. With the official release of the plans, public comment will be accepted until March 1. Final adoption of the district plans is scheduled for March 20, 2012.

The City Planning Commission Meeting also included the third graduation ceremony for the Citizens Planning Institute.

Extensive information about Philadelphia2035 and copies of the district plans are available at http://www.Phila2035.org and the “Philadelphia2035 Facebook page.

Mayor Nutter Signs Zoning Code

The first comprehensive zoning code reform in 50 years

Philadelphia, December 22, 2011 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter signed legislation that comprehensively rewrites and modernizes Philadelphia’s zoning code for the first time in fifty years. The four-year code rewrite process included 50 public meetings of the Zoning Code Commission (ZCC); two public hearings in City Council chambers; 36 community-based meetings; seven Stakeholder X-Change meetings; two public meetings to discuss why the Commission adopted, rejected, or modified a group’s proposal; interviews with 125 professional zoning code users and surveys of nearly 2,000 individuals on components of the proposed new zoning code.

The Zoning Code, which was passed by City Council unanimously, codifies the City’s development regulations and sets expectations regarding land use. In February 2007, City Council unanimously approved a resolution proposing an amendment to the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to create the Zoning Code Commission, and providing for the submission of the amendment to the voters of Philadelphia. The measure was overwhelmingly approved by voters, with 80 percent of citizens voting in favor of reforming the City’s Zoning Code.
“I am delighted to sign this once-in-a-generation legislation that makes Philadelphia more attractive to developers, promotes growth, and brings our zoning code into the 21st century,” said Mayor Nutter. “Good planning is our best way to preserve the past and to anticipate the future. This modern code will help Philadelphia, in the years to come, to ensure healthy, sustainable development that protects our neighborhoods and grows our city.”

The new zoning code includes changes to the City’s development regulations and approval procedures such as:
• Making the zoning code more user-friendly;
• Reduced number of zoning classifications;
• Incorporation of a civic design review process; and
• Establishing the role of citizens in the zoning approval process.

In June 2008, Mayor Nutter offered his vision for planning in Philadelphia in the years to come. He returned the Philadelphia City Planning Commission as the authority for broad planning and development-related decisions, established the Design Review Advisory Board to provide guidance to the Planning Commission when evaluating aesthetics, form and community context for proposed projects, placed sustainability as a central factor in evaluating development proposals, and the directed the ZCC to complete the first comprehensive code reform in 35 years. Since then there has been much progress:
• The Planning Commission has adopted the Citywide Vision component of the Philadelphia2035 Comprehensive Plan and initiated the first two of 18 district plans;
• Greenworks Philadelphia, the City’s comprehensive sustainability plan has been released and will reach its midway review in 2012;
• The Office of Property Assessment (OPA) is currently undergoing a city-wide property reassessment process; and
• In 2010, the Planning Commission established the Citizens Planning Institute (CPI), with funding from the William Penn Foundation and Office of Housing and Community Development, to educate Philadelphia residents to become “citizen planners” in their neighborhoods and communities. Since then, 90 Philadelphians have graduated.

“Our new code will help to attract investment to Philadelphia, and will also give our communities an organized means for their thoughts, concerns and input to be considered in the planning process,” said Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger. “This transformative code will prevent many of the road blocks that currently inhibit growth and will make Philadelphia’s development and planning more coherent, consistent and predictable in the future.”

Eva Gladstein, Executive Director of the ZCC, added, “The newly reformed zoning code will be a tool that all Philadelphians can understand and use. The ZCC received tremendous and valuable feedback from citizens that drove this process and is reflected in the final code. The engagement of Philadelphians throughout this process contributed greatly to its success.”

Mayor Nutter, U.S. Transportation Secretary LaHood Announce $10 Million TIGER Grant for Philadelphia

Philadelphia, December 15, 2011 –Mayor Michael A. Nutter, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities Rina Cutler announced that Philadelphia will receive a $10 million TIGER grant. This money will be used for the IMPaCT Philadelphia Project—Improving Mobility for Pedestrians, Cars and Transit. The project’s goals are to reduce congestion for transit and cars as well as improve reliability along capacity constrained arterials in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. It will also provide benefits in the form of reduced vehicle emissions and reduced fuel consumption.

“I am excited and thankful that the Secretary LaHood and the Obama Administration have granted Philadelphia $10 million to invest in its neighborhoods,” said Mayor Nutter. “The money for these upgrades will improve the commutes for 92,000 drivers, transit riders and pedestrians. Reinvesting in and maintaining our infrastructure is key to improving Philadelphia. The Administration understands that cities and municipalities cannot wait for Congress to get the job done.”

Secretary LaHood said, “The overwhelming demand for these grants clearly shows that communities across the country can’t afford to wait any longer for Congress to put Americans to work building the transportation projects that are critical to our economic future. That’s why we’ve taken action to get these grants out the door quickly, and that is why we will continue to ask Congress to make the targeted investments we need to create jobs, repair our nation’s transportation systems, better serve the traveling public and our nation’s businesses, factories and farms, and make sure our economy continues to grow.”

IMPaCT Philadelphia is a cooperative effort between the City of Philadelphia Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities, Philadelphia Streets Department, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. Improvements will take place along transit corridors in Northeast Philadelphia and West Philadelphia.

“We have a fabulous team of partners who over the past few years has successfully brought tens of millions of dollars of competitive grant funds to Philadelphia. Today is one more win for Philly.”

The project will upgrade nearly 100 existing traffic controllers to solid state controllers and connect them through fiber-optic cable. It will also provide infrastructure for the transit signal prioritization, which will extend the green light when a bus or trolley is detected. Other intersection improvements include ADA ramp upgrades, pedestrian countdown signals and improvements in safety and access for pedestrians and people with disabilities.

TIGER grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact. Projects are chosen for their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, increase energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and enhance the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. The Department also gives priority to projects that are expected to create and preserve jobs quickly and stimulate increases in economic activity.

The continuing demand for TIGER grants highlights the need for further investment in the nation’s transportation infrastructure that could be provided by President Obama’s American Jobs Act. The American Jobs Act would provide $50 billion to improve 150,000 miles of road, replace 4,000 miles of track, and restore 150 miles of runways, creating jobs for American workers and building a safer, more efficient transportation network. It would also provide $10 billion for the creation of a bipartisan National Infrastructure bank.