November 2, 2016
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jacklyn Isasi, AARP Pennsylvania, (267) 825-9928 or jisasi@aarp.org
Philadelphia, PA— As Philadelphia residents and workers grapple with the SEPTA strike that halted subways, trolleys and busses that provide 900,000 rides a day, local experts gathered to discuss the city’s future transportation needs.
“Cities like Philadelphia should provide reliable and accessible transportation options, safe and walkable streets, and access to needed services,” stated Angela Foreshaw-Rouse, AARP Pennsylvania Manager of Operations and Outreach. “It’s part of what makes Philadelphia a more livable community.”
According to the AARP Livability Index, Philadelphia scores at 78 percent in the category of providing safe and convenient transportation options. Philadelphia ranked in the top third in comparison to neighborhoods across the country in providing frequent local transit service, cost of transportation, and reduced speed limits; the city ranked in the middle or bottom third when factoring crash rates, congestion, and accessibility according to the Americans with Disabilities Act.
A variety of safe, affordable, dependable and user-friendly travel options allow people to stay active and engaged in their communities. Regular, fixed-route public transportation services, along with personalized services — such as paratransit, dial-a-ride, reduced-fare taxis or rides in private vehicles — and pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly options are needed.
“Philadelphia can and should be a safe city for anyone, no matter how they choose to get around,” stated Randy LoBasso, Communications Manager for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. “The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is honored to join AARP in promoting Vision Zero for the city’s future, and a connected bike network that will keep cyclists safer as they commute around the city.”
Local experts highlighted challenges and opportunities of current transportation programs and discussed how Philadelphia can become a more livable community by improving transportation options. Speakers included representatives from SEPTA, UBER, Indego, the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS), the city’s Department of Aging, Vision Zero-Bicycle Coalition, Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, and West Chester University.
AARP, along with the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS), the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) hosted the event on November 2 at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
For more information about livable communities, visit https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/.