One of our newest Board members and co-founder of Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia, Latanya Byrd, was invited to speak on a panel at the White House Convening on Equity on February 14. I was fortunate to accompany her at this wonderful event where senior-level officials from the Biden-Harris Administration gathered to share how “the Administration’s whole-of-government equity agenda” efforts have impacted projects around the county with a renewed focus on equity. Among the different panelists were Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior, Miguel Cardona, Secretary of Education, and Marcia Fudge, Secretary of Housing & Urban Development.
While it was impressive to hear the different ways the represented Federal departments were able to re-write the rules for funding with President Biden’s Executive Order, Ms. Byrd made the compelling case for continued funding and the focus on equity through sharing her story. Tragically, she lost her niece and three nephews when they were struck and killed by two drivers that were drag racing on Roosevelt Boulevard. As the co-founder of Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia, Ms. Byrd has been on the front lines, advocating for safer streets for all throughout the Philadelphia area with special emphasis on Roosevelt Boulevard.
The White House hosts the White House Convening on Equity event to mark the one-year anniversary of the signing of the second equity Executive Order 14091, Wednesday, February 14, 2024, in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House. (Official White House Photo by Carlos Fyfe)
To date, there has been $78 million Federal government investment for traffic calming measures on the Boulevard. The Bicycle Coalition, alongside our partners from the City of Philadelphia, PPA, PA Safe Roads PAC, Families for Safe Streets Greater Philadelphia, AAA, and members of both the PA House and Senate, have also spent the last couple years fighting to make the Automatic Speed Enforcement program permanent. This victory was achieved in December 2023 when the Commonwealth both made the program permanent and allowed for expansion to an additional five corridors and five school zone pilots.
With all the success we have seen on this front, there is still progress to be made toward safe streets for all. We need your continued support to do so. For the past decade, we have hosted the annual Vision Zero PHL conference, bringing together safe street advocates, elected officials, planners, engineers and other key stakeholders. This year’s conference will take place March 22 at Temple University’s Student Center South. Please join us or consider becoming a sponsor. Complete details are available here.
I want to also thank our current members; please know that your support helps the Bicycle Coalition in our effort to make Philadelphia streets safe for all, regardless of how we choose to travel.
Latanya Byrd and Chris Gale at the White House Convening on Equity, Feb 14, 2024.
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia leads the movement to make every bicycle ride safe, to empower youth and adults to ride, and to foster a ridership that reflects the diversity of the region. Join or renew your membership today to support more and better protected lanes, more connected trails, more adults and children learning to ride safely, more youth on bicycles, more accessible public transportation, free public resources and other rides just for fun, exploring our city and region. Members make it possible!