
This SimCity-type game will help players understand urban planning via Philly open data - Technical.
With a grant from the Knight Foundation, the new game being developed through Drexel University's Entrepreneurial Game Studio allows players to act as city managers in West Philadelphia's Mantua. With a grant from the Knight Foundation, a new video game out of Drexel University’s Entrepreneurial Game Studio (ESG) will help players better understand urban planning in Philadelphia. Simulated Interactive Management of the City of Philadelphia (SIM-PHL) was one of seven projects

SEPTA Board Approves Fare Changes; $2.2 Billion for Operating, Capital Budget - Philadelphia Inquire
SEPTA riders will notice changes next week following board approval Thursday of the authority’s latest fare plan, a $1.53 billion operating budget, and $640 million capital budget for the coming fiscal year. The authority introduced the fare proposal in March, but not all of its elements will kick in Wednesday, the start of its 2021 fiscal year. SEPTA has planned for a 50-cent hike to the SEPTA Key’s base fare, as well as increases to weekly and monthly passes. Fare increases

Bike it: Trails near Philadelphia worth exploring - Philadelphia Inquirer
You can’t go to the gym, or to the movies, or bowling. Not yet. That’s expected to change by July 3. But bike trails? They’ve been open and are perfect for the pandemic, whether you want to de-stress, work out, keep your kids occupied, or just get out of the house. The Greater Philadelphia region is home to hundreds of miles of trails. Some greet you with riverside views. Others are scattered with historic attractions. Cruise through any of them, and you’ll find ample sunshin

The High Cost of Bad Sidewalks - CityLab
The critical role that good pedestrian infrastructure plays in city life has been exposed by the coronavirus lockdowns. Why can’t cities fix their sidewalk gap? Stuck at home because of the coronavirus, millions of urban residents suddenly became acutely aware of an easily overlooked element of urban infrastructure: their neighborhood sidewalks (or lack thereof). “Maybe when this is all over we can widen the sidewalks,” mused Dan Rather in an April 2 tweet that garnered over

Philly proposes $43 million Schuylkill trail extension to include bridge with scenic overlook - Phil
Philadelphia has applied for a federal permit to build an extension to the Schuylkill River Trail with a bridge along the eastern bank of the Schuylkill that would allow runners, walkers, and cyclists to go over railroad tracks that have long blocked access to the river. It would also allow for an uninterrupted trail from Valley Forge to Bartram’s Garden. The $43 million project, adding more than a half-mile of trail, is to be paid for through a mix of federal, state, city, a

How Mobility Messaging Can Inject Confidence Into a COVID-Changed Society - Mobility Lab
COVID-19 and the devastation it has caused has made people uneasy about spending time in shared public spaces like buses and trains. And by continuing to go out in public during the pandemic and perform face-to-face work, transit employees, like all essential workers, are risking their lives and health to keep society functioning, a selfless act illustrated by sobering statistics. But despite stereotypes that buses and trains are akin to petri dishes, research findings regar

MBTA Rolls Out Real-Time Crowding Data for Nine Bus Routes - StreetsBlog
The MBTA has started broadcasting real-time bus crowding information for nine bus routes on its website, digital signs, and on the Transit smartphone app, making it the largest U.S. transit agency to share real-time crowding information available to riders. A screenshot from the Transit app shows the MBTA's new real-time crowding information for a Route 23 bus on the afternoon of Friday, June 19, 2020. Initially, the new data will be available on nine routes: the 1, 15, 16, 2

Three Signs This Might Be Micromobility’s Big Moment - Streetsblog
Micromobility is in the midst of a major COVID-19 comeback — and it’s raising questions about how advocates might use this historic opportunity to make our whole mobility system better for non-drivers. After months of bleak news about pulled fleets and mass layoffs in response to the coronavirus pandemic, countless urbanist op-eds opined that the scooter- and bike-share industry was rolling towards an early death. But as states and cities begin to re-open, riders are beginnin