In case you missed it: this week’s good reads about Pennsylvania cities

It’s Friday and we bring you water, transportation, notable city quotes and the impact of the budget impasse on school districts.

 

Water, water everywhere

Take a sped-up ride down the Schuylkill River, via a video camera mounted to a canoe.  No Dramamine is required.

Some cities, from Seoul to San Francisco, are removing or reconfiguring the highways that sit between residents and rivers, so there’s more access to the water. And Pennsyvlania cities are considering it, too.Pennsylvania waterfronts are required to have buffers, a designated amount of space between development and streams or rivers. Environmental advocates say the bigger the buffer, the cleaner the water. Biking, boating, outdoor concerts on the water can all be a part of riverfront fun. Some cities, like Lock Haven, have found innovative ways to both protect neighborhoods from flooding and still allow access to the waterfront.That riverside bike path is beautiful, but it requires patience to get it built. In Pennsylvania,  you gotta get through red tape and come up with the money,  but we found that the Commonwealth is better off than some other states.Transportation

Ah, London… great bus maps and those double decker buses, with grand views of St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey. Why can’t we commute like that? In its latest Streetsplainer, PlanPhilly explains why the size of the bus matters in Philly and why SEPTA doesn’t hear London Calling. (PlanPhilly)

From buses to trains, safety is key and the cargo needs be carried with care, especially potentially hazardous materials. A recently released report commissioned by Governor Tom Wolf outlines the necessary steps to make Pennsylvania’s oil trains safer. (StateImpact Pa)

If you take public transportation and aren’t happy about your long waits, check out this explanation about long wait times in New York City and how the MTA is working on a rider-friendly solution. Fun charts and graphs explain. (CityLab)

Last month Houston overhauled its bus system overnight. Well, Houston, was there a problem?  (NextCity)

Budget effect on schools, pensions

Governor Wolf’s most recent Pennsylvania pension scenario did not impress Republican lawmakers and so the budget stalemate continues. Finding common ground on pension reform strategies and school funding continues to be the biggest obstacle. 

Because there’s still no budget agreement in Harrisburg, school districts in the Commonwealth are dealing with delayed payments. Here’s a look at the effect of the impasse on school districts. (NewsWorks)

There are seven charter schools in the Bethlehem Area School District and until Pennsylvania has a budget, the school board has voted to pay only seventy percent of the invoices submitted by the charter schools. (LehighValleyLive)

Worth quoting

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness”…”A Tale of Two Cities.” What quote comes to mind when you think of cities? Keystone Crossroads has put together some good ones. They cover love, corruption, opportunity and reinvention.

“There’s no crying in baseball” and yes, Tom Hanks uttered these words in A League of Their Own, but this homage to  the Phillies’ Chase Utley may bring a tear to your eye. You do not have to be a Phillies fan to love the grit, determination, hard work and dedication that Chase brought to the game. Like many caring and devoted Pennsylvanians we meet at Keystone Crossroads, Utley got it done with nose-to-the-grindstone attitude and integrity. (NewsWorks)

Have a great weekend, Pennsylvania. Play ball! 

 

 

 

 

Have a great weekend.