October 29: Abraham in | Wolf promises Smart Growth office | Philly multimodal projects get funding

After publicly exploring the possibility of a run, long-time former District Attorney Lynne Abraham is officially in the Democratic primary for Mayor in 2015.

With a little under a week to go until Election Day, the latest poll shows Democrat Tom Wolf leading Governor Tom Corbett “in every corner of the state.” Wolf told the Bicycle Coalition that he’ll “establish a Smart Growth and State Planning Office to coordinate the efforts of various agencies involved in community development, revitalization, and regional planning, and to promote policies for reducing sprawl and creating walkable, bikeable communities.”

Nine Philadelphia multi-modal projects, many of which we’ve covered here at PlanPhilly, received state funding under Act 89’s new dedicated multi-modal fund, established in the transportation funding bill last year. Among the highlights are the Schuylkill River trail extension, a 30th St. station neighborhood planning grant, and bike and pedestrian improvements for the area between the Spring Garden St El stop and Columbus Blvd.

Tanya Snyder and Michael Andersen say the new Governors Highway Safety Association report drawing a causal line between more bike commuting and more cyclist fatalies is a hot mess that’s lead to bad victim-blaming reporting on the issue across the country.

The PHS pop-up brought about 52,000 people to South St. West this season, reports Geoff Thompson. 

Did the PGW sale ever have a chance at getting a vote in City Council. Claudia Vargas and Chris Hepp make the case that it didn’t.

Alexis Stephens says the Mayfair commercial overlay district Jared’s been covering would impact a third of the neighborhood’s businesses.

Turns out Uber X has been quietly operating in the Philly suburbs without a license for months, reports Technically Philly.