October 3: Franklin Square PATCO station movement | Washington Ave restriping hits a wall | Old City infill

Some official business before the morning links – I’m flying out on vacation this evening for a few weeks (a good friend is getting married in Spain, so my wife and I are making a big European tour of it) and I’ll be back October 21. You’ll be in great hands with PlanPhilly editor Matt Golas taking over the morning news while I’m away.

Councilmen Mark Squilla and Kenyatta Johnson are hosting meetings with local civic associations on October 8 and October 15, respectively, to discuss the restriping plan for Washington Ave. The avenue has been restriped already except for the bike lanes and back-in angle parking, and the Councilmen are seeking further community feedback about those elements. 

Good catch James Jennings: buried in an Inquirer article on bridge repairs was the news that DRPA has hired a consulting firm to conduct a feasibility study of reopening the Franklin Square PATCO station at 6th and Race St. Read Christine Fisher’s story on the PATCO station from earlier this year for the backstory.

 With funding secured sooner than expected, the renovation of the 15th St SEPTA station is now underway.

As protected bike infrastructure and cycling rates have increased in NYC, the rate of pedestrians injured by bicyclists has gone down. 

Old City’s surface parking lots are slowly but surely getting filled in with new housing. Does this design recall some of the worse aspects of Society Hill for anyone else though?

Governing Magazine previews some of the internal political challenges Philadelphia may face with the City Accelerator program.

Daniel Traub is releasing a photography book on North Philadelphia. Preview and interview at Next City.