Exelon's 2020 Plan is a remarkable corporate 'go green' initiative

As one of the nation’s largest energy companies which supplies electricity and natural gas to approximately 5.4 million households in Pennsylvania and Illinois, the Exelon Corporation is a leader in environmental preservation. As the largest and most efficient nuclear fleet in the United States and the third largest commercial nuclear fleet in the world, Exelon always has environmental preservation at the top of its priority list when producing energy that powers so many homes.

Exelon Nuclear's Limerick Generating Station, which draws its cooling water from the Schuylkill River, expels only water vapor and produces energy for more than two million homes in the Delaware Valley, without harmful carbon emissions.

In keeping with their eco-friendly mission, Exelon and has created the Exelon 2020 Plan, which is a three-tiered plan to reduce, offset or displace more than 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year by 2020.

In order to achieve this goal, Exelon will:

· continue to ‘green’ their own operations
· help their customers reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by providing energy efficiency programs
· offer more low carbon electricity by introducing new low-carbon generation capacity. This will allow Exelon to displace other, high-emitting sources of generation and thereby reduce overall emissions in the regions in which they operate.

To learn more about Exelon’s 2020 Plan, click here.

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Select Bus Service: Bus Rapid Transit for New York City

Select Bus Service: Bus Rapid Transit for New York City

Last Wednesday, the MTA New York City Transit, NYCDOT, and NYSDOT introduced the second in a series of Select Bus Services to New York City. The Select Bus Service (SBS) is a form of Bus Rapid Transit, which the project describes as “[combining] the speed, reliability and amenities of rail-based rapid transit systems with the flexibility of buses.”

New York City is known for its high density of people, and like the rest of the country, it is trying to find solutions to the problem of increased greenhouse gas emissions and fuel prices. Also like other urban areas, it has a bus system already in place, and this existing infrastructure allows the city to implement this program, which will expand their service, increase ridership, and decrease travel times and fuel consumption.

The first rollout of the service was in the Bronx, along Fordham Road and Pelham Parkway. Future demonstration corridors are planned for Manhattan, Staten Island, and Brooklyn over the next few years. If successful, these demonstration corridors will become permanent, and more corridors will be created throughout the city. In general, this project hopes to “improve the speed, reliability and appeal of the bus system, city-wide” as well as offer measurable benefits to current customers, attract new riders, and support growth and redevelopment.

For more information on this project or bus rapid transit in general, please visit: http://www.mta.info/mta/planning/sbs/ and http://www.nbrti.org/.

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SEPTEMBER 22nd- CAR FREE DAY

Car Free Day is an international event celebrated every September 22nd in which people are encouraged to get around without their car - highlighting transit, bicycling, walking and all alternative modes of transportation. By taking a fair number of cars off the roads people who live and work there are given a chance to consider how their neighborhood might look and work with a lot fewer cars. Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets, intersections, and neighborhood blocks to remind the world that we don't have to accept our car-dominated society.

Car Free Day began as a street party in Bath, England in 1995. Due to its success, English transportation officials decided to expand the program into an annual event, and the momentum of good idea soon established similiar celebrations in France, Switzerland, and now all of the countries in the Eupopean Union and some in the Eastern Europe. All events are held on the same day, September 22. In Europe, town center streets will be closed to traffic allowing street theater, live music, dancing and public art.

Maybe your cities or townships can't block off the streets to allow for these types of celebrations, but there are other ways to encourage your township and/or employees to reduce their carbon footprint.

• Offer incentives for driving alternatives
• Hold luncheons or seminars to get individuals aware of public transit that is available in your area
• Discuss carpooling/vanpooling or shuttle options that may work for your employees and residents

Click here for more information about World Car Free Day and to see what your area can do not only for today but the changes you should make for the future!

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Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS) and Winter Road Conditions

GVF Transportation recently attended a conference on a new winter weather maintenance program PennDOT called Maintenance Decision Support Systems (MDSS), which PennDOT is considering adopting. For the 2007-2008 winter season, PennDOT spent roughly $200 million on winter weather maintenance. Currently, a federal program called the Pooled Fund Study MDSS is operational in more than a dozen states. MDSS is a computer-based, customizable tool that provides winter maintenance personnel with route-specific weather forecast information and treatment recommendations. MDSS provides almost real-time road condition reporting, and gives road treatment recommendations with regards to treatment type and timing. MDSS allows for better more efficient use of salt and other deicing materials, as well as better maintenance of road crews shifts. A representative from Illinois Department of Transportation noted that during one snow event on February 28, 2008, having an operational MDSS saved the state upwards of $100,000 in materials and labor. It should be noted, though, that MDSS can be an expensive system to employ, and the technology does require some training. However, with the cost of salt and gasoline rising, the initial cost may be off-set by savings down the road.

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I-80 Lease is rejected....

The Federal Highway Administration has rejected the PA Turnpikes proposal to toll I-80. This now leaves the state in a major bind as the Turnpike's proposal would have continued to assist the state in paying for Mass Transit and funding our Highway and Bridges.

Infrastructure financing is critical to our state as we have seen recently that the Federal Transportation Trust Fund is having financial problems and to compound that the effects of the decrease in miles driven due to the high gas prices this year has yet to be reviewed. GVF Transportation will continue to work with our partners as we attempt to find creative solutions for this massive problem. In November will be hosting our Transportation conference and this years focus will be on Infrastructure Financing. As more information becomes available we will be posting more information.

Below is the report from FHWA on the rejection:

Federal Highway Administration Does Not Approve Pennsylvania’s Plans to Toll Interstate 80
WASHINGTON, DC – The Federal Highway Administration announced today that it did not approve an application from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to place tolls on Interstate 80. The agency said the planned use of toll revenues does not meet federal requirements as there is no basis to conclude that the proposed lease payments are legitimate operating costs.
“Tolling interstates is a viable option for many states to fund highway improvements or to improve performance conditions,” Highway Administrator Tom Madison said. “Because we are legally bound to ensure applications for this program meet all congressionally mandated requirements, however, we are regrettably unable to approve this application.”
The revised application seeking tolling authority under the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program was submitted to the Federal Highway Administration on July 22, 2008. Under the proposal, PennDOT would transfer I-80 to the Turnpike Commission and make payments.
The Federal Highway Administration said the Commonwealth’s application did not meet legal requirements for the correct use of toll revenue. Specifically, the application called for the Turnpike Commission to use toll revenue to pay annual lease payments to PennDOT. The federal agency noted that while under the program toll revenue can be used for lease payments, the amount of the payment is required to be based on an objective market valuation.
The Commission’s application, however, included no information or data justifying the proposed amount for the annual toll payment or establishing that the level was based on an objective market valuation. The agency noted that earlier this year it had asked for just such justification as it reviewed the tolling application. The Commission, however, sent no additional information supporting the lease payment level, the agency said.
“There is simply no evidence that the lease payments are related to the actual costs of acquiring an interest in the facility,” explained Administrator Madison. “Although we are unable to move the application forward, we stand ready to assist the Commonwealth in finding creative ways to address its transportation needs.” # # #

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Senate passes HR 6532...

The US Senate passed HR6532 on Wednesday night which allows for the transfer of $8 Billion dollars in the Transportation Trust Fund. The bill passed with an amendment which makes it effective immediately rather then September 30th. The house was scheduled to vote on it today and approved it will move onto to President Bush for signature. We would like to thank Senators Casey and Specter for their quick action on this measure.

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US Transportation Trust Fund needs your help...

The United States Transportation Trust fund is where all of the highway projects in the United States receive funding. Its current balance is at zero and with out assistance many projects are in jeopardy. While this does not come as a surprise to those of us in the transportation industry the ramifications will effect all of the United States if not acted on quickly. The current administration had been opposed to transferring $8 billion dollars back into the trust fund but has recently dropped their opposition. The House of Representatives has passed House Resolution 6532, which would return the money to the trust fund. It was approved by a vote of 387-36. In order for this to move forward the Senate needs to take action and this is where your support is needed. Please contact both Senators Casey and Specter to ask them to support House Resolution 6532. While this is only a temporary fix it is very much needed in the short term. To put this into real numbers, Secretary Beihler has estimated that Pennsylvania would lose $543 Million Dollars if nothing happens. If you need more information please contact GVF Transportation. All of our contact information can be found on http://www.gvftma.com/

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SEPTA’S NORRISTOWN TRANSPORTATION CENTER PARKING GARAGE NOW OPEN ON WEEKENDS

Contact: SEPTA Public Relations
Felipe Suarez
(215) 580-7842

PHILADELPHIA, PA (September 2008) – SEPTA will expand the hours of operation at the Norristown Transportation Center (NTC) parking garage to include accommodations for weekend riders beginning Sunday, September 7.

As a result, the NTC parking garage will now be open later on Friday evenings and include Saturday and Sunday hours to coincide with new late-night R6 Norristown weekend train service in effect September 12.

The parking garage’s new hours will be from 6:30 a.m. until 2:30 a.m. on Saturdays and from 6:30 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. on Sundays with Friday evening hours extended until 1:30 a.m.

Parking fees will be $3.00 after 1 p.m. on Fridays, as well as all day Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Thursday parking garage hours will now be curtailed by half an hour and close at 12:30 a.m.

SEPTA’s NTC parking garage, located at the corner of Dekalb Pike and Lafayette Street in Norristown, opened in April and is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The four-level garage is large enough to accommodate 522 vehicles providing more capacity for SEPTA commuters and other patrons.

The new garage also provides convenient entry and exit points and offers a method of payment which allows commuters to park and pay by the day or purchase re-loadable payment cards at a reduced cost per use by frequent visitors.

SEPTA service from the NTC includes Bus Routes 90, 91, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99, and 131; the Route 100 Norristown High Speed Line; and the Norristown (R6) Regional Rail Line.

Information on SEPTA service is available online at SEPTA.org by calling the SEPTA Customer Service Department at (215) 580-7800.

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“The Last of the Summer Streets”

As the summer is coming to a close, people are starting to move indoors, going back to work and school. This summer has seen a number of events where people have taken over the streets, reclaiming their right to the typically car-dominated thoroughfares and enjoying the outdoors among neighbors and friends. With the rise in concern over gas prices and traffic congestion, people are becoming more aware of their local roads and of alternative modes of transportation. Walking and bicycling are two very low-cost modes of travel, but in order to commute this way, streets must be more hospitable to the slower-paced traffic.

Initiatives like “Summer Streets” in New York City and experimental car-free Sundays in Seattle are attempting to create a place where people can “play, walk, bike, and breathe.[1]” And if all goes well, these initiatives may become permanent and more initiatives may be created in the future. In Philadelphia, bicyclists are taking back the streets for one Sunday in September. In an effort that celebrates “the freedom of car-free Philadelphia streets,” the day-long event offers a number of course distances, including 10, 20, 35, and 50 miles. The Commerce Bank Bike Philly event will be taking place on Sunday, September 14. For more information, please visit: http://ridebikephilly.org/. Come out and join residents of the Greater Philadelphia area in taking back the streets and viewing the city from another perspective!

[1] http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/summerstreets/html/about/about.shtml

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Stuck In Traffic due to Constructions Delays?

Stuck in Traffic due to construction delays?
Visit these Web site below for the latest traffic updates!

How often have you found yourself stuck in a traffic jam due to construction project you were unaware of? What if you could receive a weekly email that indicated where these projects were located so you can plan an alternate route? GVF Transportation's new and updated websites can provide you with this information!

422improvements.com features information on the continuing improvements being made throughout the 422 corridor in Chester and Montgomery Counties. This site is the commuter’s source for information on specific projects, timelines for construction, hours of work and any posted detours. It also features live camera feeds at nine different sections of Route 422 and has a section where commuters can sign up for email updates. When you subscribe to the RSS feed on this website, you will automatically get traffic updates on the 422 corridor.

Another busy roadway that is currently being improved is US 202. The site features links to each of the seven sections of US 202 in Pennsylvania, from the Delaware state line to PA 611. Sign up for the RSS feed on the site, and stay informed on top of any traffic delays and get the latest information on construction projects at www.us202.com.

GVF Transportation recently created a YouTube site, www.youtube.com/gvftransportation. Log on now and watch interviews with GVF Transportation staff that have been or will be televised on local stations, including CN-8 Newsmakers and Upper Merion Township Talk. Log on to see interviews discussing the Upper Merion and Conshohocken Ramblers, Bike Pottstown program and the recently revised Phillytraffic.com. Continue to visit the Video section on www.gvftma.com for updated interviews and videos on our YouTube site.

Phillytraffic.com was recently featured on CN-8 Newsmakers because of its new look and updated features, including a map of Park and Ride lots in the region, a commuting calculator, information on emergency detours, live regional traffic cameras and FREE weekly construction e-mails. On this site, you can also sign up for carpooling. Phillytraffic.com is a great, easy-to-use Web site for commuters throughout the Delaware Valley.

Like US 202, GVF Transportation’s Web site, www.gvftma.com, you can sign up for the latest updates and press releases featured on the site through an RSS feed located directly on our homepage. It’s another simple way to keep ahead of what’s going on throughout the region!

LOG ON TODAY!

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