Phillytraffic Blog by GVF

Carbon Offset Credits. What are they?

2012-01-26T10:15:00.004-05:00

I had the opportunity over the holidays to visit a friend in South Africa. Before my trip I began researching the amount of pollution caused by air travel. I discovered that in addition to the carbon dioxide and other pollutants released, aviation pollution is even more damaging because of the high altitudes in which pollutants are released. Jet airliners operate near the tropopause, the atmospheric boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. When planes leave vapor trails in the sky it can lead to the artificial formation of cirrus cloud formation. Some estimates even say that cloud cover may have increased 0.2% since the discovery of aviation. In addition to artificial cloud formation, the release of pollutants at high altitudes can cause a reaction with other green house gasses, increasing ozone concentrations. So what is a world traveler to do in this moral conundrum?

This is where carbon offset credits come in. The concept is simple. You go on to a website like carbonfund.org, and purchase donations to verified carbon offset projects. These projects include renewable energy and methane projects, energy efficiency projects, and reforestation and avoided deforestation projects. There are a number of preset packages you can purchase based on the kind of car you drive or the size of the house you live in, or you can use their custom carbon calculator to calculate the amount of pollutants your flight will create. My flight was from Philly to DC, then from DC to Dekar, Senegal and finally from Dekar to Johannesburg, South Africa- annnnd back. The calculator determined that these flights would emit 3.95 metric tons of CO2 emissions. I was able to purchase credits in a project of my choosing and flew easier knowing that my donation was going towards verified projects to offset my footprint. I will continue to use this service for my future travel plans and urge you to do the same. For sustainability, it’s a step in the right direction.

White House and U.S. DOT To Expedite Projects Along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor

2012-01-20T10:52:00.003-05:00

On Friday, January 13, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a pilot program aimed at fast-tracking environmental reviews along Amtrak's heavily traveled Boston-to-Washington D.C. rail corridor. Under this program, CEQ and U.S. DOT will work with local elected officials and stakeholders to speed the environmental review process, which will help determine possible service types and station locations along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor (NEC). The pilot program calls for involving federal, state, and local governments, as well as the public, earlier in the environmental review process to set benchmarks that maintain "rigorous" environmental protections, while also saving time and money by avoiding conflicts and delays in later project-development steps, according to the CEQ and U.S. DOT.

Several major upcoming projects along the corridor that could benefit from these expedited reviews include the proposed Gateway Tunnel from Secaucus, NJ to New York City's Penn Station and upgrades to Great Depression-era overhead wires that power Amtrak trains through NJ. The proposed multi-billion dollar Gateway Tunnel was supposed to be built by 2020, but thus far has only received $15 million for engineering and design. The new tunnel under the Hudson River would support an additional 13 NJ Transit trains during peak hours and an additional eight Amtrak trains an hour. U.S. DOT has already obligated $450 million to replace overhead catenary train wires and upgrade the electrical system on the NEC between New Brunswick, NJ to just south of Trenton, NJ. The upgrades would allow trains to operate at speeds upwards of 160-mph and will increase reliability on a rail line where sagging or downed wires cause numerous delays.

The U.S. DOT will post and track project timelines and progress on the "Federal Infrastructure Projects Dashboard" at www.performance.gov

"By bringing all involved parties to the table earlier in the process, we will do the job better and finish it sooner," U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.

Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman noted, "the decision to expedite the federal environmental review process for NEC high-speed rail projects is great news for all users of the NEC who are seeking increased passenger-rail capacity, mobility and connectivity in the region. A faster review process will help speed along Amtrak’s efforts to rebuild and improve today’s corridor and advance Amtrak’s vision to develop a new high-capacity, 220 mph next generation high-speed rail system serving the region, including our Gateway program to bring more track, tunnel and station capacity into the heart of Manhattan.”

To view the full press release from U.S. DOT and the CEQ, click here

PA House Democrats Introduce Transportation Funding Reform Bills

2012-01-12T09:28:00.001-05:00

In late 2011, Representative Mike Hanna (D-76) and Representative Dan Frankel (D-23) introduced three pieces of legislation that greatly reform the way in which Pennsylvania funds its transportation system. The three bills are very close to the three bills introduced by Senator Jake Corman (R-34) in to the Senate in November 2011. The three bills follow the recommendations of the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission (TFAC) Report which was release in August 2011. Governor Tom Corbett has not publicly supported either the report in August or the subsequent bills in the House and the Senate.

The transportation funding reform is more than funding reform bills, they are also modernize PennDOT, and generate savings within the department. The three bills, HB 2099, HB 2101, and HB 2112 address each of these issues in a very similar fashion to Senate Bills SB 4, SB 1326, and SB 1327.

HB 2099 amends the Title 75 by increasing the fees PennDOT collects on such things as driver’s licenses, vehicle registration, violations of traffic control devices, and also sets the minimum average wholesale price of motor vehicle fuels. Included is an increase from $36 for vehicle registration to $49. Penalties for traffic control device violations will be increased to $75, not including any other fees or infractions the violation may involve. The bill also addresses the “average wholesale price” of motor vehicle fuels. The “average wholesale price” is the price that the state is able to tax motor vehicle fuels when it is before it is sold on the retail market. The current average wholesale price is capped at $1.25 per gallon, or rather, the state is only allowed to tax the first $1.25 of wholesale fuel sales. HB 2099 ramps this price up to $2.70 by 2017, but also does not limit the wholesale price at $2.70.

HB 2101 amends Title 75 to create an Intermodal Transportation Fund, amend the vehicle registration and driver’s license renewal periods, changes penalties imposed for driving without insurance, modifies regulations governing the use of radar speed control, changes inspection requirements for new cars, and allows for advertising revenue along state owned right of way. The Intermodal Transportation Fund will be a dedicated fund that directs investments in aviation, rail freight, passenger rail, ports, and waterways. This was a recommendation in the TFAC report, as these areas of transportation are drastically underfunded at the state level. To offset the increased expenses of HB 2099, Pennsylvania drivers will benefit from expanding vehicle registration from one year to two and no more registration stickers. New cars will also be made exempt from needing a safety inspection during the first two years. The bill will allow for third party driver’s license exam centers to administer and issue a driver’s license; the tests will not differ to those administered by the state. The bill increases the penalty for driving without insurance to $500 for reinstatement prior to the three month suspension. Included in the bill is a provision that will allow PennDOT contractors the use of electronic speed monitoring (radar) within a work zone. Lastly, the bill will allow for PennDOT to lease space for commercial advertising where it is not prohibited by Federal law.

The text of HB 2112 was not made available at the time this was written, however a summary was available and it appears as though the bill will amend Act 44 of 2007 to shift the entirety of the $450 million annual payment made by PennDOT by the PA Turnpike into a mass transit fund. The money will be solely available for mass transit systems throughout the state. The bill will also increase the portion of the state sales tax which is directed to mass transit. Currently the portion of the sales tax dedicated to mass transit is 4.4%, under HB 2112 it will increase to 6.5%.

These three bills compliment, and are almost identical to the three Senate bills. It is the hope of many legislators, transportation officials, and those in the transportation industry that 2012 is the year Pennsylvania begins to solve the problem of infrastructure funding.

Big changes coming to Upper Merion Rambler!

2012-01-05T15:02:00.003-05:00

The New Year has two big changes in store for the Upper Merion Rambler, a community shuttle provided by Upper Merion Township.

The Rambler,which currently runs Monday through Friday only, will begin providing service on Saturdays starting on January 28, 2012. We're excited to see the Township expand the service so that more residents and visitors can use the shuttle to get around the King of Prussia area.

The look of the Rambler has changed as well. Starting on Monday, January 23, the Rambler will look as pictured above. In a region that has a lot of shuttles and van services, it is easy to get confused and accidently get on the wrong shuttle. This new design will make finding the Rambler easy for riders.

GVF has managed the service since it started in 1999, and we are proud to see the Rambler ridership grow and days of service expanded. It's a truly convenient resource for travelers in Upper Merion Township, especially seniors.

The Rambler runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Seniors age 65 and over ride free. Fares are:

$2 per ride for adults

$.50 per ride for students ages 7-17

Children under 7 riding with an adult ride free

10-trip tickets - $10. The 10-trip tickets are a good investment for regular riders, since you are paying half of the cash fare per ride.

We hope to see you on the Rambler soon!

Pennsylvania Receives $35 Million For Transportation/Economic Investments

2011-12-22T15:24:00.003-05:00

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recently received $35 million from the United States Department of Transportation to fund three transportation projects which will generate economic recovery. The funding comes through the U.S. DOT's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant Program. The $511 million TIGER Program is now in its third year, being originally conceived as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The $35 million received by Pennsylvania was the third-most of any state, behind only Illinois and California.

TIGER grants are awarded to transportation projects that have a significant national or regional impact. Projects are chosen for their ability to contribute to the long-term economic competitiveness of the nation, improve the condition of existing transportation facilities and systems, increase energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improve the safety of U.S. transportation facilities and enhance the quality of living and working environments of communities through increased transportation choices and connections. U.S. DOT also gives priority to projects that are expected to create and preserve jobs quickly and stimulate increases in economic activity.

The three projects awarded in Pennsylvania are as follows:

PennDOT received $15 million to expand the Rutherford Intermodal Facility near Harrisburg, PA to an additional 125,000 lifts per year and enable the facility to keep pace with growing freight traffic and demand in the Harrisburg area. The project includes track work, expansion of parking access, and the construction of cranes to increase capacity. This facility, owned by Norfolk Southern Corporation and located along the company's Crescent Corridor, is a central point for freight from cities in 12 states, including Chicago, Memphis, and Atlanta. The project will remove highway truck traffic along several interstates, reducing carbon emissions by 1.8 million tons and saving 162 million gallons of fuel over 30 years.

The City of Philadelphia received $10 million to upgrade more than 100 existing traffic controllers along three transit corridors (Castor/Oxford Avenues, Bustleton Avenue, and Woodland Avenue) covering approximately 15.72 miles in northeast Philadelphia. These controllers will be connected to the city's existing traffic management system via fiber optic cable, allowing for a substantial upgrade in traffic flow. The controllers will also be outfitted with transit-signal prioritization technology, which holds the green lights as SEPTA buses approach intersections, allowing them to pass through and thereby maiximizing transit running times. Traffic monitoring cameras and ADA-compliant ramps will also be installed as part of the project.

The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County received $10 million to construct a flyover ramps from the Rankin Street Bridge to provide direct access to the Carrie Furnace Site in Rankin, PA. The 168-acre land parcel is the former site of a historic blast furnace, which has undergone environmental remediation, and is currently designated as an environmental brownfield. The flyover ramps will enable redevelopment of the site as a mixed-use industrial/office park with an adjacent residential component.

For a full list of projects funded under the TIGER Program, click here

Could 2012 Be The Year?

2011-12-15T15:23:00.002-05:00

As deadlines approach and deals are made, we sit and wait, and hope that yes, this could be the year. If only this applied to fans of the Philadelphia Phillies and not to those in the transportation industry. In September of 2009, the previous Federal Transportation bill, SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) expired. What is SAFETEA-LU, and why is it so important? This bill is the primary legislation that authorizes the federal government to spend tax revenue on transportation infrastructure projects. The bill specifies the various programs for transportation projects and the levels that those programs are funded. The revenue used to pay for all these projects is collected through a tax levied on motor vehicle fuels. SAFETEA-LU was passed in 2005, and had a four year lifespan. In those four years, the federal government pledged to allocate $286.4 Billion to projects nationwide.

When the bill expired in 2009, Congress took upon itself to extend the bill using the funding levels and formulas passed in 2005 until a new bill could be drafted and passed. Now, at the end of 2011, the bill has been extended eight times; the current extension is set to expire in March of 2012. Why is this a problem? Does money stop flowing to projects in March? The money does not stop flowing to current projects in development. The problem posed by the indefinite extensions of the transportation bill is that it makes project planning extremely difficult. With the continued extension of the bill, there is no guarantee that funding levels will remain constant when Congress votes to extend the bill. Without the assurance of consistent and reliable funding levels, large scale projects cannot be advanced through the planning and design process. The risk of not having funding to construct a project is too great, so states are reluctant to begin a new project.

There is some hope, and we are starting to see something developing in Washington. The current proposal, MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century) is a glimmer of hope on the otherwise bleak transportation funding horizon. The bill, which originated in the Senate, provides as much as $85 Billion over the next two years. This is a short term fix, but the hope is that by passing a short term bill, rather than continuing to extend the current bill, Congress will have time to craft a long term transportation funding solution. There has also been a bi-partisan push in the House of Representatives to develop a long term solution.

A contributing factor to why there has been little development of a transportation bill is that Congress cannot agree on how to pay for the bill. Our current funding stream is derived from a tax levied on motor vehicle fuels. Congress has expressed no interest in increasing that tax, a tax which continues to have its buying power diminished as fuel economy standards increase. There have been ideas proposed such as a vehicle mileage tax, tolling interstate highways, and privatizing certain elements of the highway system. Unfortunately, there is no agreement on which method, or which methods will be used to fund transportation in the future.

Transportation infrastructure is critical to our nation’s economic growth. The ability to move goods and people is what built our economy, without continued funding dedicated to maintaining the infrastructure, we will face an even more daunting challenge rebuilding the American economy. A two year transportation bill would only be a stop gap measure. It would provide some assurance of funding levels and identify national priorities for infrastructure spending, but it does not provide the long term investments needed. We must demand a long term solution that funds our infrastructures at levels that allows state departments of transportation to properly maintain existing facilities, while expanding facilities that expand our transportation options. We must demand that funding not decline as time passes, as is the case with a fuel tax, but rather increases to keep pace with inflation. We must also let Congress know that we are willing to support changes to the funding system, and are willing to pay for our infrastructure. The time has passed to deal with our infrastructure, hopefully this is the year that something gets done.

Partner in the Spotlight: BNY Mellon

2011-12-13T07:45:00.002-05:00

Established in 2007 from the merger of Mellon Financial Corporation and The Bank of New York Company, Inc., BNY Mellon is a leading investment management and investment services company. A member of GVF since 2003, BNY Mellon is uniquely focused to help clients manage and move their financial assets and succeed in the rapidly changing global marketplace. Headquartered in New York, BNY Mellon has $25 trillion in assets under custody or administration and $1.2 trillion under management.

One of BNY Mellon’s seven Environmental Sustainability Commitments is to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout all of their sites.

Recently, GVF has been working with BNY Mellon to assist with a transition of 200 employees from BNY Mellon’s subsidiary, Pershing, previously based in Malvern, Chester County, to the King of Prussia location on Moore Road. Additional employees meant additional parking was required. Although BNY Mellon restriped its parking lot and created 50 additional spaces, GVF is working with its transportation committee to encourage carpooling and biking as well, because of its close proximity to the Schuylkill Valley Trail. SEPTA’s Route 125 bus, which provides service between King of Prussia and Center City Philadelphia, stops directly in front of the building’s main entrance as well.

“Through our collaborative effort with GVF, we have been able to provide information to employees about alternative commuting options in the area that lesson the impact on both parking in the King of Prussia facility and our environment,” said Ken Knapp, Vice President, General Services & Corporate Real Estate, BNY Mellon. “We believe that small changes can make a big difference.”

For more information about BNY Mellon and its environmental commitment, visit http://www.bnymellon.com/about/environment.html.

Secretary Barry Schoch addresses GVF's Public Policy Committee

2011-12-08T14:29:00.004-05:00

Barry J. Schoch, P.E., and Secretary of Transportation for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), recently presented an update on transportation funding at GVF’s Public Policy Committee meeting at Arcadia University, King of Prussia campus.

Because one of GVF’s major priorities is advocating for a comprehensive transportation funding solution, Secretary Schoch updated the 50 attendees on the progress being made on the state level. Secretary Schoch touched on the following points:

· Identifying Governor Corbett’s four main priorities for 2011, transportation, along with privatization, unfortunately falls to the bottom of the “short list.”

· The Governor doesn’t want the legislators to get distracted from Marcellus Shale and education vouchers; therefore, finding a dedicated funding source for transportation will be tabled until 2012.

· In the interim, transportation funding continues to be Secretary Schoch’s number one priority. A vehicle mileage traveled study will be conducted in 2012 to examine if this could provide additional revenue towards transportation.

An overview video recording of Secretary Schoch’s is available on GVF’s YouTube page.

As Secretary Schoch is working on several initiatives for 2012, GVF looks forward to working with the Secretary so we can ultimately find a solution to this critical issue.

Got a drafty home? Try a home assessment from EnergyWorks.

2011-12-01T14:45:00.002-05:00

As the nights begin to grow colder, those drafts in our home and businesses become harder to ignore. Not only are they raising the cost of our heating bills, they are also causing more carbon emissions to enter our atmosphere. Is your home or business operating as efficiently as possible?

Enter EnergyWorks. Energy works is a new initiative funded by the stimulus through the Department of Energy, they provide energy efficient solutions and low interest loans to home and business owners in the Greater Philadelphia region.

I had the chance to see Andrew Kreider from the Environmental Protection Agency speak about the program during a recent GVF Climate Change Task Force Meeting. First you sign up for a low-cost home energy assessment (You can see what one looks like here). Then you receive a list of prioritized improvements that can be made to increase the comfort and energy efficiency levels of your house. EnergyWorks even provides a list of certified area contractors and offers low-interest loans to help pay for your improvement.

For more information, visit EnergyWorksnow.com.

You can also watch the clip below from “It’s Your Call with Lynn Doyle” featuring Jeff Lane from EnergyWorks.

Thanksgiving Travel Expected To Rise

2011-11-22T15:13:00.003-05:00

This Thanksgiving, AAA projects 42.5 million Americans are expected to hit the road to visit friends and family, the highest number of holiday travelers since the start of the recession. This increased nationwide travel represents a 4% increase over the number of people traveling over Thanksgiving in 2010. In the Philadelphia region, AAA Mid-Atlantic expects more than 468,000 to travel 50 or more miles over the Thanksgiving weeeknd, a 3.5% increase over 2010 numbers. This marks the third consecutive Thanksgiving that more motorists have taken to the road than the year before.

Of the 42.5 million Americans traveling, 90% will be driving, while in the Philadelphia region, 89% are expected to travel by car. According to AAA Mid-Atlantic Manager of Public and Government Affairs Jenny Robinson, the increase in projected travel, both locally and nationally, represents the year's first increase in holiday travel volume. So far in 2011, Memorial Day saw no increase in travel from 2010, while the number of trips for the July 4th and Labor Day weekends both decreased from the year before.

One thing spurring the increased travel, especially in the Philadelphia region, has been a decline in gas prices. The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the five county Philadelphia region is $3.45 per gallon. While this is 45 cents more than one year ago, it is 60 cents less than the 2011 peak price of $4.05, set in early May 2011.

"Despite on-going economic concerns, the recent decline in regional gas prices will help many travelers satisfy a growing pent-up demand for travel during the holiday season", said Robinson.

From a safety perspective, PennDOT and police departments across the Commonwealth will partner for "Operation Safe Holiday", an agressive effort to keep drivers safe through the holiday season. Pennsylvania will conduct "Click It or Ticket" seat belt enforcement from Nov. 18th to Dec. 4th. Through early January, police will use sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols, and regular traffic safety patrols to crack down on motorists who are speeding, driving aggressively, or driving while impaired.

PennDOT reports that Thanksgiving continues to be the leading holiday for traffic crashes. There were 4,380 crashes and 55 fatalities last year last year during that period, which includes the weekends before and after the holiday. Of those 535 crashes were alcohol-related. During the Christmas and New Year travel periods, there were a combined 2,035 crashes and 19 fatalities.

PennDOT encourages motorists to make sure they are well-rested and alert before traveling. Travelers should also rotate drivers and take frequent breaks. Motorists should allow extra time to travel, expect to encounter travel delays, and check the forecast for their entire travel area before heading out.

PA Senate to Vote on Safe Passing Legislation

2011-11-17T14:37:00.001-05:00

House Bill 170, the Safe Bicycle Passing Bill, was passed by the PA House of Representatives on May 23, 2011, with overwelming support. Now it is up to the Senate to take action for safer streets. Ask your senator if they will support this important bill.

This bill would take the prinicple of "Share the Road" and make it an official part of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code through two important changes. The bill will:

Require motor vehicles to pass bicyclists with a minimum of 4 feet
Protect bicyclists from a “right hook” or “left hook,” where a motorist makes an improper turn into the bicyclist’s direction of travel

Motorists misjudging the space needed to pass a bicyclist, and motorists turning into the path of a bicyclist are two common causes of bicycle crashes, accounting for 12% of the total vehicle-bicycle crashes.

To date, at least 18 other states have passed similar safe passing bills, and several more states are currently considering these bills.

Bills Introduced to Improve PA's Transportation System

2011-11-10T13:54:00.003-05:00

This week, Senator Jake Corman (R-34) introduced three separate bills to the Senate to improve Pennsylvania’s transportation system. The bills, SB 4, SB 1326, and SB 1327 address the issues and recommendations that were included in the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission Report, which was released August 1, 2011. Addressing transportation funding is the first and crucial step in improving Pennsylvania’s transportation infrastructure.

SB 4 amends Title 75, Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, to provide for increasing licensing, registration and inspection fees; increasing violations of traffic-control devices; and removing the cap on the tax placed on the wholesale price of oil.

SB 1326 amends Title 74 and Title 75 and provides for an intermodal transportation fund that will fund: aviation, rail freight, passenger rail, ports and waterways; increases vehicle registration from one year to two years; eliminates the need for a vehicle registration sticker; allows for private companies to administer the vehicle operator’s license exam; extends the license renewal period to eight years; and exempts new vehicles from state inspections.

SB 1327 amends Title 74 and Title 75 to direct all funds deposited to PennDOT from the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the Public Transportation Account, totaling $450 million. It will also allow for public transportation operators to merge and form larger systems.

These three bills are consistent with the recommendations of the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission Report, and are supported by the Keystone Transportation Funding Coalition, a statewide non-partisan group of transportation professionals that advocate for improving the transportation infrastructure of Pennsylvania.

GVF’s New “Partners in Sustainability” Video Series

2011-11-03T11:02:00.002-04:00

This week GVF launched a new video series entitled “Partners in Sustainability.” Each installment will feature one of GVF’s Partners in their efforts to help lessen their environmental impact. Many of these partners have already been recognized as GVF Sustainability Awards recipients. These videos will offer a chance to delve deeper into our local companies green efforts and give our audience the chance to see that many things are being done right here in our own backyards to increase both sustainability and quality of life.

Our first video features McCormick Taylor, who among many other green initiatives, introduced a bike share program earlier this year. Employees are able to utilize the bikes as a way of commuting in between meetings as well as for recreation. The offices of McCormick Taylor are conveniently located close to the Schuylkill River Trail, which benefits many of the riders. You can view the video below:

Follow GVF’s twitter feed and this blog in the coming months as we focus on everything from LEED certified buildings to electric car charging stations.

Philadelphia's "Park In The Sky"

2011-10-27T15:02:00.003-04:00

New York City's High Line serves as a model for greenway development, transforming an old elevated freight railroad viaduct along the west side of Manhattan into a linear park/trail that has improved property values and spurred redevelopment in the surrounding area. Soon, the City of Philadelphia and Montgomery County could be connected by a similar greenway that will link Manyunk with the Cynwyd Trail in Lower Merion Township.

On Thursday, October 20th, elected officials from Philadelphia and Montgomery County held a groundbreaking ceremony atop the Manayunk Bridge celebrating the launch of construction of this vital regional trail connection. The Manayunk Bridge, built in 1918, is an "S"-shaped structure that sweeps across both the Schuylkill River and I-76/Schuylkill Expressway. SEPTA acquired the bridge in 1976, though it discontinued passenger rail service across it in 1986. Under the $1.5 million project, a walking and bicycling path will be built across the bridge connecting the recenlty completed Cynwyd Trail with the former SEPTA Ivy Ridge Station. Future phases of the project hopefully will extend this city-county connector to the Schuylkill River Trail.

Designs for this "park in the sky" show a trail winding across the bridge among low shrubs and bright flowering plants. Tall, transparent fence-like barriers will keep pedestrians from going too near the edge.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to personally, economically, and physically unite the city with the suburbs," said Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, who further called the trail connection "the finest example of what civil service is and what it can do".

The project was a collaborative effort between Lower Merion Township, SEPTA, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the William Penn Foundation, the Manayunk Development Corporation, and PennDOT. Of the $1.5 million required for the project, $1.3 million in federal money for construction came from PennDOT's Pennsylvania Community Transportation Initiative. The rest was supplied by DVRPC and the William Penn Foundation. The project is to be completed in 18 months.

Making Pennsylvania a Better Place for Bikes

2011-10-20T15:44:00.000-04:00

Of the many programs I have worked on, the most popular and most successful has been the annual Bike to Work Challenge. The Bike to Work Challenge is a twenty week long challenge that begins in May, coinciding with national bike month, and runs through the middle of September. Participants in the challenge are encouraged to ride to work at least one day each week. Through a website that is dedicated to the challenge, participants log their miles, and are provided with a report showing how much fuel they have saved and how many pounds of carbon dioxide, they have saved from being emitted. This was the third year for the challenge. We had 150 participants log 42,000 miles. Over the past three years the challenge has logged almost 125,000 miles which saved 111,000 pounds of CO2. The riders have saved 5,700 gallons of gas, which equates to about $19,000. The challenge recently wrapped up, and many of this year’s riders have pledged to ride again next year.

The Bike to Work Challenge demonstrates that, when properly encouraged, people are willing to change their habits and rethink how they get to work. To reward each participant, we present them with a small prize package and a certificate displaying their miles for the year. The best prize is a smaller waistline. To promote the Bike to Work Challenge, we visit many of the region’s employers to talk with people about signing up. The single and largest opposition I hear is that the roads are just not safe to ride on, and there are no bike paths near my home or my office. This sentiment is very common, and as a participant in the challenge, I can validate that statement.

My experience working with the Bike to Work Challenge, and as an avid recreational cyclist have made it evident that we have a lot of room for improvement in Pennsylvania. The list of needs is lengthy, however there are some easy fixes that would have significant impacts for cyclists. There are improvements that can be made that benefit both motorists and cyclists, improvements that will benefit bicycle commuters, and improvements that will benefit the recreational cyclist.

Pennsylvania has more roads than most other states. We have more roads than all of our neighbors combined (excluding New York, however, we have more roads). State roads are about one third of the roads, municipal roads make up two-thirds of the roads in the state, however most of the vehicle miles traveled are on state owned roads. It is fair to say we love our roads in Pennsylvania. What we don’t love, it seems, is good quality roads. Thirty eight percent of all roads in the state have been rated as poor quality. We all know it when we are on a poor quality road, there are potholes, cracks, uneven pavement, puddling after a rain storm, and broken pavement at the edges. For a motorist these elements can cause premature wear to tires, brakes, and shock absorbers. Hitting a pothole can cause damage to the tire and wheel, but mostly makes for an uncomfortable ride. Things like potholes and cracks are an inconvenience for a motorist, but to a cyclist, they can be extremely dangerous. The bar jarring experience of hitting a pothole in a car can throw a cyclist from their bike. A broken pavement edge makes it impossible for a cyclist to safely reenter the pavement, and uneven pavement reduced breaking capacity. More than poor pavement quality, there are many safety concerns that make cycling dangerous. Limited or non-existent shoulders force cyclists into travel lanes, poor sight lines around curves create a blindspot.

Investing in improving road quality conditions benefits all Pennsylvanians. Motorists will be able to extend the life of their vehicles and have a more enjoyable driving experience, while cyclists will benefit from having a safe place to ride. Many of the fixes will make the roads safer for both bicycles and motorists. It is important that when improvements are being planned, that elements to make it safer for bicyclists be included.

Bicycle commuting is a great way to address some of the most significant challenges we face in society. The benefits of bicycle commuting are three-fold: a bicycle commuter is not burning fossil fuels, or releasing harmful exhaust fumes. A bicycle commuter is not adding to congested highways, and requires much less expensive amenities than an automobile. Bicycle commuting is a great form of exercise, which addresses the obesity problem. Making it more convenient for bicycle commuting is a challenge, our past decisions in land use and transportation planning have made for a significant barrier. We have developed our land with a primary focus on the automobile. This focus separated land uses and spread development far across the land. Very few people live close to their work, and the roads they take to get to work are typically highways. Those two elements make bicycle commuting a challenge. To effectively reduce congestion, we need to make driving an option.

How do we do this? First, encourage mixed use and traditional neighborhood development. These two land use strategies place office and retail space closer to the home by not having separate districts for each use. Think of boroughs as being the first mixed use developments in Pennsylvania. Building walkable and bikeable communities means that the automobile is only one option of many when it comes to transportation choices. Sidewalks and bike lanes provide more transportation options for people that live closer to work. Article VII-A of The Municipalities Planning Code provides clear directions on how to accomplish this type of development. We should incentivize the development of Traditional Neighborhood Development, rather than continuing sprawl development.

Lastly, Pennsylvania has some of the most breathtaking vistas overlooking farms and fields that have remained unchanged for a century. There are quaint villages, rolling hills, and wonderful natural features, all sites best seen from a bicycle. It has been said that, you never truly appreciate the topography of a region until you have ridden over it on a bicycle. Recreational cyclists are the people that enjoy riding comfortably down a trail, stopping to take in the views, and maybe eat lunch in a village along the way. Pennsylvania is ripe to attract bicycle tourists, but we must first invest in the facilities they need. To accommodate recreational cyclists, we must expand our network of off-road bike trails. In greater Philadelphia we are lucky to have a great trail network, one that is continuing to be built. The Schuylkill River Trail sees thousands of cyclists each week during the warmer months. Because of the visionary efforts of many, cyclists will one day be able to ride from Pottsville to Philadelphia and never have to mix with traffic on the road. In the northern tier of PA, the Pine Creek Trail takes cyclists through the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, all along the banks of the Pine Creek, all on a former railroad bed. The Great Allegheny Passage, which begins just outside Pittsburgh, connects to Washington D.C. via a dedicated right of way, available only to bicycles and pedestrians. These great trails are economic engines for many of the areas they travel through, and inject millions of dollars each year into the local economies. Expanding the trail network throughout Pennsylvania will grow our tourism economy and provide opportunities for jobs and entrepreneurs in places that they may have not existed otherwise.

I have explained how investing in bicycle facilities can have a significant net positive impact for Pennsylvania, so how do we do it? Unlike its motorized counterpart the automobile, bicycles do not require extremely expensive infrastructure. For only a small fraction of the amount invested in our highway network, we can dramatically increase the options for cyclists. Before we increase the amount we spend on bikes, it is important that we have a well qualified, full time, bicycle coordinator within the department of transportation. PennDOT is well staffed with engineers and project managers whose sole focus is highways, bridges, transit and freight rail transportation, however, the bicycle and pedestrian coordinator is only one man and only a part-time position. It is imperative that this position is fully staffed so that bicycle and pedestrian needs are properly addressed within the department. It is an impediment to expanding bicycle facilities that we do not have a champion within the department of transportation.

It is also important that we dedicate funding, on an annual basis, to building the bicycle and pedestrian network. As the legislature reviews the recent Transportation Funding Advisory Commission report for ideas on modernizing the transportation infrastructure, including funding for bicycle facilities must be considered. The costs to building trails, and including full width shoulders is only minor compared to the costs associated with expanding highways and extending transit lines. One of the recommendations in the TFAC report is to amend Act 44 of 2007 to reallocate one hundred percent of the payment made by the Turnpike to fund transit. Consider dedicating a portion of those funds to the bicycle and pedestrian facilities. Current and projected income from the PA Turnpike is $450 million per year. Dedicating even as little as five percent will will have a significant and meaningful impact on bicycle facility development. We can build a lot of facilities with an annual dedicated budget of $20 million. Fully funding a bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvement program yields much greater return than any other transportation improvements. In most cases, the right of ways already exist and only need minor modification for accommodation.

I hope that through this article I have made it evident that investing in bicycle facilities will greatly improve Pennsylvania. As we look to the future of transportation in the commonwealth, we should place a greater emphasis on the bicycle. Doing so will have long lasting impacts that make Pennsylvania the best place to live and do business in the US.

Another Great Season for GVF's Bike to Work Challenge!

2011-10-13T10:54:00.007-04:00

When GVF rolled out its Bike to Work Challenge in 2008, I'll admit I was a bit skeptical about how successful the program would be. Judging by the traffic I sit in most days commuting to and from the office, I didn't think there were many people commuting by bicycle. Everyone commuting to work seemed to be in front of me on Route 422.

Boy, was I wrong.

Wrapping up its third season, the Bike to Work Challenge has been one of GVF's most successful and popular events.

* It has grown in its reach - in the beginning, the Challenge was open only to GVF's partners. It is now open to anyone who wants to participate.

* It has grown in its participation - in 2009, there were 110 participants. In 2011, a whopping 164 employees participated.

*Since the beginning of the Challenge, participants have biked a total of 125,154 miles. I don't even have that many miles on my car!

Through a generous grant from the Department of Environmental Protection, GVF was able to create a site dedicated to the Challenge this year: www.gvfbiketowork.com. This site makes it easier for participants to log in their miles, but also gives an overview of the Challenge and encourages people to sign up and ride!

Although the 2011 season has come to an end, be sure to log on to the site for updates on the 2012 Challenge.

A real congratulations and thank you to those who biked this season - you made our air a little less polluted, used less gasoline and kept your vehicles off our aging roadways. Great work!

Are the Roads a True Public Good?

2011-10-11T14:36:00.002-04:00

To toll or not to toll, that seems to be the question. If you have been following the news along the US 422 Corridor, you have undoubtedly come across, or read, an article describing the efforts of Berks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties to explore alternative funding methods for the US 422 Corridor. The most controversial proposal has been the concept of tolling what is now a “free” road. It seems that the line is being drawn in the sand, and most appear to be on the side of “no toll.” The discussion of tolling has certainly ignited civil unrest over the notion of charging a fee for a public good.

It seems that the greater debate is over whether or not we should have to pay for our transportation services. Currently, the funding for highways is from a tax levied on the sale of motor fuel. In Pennsylvania the tax equals 49.5 cents per gallon (18.4 cents per gallon is sent to the United States Department of Transportation). With that tax money, PennDOT is responsible for funding every improvement project statewide. The formulas to determine how much goes to each region of the state are complex, and at times, confusing to understand even as an industry professional. What has become painfully clear during the past few years is that we are not taking in enough money to meet the demand for expenditure. This was the impetuous for the US 422 tolling proposal, creating a direct method for funding improvements needed on the corridor.

At a higher level, the debate over funding our infrastructure should first begin with the way we perceive our infrastructure, and whether that perception needs to change. Under our current model, public owned and operated highways (excluding the PA Turnpike) are treated as a public good. Our highways, a public good, can be accessed equally, at any time, without hindrance. As a public good, each user pays equally into the system regardless of how much the highway is used. This model breaks down when a majority of society attempts to access the public good at the same time. This is what happens every morning and evening, the majority of the corridor uses the highway to travel to and from work. The phenomena can be described as “the tragedy of the commons,” which states that increased use by one individual will benefit the individual to the detriment of all. In this case, the detriment is time lost due to traffic congestion.

An alternate and more appropriate way to view our highways is not as a public good but as a public utility. Imagine if electricity was a public good; it would mean that all PECO customers would be given the same bill, divided equally among all customers. There would be little incentive to limit use of electricity, because any individual reduction would not be significant enough to lower the bill. The incentive would be to use as much electricity as possible, since it would only increase the bill ever so slightly for all. Fortunately, we do not prescribe this model to the electricity because it is a public utility: we are all given access to the resource, but we must individually pay for our use. Why can’t this model apply to our highways?

Once we begin to think of our highways as a public utility instead of a public good, the funding models make much more sense. By collecting a user fee from those that use the highway means that those drivers will be paying for its improvements. If you never drive the highway, you are not asked to pay for it. By modifying user fees during peak demand hours, the option to delay a trip to save money becomes the option of the driver, incentivizing non-essential trips to be taken during off peak trips. If it costs more money during peak times than during non-peak times, the peak hour non-essential trips will be all but eliminated, thus reducing congestion on the highway. Combined with projects to improve chokepoints, this model has the potential to make the system much more efficient.

Thinking of our highways as a public utility is a dramatic shift for the American motoring public. We have had free, unrestricted access to our highways for generations. Asking people to accept that the free ride has to end is a significant challenge, as anyone involved with the US 422 tolling proposal knows all too well. If we do move towards this model, we may find that we can improve our infrastructure in areas where the demand is demonstrated by motorists, not special interest, and we may find that the cost for improvements go down by not building unnecessarily. It is a stretch, but if we do not start to re-evaluate how we use, fund, and improve our infrastructure, the conditions on the road are not likely to improve any time soon.

Shayne Trimbell is the Manager of Projects & Development with GVF. To reach Shayne by email: strimbell@gvftma.com.

Slick New Website Lets You Find Your Next Apartment Based On Commute Time

2011-10-06T16:10:00.004-04:00

No one likes a long commute. In fact, it’s probably killing you. As this country’s infrastructure continues to crumble around us, Americans are faced with the very real possibility that our commutes may get even longer and more costly. If you’ve had enough and are ready to pack it all up and move closer to your workplace then the creators of WalkScore.com have just launched the service for you.

WalkScore.com is a popular website that allows you to enter in an address and determine how walkable the neighborhood is. They have taken this service to the next logical step with Walk Score Apartment Search.

This new service, currently in beta, allows the user to type in their workplace’s address and a desired commute time and responds with a list of available apartments that fit the bill. The results can even be sorted based on distance by public transit, car, bicycle, or walking. The video below explains in more detail:

Walk Score Apartment Search is available now, and is sure to be a great service for those looking to cut down on their daily grind.

422Plus: A Better Ride

2011-10-04T12:58:00.002-04:00

US 422 has become a constant presence in the news media, and with just cause. The corridor has been the subject of numerous studies and plans in the past ten years, all moving towards one outcome, improving the corridor by providing transportation options. In its current state, the US 422 corridor is primarily auto-dependent. It is also the fastest growing corridor in greater Philadelphia, home to many of the region’s largest employers. It is the only growing corridor that is not served by train service; transit is relegated to a handful of bus routes.

Over the past decade, a number of studies have looked at options to add train service to the corridor, manage growth, and provide funding for needed improvements. When previous studies of rail service cited costs in excess of a billion dollars for a train service, the need for a funding program became evident. During the same time, funding for transportation projects continued to shrink. Both state and federal funding was becoming more and more competitive, while construction costs continued to escalate. These factors made the reality of an improved roadway network and a modern train system seem unobtainable.

When the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission completed the US 422 Corridor Master Plan, a blueprint for growth was presented to the communities. Among the recommendations were changes to land use controls to allow a mixing of uses, encouraging communities to develop in such a way that pedestrians and bicyclists are better accommodated, and incorporating transit into the design of town centers. As part of the US 422 Master Plan, a preliminary capital project plan was outlined, with estimated costs for design and construction, and also recommended methods to fund the construction. The recommendation to evaluate tolling US 422 was viewed as both the most viable alternative, and also the most controversial.

Absent any dramatic changes in funding, tolling appeared to be a worthwhile option, one worth further study. The 422Plus project is just that, a feasibility analysis on converting US 422 to a tolled facility. The concept is to create a local authority, authorized by Berks, Chester, and Montgomery Counties to administer the collection of tolls, maintenance of the roadway, and construction of capital projects. The tolls would be collected at four locations along US 422, at a rate comparable to the PA Turnpike for a similar distance, using the money collected to fund the capital improvements. The anticipated improvements include a second bridge at Valley Forge to ultimately carry six lanes of traffic over the Schuylkill River, additional lanes from US 202 to PA 29 to alleviate morning and evening congestion, improvements to key intersections along the corridor to improve the flow of local traffic, and the restoration of rail service providing a one seat ride from Wyomissing to Center City Philadelphia via Norristown.

The plan was first presented to the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission, and has since been presented to the US 422 Corridor Coalition, the municipal officials of the corridor, many of the state legislators representing the corridor, and is planned to be presented to the residents of the corridor in early fall. The concept has had a polarizing affect, drawing supporters and detractors, both sides making valid arguments in favor of, and in opposition to the idea of tolling. What the 422Plus project represents is a local solution to a local problem. The idea of a region taking control of its transportation system and funding is new ground for Pennsylvania, and likely to draw criticism. As the project moves forward, GVF will continue to provide information to our members so that when the time comes for a decision whether this solution should advance or not, the decision is made based on facts and information rather than a visceral reaction to a misunderstood problem.

Climate Change Task Force tours Valley Forge National Historical Park

2011-09-30T10:36:00.006-04:00

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force, which advocates for its partners by taking proactive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, protect air quality and public health and improve the environment throughout our region, took things outside "the office" and held a walking tour of the Valley Forge National Historical Park.

Sustainability is a priority for the VFNHP, which was showcased during GVF's Fall Partner Breakfast where the VFNHP received Platinum level for GVF's Sustainable Awards for the second year in a row.

Valley Forge National Historical Park began the rehabilitation on Washington’s Headquarters about four years ago. Below are some highlights from our most recent walking tour:

One goal was to have less impervious surface by removing 2.5 acres of pavement, as well as improving their storm water issues with water infiltration system.

No flooding has occurred, especially with the most recent hurricane.

All concrete and asphalt that was removed was and continues to be recycled, opposed to going to a landfill.

VFNHP also only plants native plants.

Their 1911 train station was recently stored last year with the intention of trying to keep everything from its original existence. With the VFNHP focus on sustainability, they installed energy efficient light bulbs, as well as time sensors; energy efficient heating/cooling system.

Be sure to visit our Flickr page for pictures of the Climate Change Task Force tour.

GVF's 2011 Sustainable Awards

2011-09-29T14:17:00.002-04:00

GVF, a transportation management association dedicated to achieving a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies, hosted its fall partner breakfast yesterday at the Scanticon Hotel in King of Prussia.

GVF presented its second-annual Sustainable Awards to the companies and organizations listed below. GVF’s Sustainable Awards recognize companies on four levels for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality.

CSX Corporation Works To Limit Carbon Footprint

2011-09-29T13:15:00.003-04:00

CSX Corporation, one of the nation's leading freight rail and intermodal transportation companies, today announced the results of its participation in the Environmental Defense Fund's (EDF) 2011 Climate Corps program. This collaborative effort places specially-trained graduate students, known as "fellows" under the EDF program, from the nation's leading universities and colleges into a three-month fellowship with major employers to addresss climate-change related issues, such as reducing carbon emissions and improving energy efficiency. With a transportation network that extends 21,000 miles in 23 eastern states and the District of Columbia, connecting 240 short-line railroads and 70 ocean, river, and lake ports, CSX is one of the largest businesses to participate in the program.

In 2011, CSX and an EDF Climate Corps fellow examined the company's railyard air compressors and the CSX Data Center in Jacksonville, Florida. Using data gathered from both the railyard and the data center, he helped CSX to identify potential cost savings of $1.2 million and greenhouse gas emissions of savings of nearly 3,000 metric tons annually.

This marks CSX's second year of participation in the EDF Climate Corps program. In 2010, the CSX Climate Corps fellow identified annual savings of $165,000, 1.5 million kWh of electricity (enough to power 140 homes), and 940 metric tons of CO2 (equal to removing 150 SUV's from the road).

Partnering with EDF is part of CSX's overall climate change strategy, which also includes setting and achieving a voluntary eight percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2006, as well as introducing 23 ultra-low emission GenSet locomotives throughout the CSX network. CSX has also invested more than $1.5 billion in the past decade to upgrade its locomotive fleet, including technological advancements that reduce air emission and fuel consumption. Through these collective efforts, CSX has improved its fuel efficiency by more than 90% since 1980.

What it Would Take for a Truly Car-Free Day

2011-09-22T11:51:00.000-04:00

Today is International Car-Free Day, a day in which motorists are asked to leave the car at home and find another way to work. Sounds good, but it is rather impractical. The problem with asking people to leave their car at home is that it implies that most commuters have a choice of transportation options to get to work. Unfortunately, in greater Philadelphia, as with most of the United States, that is simply not the case.

In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Interstate Defense Act, which created the Interstate Highway System. It was in that moment that we would set forth the transportation priorities of our nation. We have hardly looked back, and for the past sixty years did not see a problem with the decision. Then, in 2008, something unexpected happened, Americans drove less than the previous year. In every year since the invention of the automobile, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) increased, until 2008, when they declined. The decline can be attributed to a number of factors including a national recession undercutting the disposable income of the middle class, rising unemployment causing fewer people to need to commute daily, and the rise of gasoline prices to over $4.00 per gallon.

The drop in VMT could have long lasting implications on how we build our infrastructure, that is, if we allow it. Americans, for the first time in history made a collective statement that said, “I will leave the car at home.” What they did not say is “I no longer need my car.” The hard truth is that over the past sixty years we have invested heavily in and built an infrastructure that accommodates a single mode of travel: the private automobile. Who could blame us? We were enjoying a strong economy, rising disposable income, inexpensive gasoline, single family homes on half acre lots, and a federal highway program that provided seemingly endless money to build more roads. We never could imagine a day where gasoline become prohibitively expensive, our roads were congested day in and day out, and a single family home was worth less than the amount paid. Here we are, sixty years later. Gasoline is hovering near the $4.00 per gallon mark, daily congestion extends the morning and evening rush hours, our air quality is the worst it has ever been, our infrastructure is crumbling, and yet we still march forward using the plans of yesterday to build for tomorrow. How can we change this pattern? Can we truly rebuild America’s infrastructure, or will we simply repair? If we want a truly car-free day, we are going to need a dramatic change in priorities. Just as the horse and buggy made way for the automobile, the automobile will have to yield to new mobility choices.

Where does it all start? How do we begin to change sixty years of investment? It all starts locally, at least in Pennsylvania. Local land-use decisions dictate so much of what kind of infrastructure we require. The old way of doing it meant strict separation of land-uses, not allowing new construction of houses, office, and retail to be intertwined. The separation means that distance between zones can be lengthy often inaccessible by foot. Along with the separation of uses, the density of use was decreased, causing more land to be used for less people. Because of the separation, most people take their cars to travel between zones. For a car-free day to work, the separation of uses must be reconsidered and greater density must be implemented. Once municipal governments allow for communities to grow up, not out and to grow mixed, not separated, the region can rethink how these places are connected.

Just as the automobile allowed single use sprawling zones to be conveniently connected, transit is the convenient connection for dense, mixed use communities; traveling between these communities can be best accommodated with transit. Transit is most effective when connecting dense core communities, since the higher density of people creates an inherent demand for travel to other dense core communities along the transit lines. By encouraging our region’s employers to locate near transit stops, and encouraging our region’s commuters to live near transit stops, when a person needs to leave their neighborhood, their destination will be served by transit. If this sounds like an unachievable dream society, we need only look to our past, pre-automobile, to realize it works. The famous Mainline provided this type of connectivity for employees living in the suburbs yet working in the city. Many of our region’s communities were once served by trolleys, allowing for localized mobility and providing connections to the greater system. These were all in place, and used heavily until the automobile became the primary mode of transportation.

The concept of choice over mandate was the principle that founded our nation. Americans are beginning to recognize that the automobile has gone from being a choice to being a mandate. The dream of mobility and freedom is no manifested by the automobile anymore. Realigning our priorities to reflect this change will take time, and will be met with challenge. The future of mobility in America will not eliminate the automobile completely, but rather make it one option in a field of many choices. That is how we can achieve a truly car-free day.

Jenkintown Streetscape Groundbreaking Ceremony

2011-09-20T14:23:00.000-04:00

One of the constant themes in Jenkintown Borough's Revitalization Plan is to rejuvenate Old York Rd.

In keeping with the plan, the Borough is beginning a Streetscape Project along York Rd. The project will start north of Summit Ave. and go north of West. Ave.

A curb bump-out will be constructed on the northeast corner of York Road and Greenwood Avenue to expand the sidewalk, reduce the pedestrian crossing distance of Greenwood Avenue and reduce vehicle speeds of traffic turning into Greenwood Avenue. New curb ramps will be constructed satisfying PennDOT new standards.

The main goals of the project are to further emphasize the important downtown retail area of the Borough, to 'calm' traffic on York Road, and to enhance the accommodations of pedestrians.

Congratulations to the Sustainable Award Winners!

2011-09-15T15:29:00.005-04:00

At GVF's Fall Partner Breakfast yesterday morning, we were proud to award
* one college
* one municipality
* one developer
* one state agency
* one national park
* two retailers
* four engineering firms
* six corporate businesses
with the second annual GVF Sustainable Awards!

In its second year, the Sustainable Awards recognize different organizations for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality throughout the region.

That means that 17 area companies and organizations are making a real difference in reducing single occupancy vehicles on our roadways, and improving the quality of life for employees and residents alike! Take a look on what some of these companies are doing:
• Actively participates in GVF’s Climate Change Task Force
• Display or include commuter information and/or provide transit schedules in that worksite or on the intranet.
• Disseminate traffic alerts to employees
• Host commuter events at your worksite
• Host on-site vanpool or carpool formation meetings
• Implementation of a company sustainability plan
• Install bike racks or other storage bicycles
• Member of GVF
• Participate in the Emergency Ride Home Program, which can be offered through GVF
• Place alternative commute information in new hire packets
• Recycling Program
• Regularly promote commute options at the worksite via memo postings, email, Intranet or other employee communication
• Ridesharing or carpool matching, either in-house or through an outside organization
• Use Alternative Fuel Vehicles
• Company participates in the Air Quality Partnership (AQP) by raising the AQP on action alert day
Offer a flextime policy, such as telecommuting and/or compressed workweek
• Offer onsite amenities such as food service, dry cleaner, ATM/bank
• One or more than one representatives are signed up for EnviroFlash, which sends an electronic receive alert on air quality action days
• Participate in GVF’s Bike to Work Challenge, which occurs April – September (see www.gvfbiketowork.com for details)
• Provide a commuting subsidy to employees
• Provide a site specific innovative service or program to improve employee commutation and reduce traffic congestion
• Provide preferential parking for vanpoolers or carpoolers
• Provide preferential parking if employee drives an alternative fuel vehicle
• Provide pretax payroll deductions for commuting cost for employees
• Provide showers and/or lockers for bicycles
• Sell transit passes on site
• Assessed and tracked company
• Offer a telecommuting or compressed workweek program that reduces commute trips by at least 6 %.
• Offers a subsidized shuttle operations or provide an employer sponsored shuttle
• Offers to pay at least $30 per month towards a transit pass (or full cost of a pass if it is less than $30) to each employee who commutes using transit
• Offers to pay at least $30 per month towards vanpool pass (or full cost of a pass if it is less than $30) to each employee who commutes in a vanpool
• Office is accessible to public transit (should it be required that they have to know that employees are taking it)
• Provide at least $30 per month to each employee who chooses to receive cash in lieu of a parking space

Check out pictures from yesterday's event here!

Bryan Havir, Assitant Cheltenham Township Manager said it best -- “Being green is good for everyone. An organization that cares enough to be green cares about its employees."

Congratulations again to our winners and if you're interested in learning more about the Sustainable Awards and how you can implement some of these changes, contact GVF today!

Are You A Best Workplace for Commuters?

2011-09-12T11:54:00.007-04:00

Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) is an innovative membership program that provides qualified employers with national recognition and an elite designation for offering outstanding commuter benefits, such as free or low cost bus passes and vanpool fares and strong telework programs. Employers that meet the National Standard of Excellence in commuter benefits—a standard created by the National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)—can get on the list of Best Workplaces for Commuters and receive high level programs and services.

GVF received Gold level recognition as a champion for the Best Workplaces for Commuters Race to Excellence in 2010. This year GVF is striving to have our company recognized as a Best Workplaces for Commuters, in addition to being a champion. Our staff regularly provides resources for our partners to ensure they are educated on alternative modes of transportation, as well as additional sustainable initiatives they can be pursuing. As a commuter resource, GVF also wanted to "practice what we preach" by relocating our office near transit, providing showers/lockers within the business park in case staff wanted to bike to work, in addition to commuter benefits, such as flex time and selling SEPTA products in the office, to name just a few.

To determine levels of eligibility for participating in the program, employers should review the BWC application, as well as their Race to Excellence application to see if your organization qualifies as an Employee Transportation Coordinator and/or a Supporting Agency. If you are a GVF partner and need assistance with your BWC application, please do not hesitate to contact us today at 610-354-8899!!

IBM Releases Global Commuter Pain Survey just in time for Car Free Day

2011-09-08T11:58:00.003-04:00

It is no secret that traffic is a drag, but on Thursday Sept. 8 IBM confirmed this by releasing the results of their Global Commuter Pain Survey. Eight thousand commuters in twenty cities across the world surveyed that:

Drivers report more stress and frustration related to commuting worldwide
Forty one percent of commuters globally said improved public transportation would help reduce stress
Perception of traffic in emerging economies vs. more developed economies is improving

The survey did show some areas of improvement however, a number of cities reported that more people are utilizing public transportation and there was also a large increase in the percentage of respondents who reported that roadway traffic has improved “somewhat” or “substantially” over the past three years.

With the current world population estimated at 6.94 billion and the possibility that this could reach 10 billion by 2050, we have to start thinking about alternative modes of transportation on a global scale.

A great way to spread awareness for alternative transportation is through World Carfree Day, held every September 22 and celebrated by people around the world. World Carfree Day showcases to our city planners and politicians a city without cars and promotes cycling, walking, and public transportation projects.

Need help going car free? GVF has all the information you need to leave the car at home. So walk, bike, bus, carpool, train, hop, skip, or jump to where you’re going on September 22, and spread the word!

PA's Rural Roads Also In Bad Shape

2011-09-02T09:51:00.002-04:00

For those of us living in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the declining quality of our transportation infrastructure is something we live with every day. Congested roadways, aging and ailing bridges, and a transit system that is powered by turn of the century (20th century, that is) technology are just things we live with, day-to-day. However, a new study by TRIP, a transportation research group, shows that rural America, and rural Pennsylvania, are not immune from the negative effects of our lack of infrastructure investment.

"Rural Connections: Challenges and Opportunities in America's Heartland", delivered some disconcerting news about the current state of rural roads and bridges in PA. The Commonwealth was tied for 12th place in terms of highest percentage, 17%, of major rural roads in poor condition. With 4,105 rural bridges, 28% of overall number of rural bridges in the Commonwealth, rated structurally deficient in 2010, Pennsylvania topped all other states in the nation. In terms of roadway safety, Pennsylvania had the sixth highest number of traffic fatalities on rural roads that were not interstates in 2009.

The focus on infratructure problems in rural areas takes on added significance in Pennsylvania, which has the third largest rural population in the U.S. at 2.8 million. Despite growing levels of traffic, the report notes that rural roads, highways, and bridges lack the capacity, cannot accomodate growing freight traffic, do not connect well enough to rural communities, and are unsafe in many ways.

TRIP's report also details the importance of the nation's rural roads and bridges to personal and commercial travel in light of shifting demographics and the steady decline of the nation's railway network. Currently, there are 50 million people classified as living in rural America. That number is expected to increase significantly over the next decade as the Baby Boomer generation retires. Economically, there is the need to move food by truck from farms to urban centers, and the reliance on rural roads for the 300 million yearly visitors to the U.S. national parks.

In a conference call accompanying the relase of the report, John Horsley, Executive Director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), noted that rural America needs to get a fair share of highway and transit funding. "They cannot afford to see that proportion reduced", he added.

Stephen Sandherr, CEO of Associated General Contractors of America, said "So much of the nation's commerce and produce moves along our back roads and byways. If you want to maintain economic prosperity you have to make investments in transportation."

SEPTA Changes Routes on the 422 Corridor

2011-08-30T13:47:00.001-04:00

This fall, SEPTA will be making changes to the Route 93 and the Route 139, which service the US 422 Corridor. The Route 139, which began service in 2008, provides riders with service from the Plaza at the King of Prussia Mall to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets via Phoenixville. Due to poor ridership to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets, SEPTA will be changing the western terminus of the bus route. Rather than enter US 422 at Township Line Road in Limerick Township, the bus will continue north on Township Line Road to the intersection of Ridge Pike, where it will terminate. Riders needing to continue to the Philadelphia Premium Outlets will be able to transfer to the Route 93 bus to complete their journey. To accommodate the transfer, SEPTA is increasing the headways on the Route 93 from hourly to half hourly.

The service changes will begin mid-fall, and be permanent. The Philadelphia Premium Outlets is a strong ridership generator for SEPTA, however most of the ridership is on the Route 93, which began service to the outlets when they opened in 2007. Recent developments at the intersection of Township Line Road and Ridge Pike warrants this change, and with new service from Phoenixville, creates an opportunity for employees and shoppers to use transit rather than an automobile trip.

No Damage from the Earthquake, but is Everything OK?

2011-08-25T11:42:00.003-04:00

On a sunny afternoon in August, the people on the east coast of the United States experienced something that many have never felt before. At 1:54PM on August 23, 2011, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake, centered in Mineral, Virginia (approximately 80 miles west of Washington, D.C.), shook the ground. Tremors were felt as far as Canada. When the ground shakes, there is always the potential for damage. Since the earthquake, engineers have been scouring the greater Philadelphia region looking for damage to structures. PennDOT responded by having inspectors evaluate the integrity of the nearly 25,000 bridges in the state.

So far, no significant damage has been reported, and bridges remain open to traffic. Just because the bridges did not sustain damage from the earthquake, it is not a time to breathe a sigh of relief. The cause for concern on PennDOT’s part is that Pennsylvania is home to more than 6,000 structurally deficient bridges. That puts PA in the number one spot nationwide for structurally deficient bridges.

What is a structurally deficient bridge? According to PennDOT, a structurally deficient bridge “means that the bridge has deterioration to one or more of its major components. Although deterioration is present, a structurally deficient bridge is safe.” It is easy to see where there is cause for concern after an earthquake. A bridge that has a deficiency in its structure is at risk of sustaining significantly more damage than a bridge that is not deficient. With more than 6,000 bridges, the potential for damage to reveal itself is great. We are lucky that so far, nothing appears to be damaged.

This sobering fact does raise an eyebrow and make one ask “what if…” as in “what if there is damage that needs to be fixed?” It is the “what if…” scenario that is the most troubling. In 2008, then Governor Ed Rendell began the Accelerated Bridge Program, which funded projects to quickly reduce the number of structurally deficient bridges in PA. The program was funded through 2010, and has since ended. The funding, although needed to repair bridges, had to be redirected from other infrastructure projects that are now delayed as a result. The program repaired 1,145 bridges. A good start, however that still leaves almost 5,000 bridges that still need to be addressed, as well as many more bridges that aren’t listed but continue to deteriorate with age. This paints a grim picture for both bridges in the state, and the mechanism to fund their repairs. We can’t continue to redirect funds from other projects solely to fix bridges.

To address this need, Governor Tom Corbett formed the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission (TFAC), which developed a plan for Pennsylvania to fund infrastructure improvement projects, including bridge reconstruction. The TFAC report was made public on August 1, 2011 and recommends many different approaches that get us to the same result, a fully funded infrastructure improvement program. How much is needed to address these structurally deficient bridges? The TFAC estimates a need of $1.29 Billion in the year 2020. If the funding recommendations are put into place, PennDOT will be able to repair and replace over 400 bridges per year. Without implementing the funding program, approximately 200 bridges per year will be addressed; a number that is not expected to keep pace with the number of bridges being added to the list.

Although no bridges came down or were closed as a result of the earthquake, it does not mean there is no cause for concern. If PennDOT is unable to properly handle the backlog of structurally deficient bridges, there is no telling what may happen if an earthquake were to happen closer to home.

Partner In The Spotlight: West Conshohocken Borough

2011-08-24T13:13:00.006-04:00

Incorporated in 1874 and located along the Schuylkill River in central Montgomery County, West Conshohocken Borough has taken significant steps to revitalize its riverfront with dense mixed-used development over the past decade, becoming a model for redevelopment of an urban core. Like many older communities in the Schuylkill Valley, West Conshohocken once stood as an industrial power, though today it has reinvented itself as a livable community with a successful mix of residential and commercial development along its riverfront, as well as ample recreational opportunities. Major employers such as ASTM International and Cheswold Lane Asset Management call West Conshohocken home, while Renaissance Business Park in Upper Merion Township is located just a short distance west on PA Route 23. Borough residents have plenty of opportunity for leisure at MacKenzie Park, St. Gert’s Park, and Elizabeth Street Park.

“West Conshohocken Borough is located in a high traffic area and the Borough relies on GVFTMA for advice and guidance on transportation matters that will affect our residents.“

-Mike English West Conshohocken Borough Manager

West Conshohocken redevelopment has occurred, in no small part, because of the ample access that the borough has to various forms of transportation. The heavily traversed I-76/I-476 Interchange, one of the largest highway interchanges in Greater Philadelphia, is located within the borough. SEPTA’s Norristown-Manayunk Rail Line stops directly across the Schuylkill River, near the Fayette Street Bridge, in West Conshohocken’s sister borough of Conshohocken. West Conshohocken and Montgomery County recently partnered to fund the widening of westbound Matsonford Road approaching the I-76/I-476 Interchange, leading to a reduction in travel time of roughly 30 minutes for motorists. PennDOT is currently realigning the intersection of Balligomingo Road and PA Route 23 (Front Street), a project which will improve safety and traffic flow by creating a signalized intersection with dedicated turning movements to both roadways. Residents also can walk across the Fayette Street Bridge and access the Schuylkill River Trail, connecting Philadelphia to Valley Forge. With such an abundance of transportation options, it is no wonder that West Conshohocken is a model for national standards of livability.

Back to School is Almost Here -- Why Not Walk to School?

2011-08-18T13:40:00.004-04:00

Summer's nearly over, and back to school is upon us. Time to dust off your sneakers and mark your calendar for October 5, 2011 for Walk to School Day!

Internationally recognized the first Wednesday of every October, Walk to School Day encourages and celebrates children who walk and bike to school. Marketing materials and ideas will be posted on the Pennsylvania Safe Routes to School Web site soon. Information kits are available when you register your event.

If your school or community is looking for fun and creative ways to get children to walk and bike to school, GVF would be happy to assist with your efforts and ideas, as well as promote your event. Contact GVF today and we can help make Walk to School Day a success in your community!

For the latest info, follow the Twitter tag #SRTS here- Twitter .

Adaptive Traffic Signal Technology Deployed in King of Prussia

2011-08-11T15:05:00.001-04:00

Recently I have been writing about ways technology can help improve our transportation system (such as virtual subway storefronts and live transit data) unfortunately these technology initiatives seem to be taking place in other countries or are in their infancy. We can enjoy some of this marriage between transportation and technology right now, in our own backyard. Adaptive Traffic Signals, deployed eighteen months ago in King of Prussia at the intersections of 202 and Gulph Road and 202 and Mall Boulevard have already improved traffic flow and safety.

The product being used is an InSync system by Rhythm Engineering that has been installed in about 50 locations across the country. The technology does as its name implies: it adapts signals based on traffic. Regular traffic signals rely on a timing cycle to distribute traffic, this often leads to wasted green time when little to no traffic is on the cross street. With the addition of cameras and computer processing, the InSync system is able to gauge traffic and adjust timing on the fly, depending on the amount of congestion. This flexibility creates a much more efficient signal.

Since being deployed 18 months ago traffic flow has increased 50% and the amount of accidents at the intersections has also decreased. The technology is currently in the early planning stages to be extended all the way along 202 to the William F. Danne Hower Bridge with the goal of being completed by Black Friday.

A few weeks ago, GVF had the chance to talk with Charles DeVitis, Upper Merion Township Traffic Signal Division Supervisor about the adaptive traffic signals, check out the video below:

Governor's Transportation Funding Advisory Commission Releases Report

2011-08-04T14:48:00.003-04:00

On August 1st, Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation Barry Schoch delivered the final report from the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission (TFAC) to the desk of Governor Tom Corbett. To help close Commonwealth's current $3.5 billion transportation funding gap, the governor formed by TFAC by executive order in April, tasking them with finding an additional $2 to $2.5 billion annually for the state's transportation infrastructure needs. The panel's 40 members, all experts in the fields of transportation, finance, local government, and other fields, spent the last several months discussing new and innovative ways to meet the Pennsylvania's transportation funding needs.

The TFAC was instructed not to consider raising the state gas tax or leasing of the PA Turnpike as ways to generate new funding. They also assumed the federal funding for transportation systems in Pennsylvania would remain flat. Recognizing that their report should not just recommend revenue increases, the panel included many recommendations for state and local agencies to work smarter in stretching transportation dollars and increasing convenience for motorists. Among the many recommendations for improving efficiency are:

- Implementing biennial registrations, which will save PennDOT $5 million a year
- Issuing eight-year driver's licenses, improving convenience for Commonwealth motorists and saving PennDOT $500,000 after year four of implementation
- Eliminating safety inspections for vehicles under two years old, saving motorists statewide $24 million
- Eliminating vehicle registration stickers, saving PennDOT $1 million a year

As important as improving efficiency and customer service are, the fact remains that the only way to close the sizeable transportation funding gap this Commonwealth faces is through revenue generation. The TFAC realized that aligning revenue with needs would require incremental funding increases from several sources, and combined promising funding options into various packages for further evaluation.

From the funding package that was chosen, the largest single transportation funding generator is removing the cap on PA's Oil Franchise Tax, which would generate an additional $1.36 billion in funding by the fifth year of implementation. The oil franchise tax is currently based on a fixed millage rate set against the Average Wholesale Price of gas and diesel up to a ceiling set in 1983. However, the actual Average Wholesale Price of gas and diesel is more than double the ceiling established in 1983. Removing this ceiling would be a significant revenue generator for state and local transportation agencies. Other funding recommendations include:

- Increasing vehicle and driver fees to the Consumer Price Index allowing them to keep pace with inflation, at a rate of 3% a year going forward and phased in for commercial vehciles over 26,000 pounds. This would generate $574 million for transportation a year
- Capping and/or moving costs for the PA State Police from the Motor License Fund to the state's General Fund. The PSP currently receives $570 million per year from the Motor Licnese Fund. This option would cap and move a portion of the amount (between $0 and $300 million) to the General Fund, creating additional transportation funding
- Restructuring Act 44 to allow for additional transit revenue. Somewhere between $0 and $200 million, currently directed from Act 44 to highways and bridges, would be redirected to transit

These represent the largest proposals to increase funding in the report. To view a full copy of TFAC report, click here.

If the report's funding package is implemented, the TFAC believes it could lead to a "decade of investment", which increases funding for highways and bridges by $1.8 billion, funding for transit by $300-400 million, and funding for local government transportation projects by $300-400 million. The TFAC estimates that 135,000 to 145,000 full-time jobs could be created over the next decade by this investment.

Complete Streets Bill Considered by Congress

2011-07-28T10:49:00.005-04:00

Complete streets is a policy of rethinking how we accommodate our citizens in our transportation system. Transportation planning in the United States has been dominated by one entity: the automobile. Since 1956, when the Interstate Highway System was created, planning, designing, construction and use of our nation's roadways have centered around the automobile. After decades of this paradigm, we are awaking to the realization that we have eliminated choice in our transportation system. Roadways have become inhospitable places for pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit riders; all are allowed to use the roadway network, but infrequently they are welcomed. Beyond the lack of choice citizens face, a fundamental flaw has been exposed in our transportation system: the risk to foreign threats as we continue to consume oil.

Complete streets, and the proposed legislation in H.R. 1780, do not remove the automobile from transportation planning. A complete streets policy will require that states must include pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users in the planning process when designing a roadway improvement project. Through changing the demands on our planners and designers we will be able to offer more choices to the system's users, often with positive benefits. Providing a safe, welcoming environment for all citizens to make the best transportation choice is paramount in a complete streets policy. For short trips, close to home or office, walking or bicycling are often the most economical choice, but current roadway design makes these choices often the most risky.

Complete streets have a wider benefit than simply offering more choice to citizens, it is an effective way to reduce congestion, limit our nation's dependence on foreign oil, improve air quality, and combat the obesity epidemic. Through proper roadway design, the costs of including safe amenities for bicyclists, pedestrians, and transit riders will be offset and paid for by the individual savings of each user. H.R. 1780 is an excellent step in addressing these concerns, however it does so with caution.

A Complete Streets Policy, as what would be required under H.R.1780, does not require that amenities are to be included indiscriminately. In places where bicycles and pedestrians are prohibited by law, typically limited access highways, amenities would not be required. In places where it has been determined that the volume of traffic and/or the volume of foot traffic is extremely low, typical in rural areas, amenities would not be required either. The intent of Complete Streets is to improve our transportation system, not add unnecessary costs to projects where the need and benefit is diminutive.

The Revolutionary Shuttle provides free service through VFNHP [Video]

2011-07-21T13:53:00.006-04:00

Free visitor shuttle service has returned to Valley Forge National Historical Park for the summer season. In its third year, The Revolutionary Shuttle provides a comfortable way to get around the park, relieves traffic congestion and reduces pollution.

The two shuttles operate 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Monday, September 5, 2011. The seven-mile loop covers most of the park, and riders can hop on or off at any of nine stops, including:

Visitor Center Lower Parking Lot
Visitor Center Lower Entrance
Muhlenberg’s Brigade
National Memorial Arch
Wayne’s Woods
Artillery Park
Washington’s Headquarters
von Steuben Statue
Washington Memorial Chapel

So far, the shuttle has carried more than 2,300 riders since its Memorial Day start. (The shuttle did not run the first few weeks of June!)

Check out the shuttle video below to learn more about this free convenience to all park visitors!

Royesford-Spring City Bridge Stakeholders Meeting [Video]

2011-07-19T09:14:00.002-04:00

On Monday, July 11th, Royersford Borough hosted officials from PennDOT Engineering District 6-0 to discuss the status of repair work on the Royersford-Spring City Bridge with the public and business owners in the immediate area. During this briefing, Steve Laws, Assistant Construction Engineer with PennDOT, and Michael Cuddy of TranSystems noted that since a previous stakeholder meeting in February, additional damage found on the deck of the bridge has necessitated a change in PennDOT's repair plans. Construction of an eight-inch reinforced concrete deck on the bridge will require a complete shutdown of structure beginning on July 18th and lasting roughly eight weeks. PennDOT staff discussed the detour plans for the bridge, and addressed the questions/concerns of those in attendance.

New Subway Virtual Store Concept Could Save Time, Gas and Improve Public Transit

2011-07-14T13:35:00.003-04:00

With the increasing gas prices we all know the importance of utilizing public transportation. However what do you get done while waiting for a train? Check your email? Facebook? Tweet about waiting for the train?

During this downtime, wouldn’t it be great to get the weekly chore of grocery shopping finished and never have to put up with pushing a shopping cart through aisle after aisle of crowds, hassle and headache?

Well this shopping fantasy could soon be a reality, thanks to the world of smart phones and QR Codes that we live in today. A company in South Korea is already implementing and expanding one such system.

This type of service would add another benefit for our transit commuters, saving them time, money, and a separate trip to the grocery store. If this makes its way to the US, we could also open up the possibility of adding a surcharge to each transaction that would go towards improving the transit system. This would improve the user experience, commute, and “store” all at the same time.

Another benefit of implementing this system would be a decrease in carbon emissions, this report from Carnegie Mellon finds shopping online results in less of an environmental impact than buying locally. Not only do we increase the benefits for the commuter, we also keep cars from making dedicated trips to the grocery store.

Last month, I talked about Google implementing live transit updates as part of their maps’ service, and now these virtual subway stores are just an additional example of how we can use new technology to improve a commuter’s transit experience. All it takes is a creative idea on how to pair the two.

U.S. House Unveils Six-Year Transportation Authorization Bill

2011-07-07T15:51:00.006-04:00

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today unveiled a six-year transportation reauthorization bill that would allocate $230 billion for highway, transit, and highway safety programs. Operating under the guise of a no-tax increase pledge by leadership in the House, and within the confines of funding currently within the Federal Highway Trust Fund, this authorization proposal will mark a significant cut from current levels of transportation funding. Congressman John Mica (R-FL) is hoping that streamlining of government processes, specifically environmental regulations and reviews, can double the value of existing Highway Trust Fund dollars, which amount to roughly $35 billion a year.

"Given U.S. House rules and budget constraints, this proposal maximizes the value of our available infrastructure funding through better leveraging, streamlining the project approval process, attracting private sector investment, and cutting federal bureaucracy," Congressman Mica said. "Most importantly, this six-year proposal provides the stability states need to plan major transportation improvements and create long-term jobs."

Congressman Mica was adamant that a short-term extension of the existing transportation authorization bill, or a two-year bill, would bankrupt the Highway Trust Fund and hurt states' ability to plan long-term.

Some elements of the House Transportation and Infrastructure proposal include:

- Cutting bureaucratic red tape by allowing federal agencies to review transportation projects concurrently

- Delegates project approval authority to states

- Establishes hard deadlines for federal agencies to make decisions on permits and project approvals

- Expands the list of activities that qualify for Categorical Exclusions, an approval process that is faster and simpler than the current process

- Funds the TIFIA program at $1 billion per year and provides incentives for states to create and capitalize State Infrastructure Banks

- Consolidates or eliminates nearly 70 duplicative federal transportation programs

- Removes current barriers that prevent the private sector from offering public transportation services

- Provides more focus on transit programs that benefit rural and suburban areas

- Focuses the Federal Highway Program on the Interstate Highway System and the National Highway System

- Reforms under-performing programs such as the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) Program, to enhance participation

Those looking for a full breakdown of the House T&I proposal can find it linked here

GVF TMA Foundation Hosts First Golf Outing [Video]

2011-07-07T15:45:00.002-04:00

King of Prussia, PA- The newly formed GVF TMA Foundation, a 501 c 3 subsidiary of the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF), held its first golf outing at The Club at Shannondell last Friday, June 24.

The event, which included more than 40 golfers, raised more than $1,000 for the Foundation. GVF established this Foundation to secure funding for educational seminars, training, outreach and environmental awareness for the general public in support of livability activities. The Peter P. Quinn Scholarship, created when GVF founder Peter P. Quinn retired in 2008, is incorporated into the GVF TMA Foundation and creates a scholarship fund for college students to expose them to the public and private transportation sectors.

Check out pictures from the event here.

Have you watched a 'Street Film'? [VIDEO]

2011-06-30T11:00:00.004-04:00

Streetfilms is a non-profit transportation advocacy group dedicated to informing and educating the American people on the different modes of transportation and the trends in transportation. The approach Streetfilms takes is unique in that they present the topic at hand in a short, fun, easily understood video. The videos cover topics such as: bicycling, cars and parking, pedestrians, traffic calming, and moving beyond the automobile. Each video is short, generally less than five minutes, and incredibly informative. Their approach to presenting the information is keeping with the trends in video media and includes high quality graphics and charts, interviews with topic experts, and fun background music.

Streetfilms produces the videos with the purpose of educating people about the easy changes we can all make that will have lasting impacts on the future of our nation's transportation system. Their focus on innovative ideas such as market based parking pricing demonstrate that changes can be implemented to our transportation system that shift the decision making process from a solely automobile centered society to one that employs all modes of transportation. Their approach to the video production is intended to reach non-industry people, so the language and presentation of information is light and informative.

Making Streetfilms unique is their publication. They use the Creative Commons license, which allows for any person or agency to share, use, and distribute the videos, so long as Streetfilms is credited and the videos remain unedited. Because there is no threat to copyright infringement, Streetfilms are going viral on the internet. Streetfilms is on the cutting edge of transportation advocacy, and have successfully employed the modern methods of reaching people.

The Rockefeller Foundation releases results of infrastructure survey

2011-06-22T10:20:00.007-04:00

The results of The Rockefeller Foundation infrastructure study are pretty clear -- Americans, regardless of party affiliation, are looking to government to work collectively to improve the transportation infrastructure of our country.

The full report of the study can be found here. The four page report details key findings of the survey, which was administered from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6, 2011, to 1,001 registered voters throughout the United States.

In its 20 year history, GVF has been a non-partisan organization to push transportation infrastructure improvements along in Montgomery and Chester counties. We hope the results of this survey, which are overwhelmingly in support of transportation infrastructure improvements, get the attention of politicians in our region to create real change.

Google Maps now has Live Transit Updates

2011-06-16T14:42:00.001-04:00

Google has added another big piece to the feature set of Google Maps that will be sure to please mass transit riders. In addition to their existing support for car, bicycle, transit, and walking directions, Google Maps is now starting to integrate live transit data to their service. Thanks to data-sharing partnerships with city transit operators, riders will now have the ability to know where there bus is by checking their mobile phone at the station or before even leaving their house from their PC.

Google announced this feature late last week and will initially offer the service in four US cities (Boston, Portland, Ore., San Diego, San Francisco) and two European Cities (Madrid and Turin). Google also said that they are working with additional public transit partners to roll out the feature into as many cities as possible.

Unfortunately Philadelphia did not make the initial list of cities but riders can already get a taste of the Google Maps’ offering by checking out SEPTA’s TransitView which already provides real time information for all of Septa’s 116 bus routes plus 3 trackless trolley and 8 trolley lines. Because of the existence of TransitView I have to imagine that it will not be long before integration with Google Maps and SEPTA.

Making this data available to the public can only add to the convenience of utilizing mass transit and further reducing congestion in our cities and urban places.

For more information: The Official Google Blog

It's About Solutions

2011-06-09T16:00:00.001-04:00

We have a serious problem in Pennsylvania, a problem that can cripple our economy and stop growth in its tracks. Like most problems, the source of the grief is not a singular event or decision. The problem we have is right underneath us, and it is a topic that hardly gets much press; it is our infrastructure, the roads and bridges we drive on everyday. The infrastructure is old, almost all if it needs repair and some of it needs to be replaced. The problem seems pretty easy to solve, simply go out and rebuild the bridges, add a lane where traffic backs up, fill a pothole, and repave damaged roads. Easy enough, we have done it for years, and there are ample numbers of professionals that are more than qualified to perform the task. Performing the repairs is not the real problem, it is figuring out what to do about the bill when the job is done that poses a real issue.

The bill for all this work, it is expensive, many billions of dollars in Pennsylvania alone. It is a bill that must be paid, and there aren’t too many places to cut costs; at least not enough to make a noticeable difference. In our current situation, the credit cards have been maxed out, the bank account has been drained, and the state has little more than lint in their pockets. We are flat broke, but the bills keep piling up, Pennsylvania falls short almost $3.5 billion. For this reason, Governor Corbett has created a commission of transportation and financial professionals to come up with a solution to the problem. The Transportation Funding Advisory Commission, which was formed in 2011, will hear ideas from around the industry on how to address the funding gap, and not just return our infrastructure to a state of good repair, but establish an infrastructure that will carry us into the future.
Recently, US 422 has taken center stage in the discussion of infrastructure funding. A plan that was presented to the Transportation Funding Advisory Commission uses US 422 as the test case for local funding initiatives. At the center of the plan is a concept that would assess a toll on the highway to fund improvement projects. The toll money that would be collected would be restricted by law to remain on the US 422 Corridor. A plan of this nature would ensure a dedicated stream of revenue to the corridor, revenue that would not be available for projects elsewhere in the state. The project has received a significant amount of press coverage since being announced, justifiably so; this is the first project of its type in the state, and one of the first nationwide.

Tolling has a distinct advantage to funding a specific, high volume roadway, however, it does not fully address the need for funding our entire transportation system. There are still an unknown number of locally owned structurally deficient bridges and locally owned roads that need to be repaired, replaced, or expanded to handle current and future volumes. These smaller projects are equally important to address, but are much more challenging to fund. In addition to the local and low volume roads and bridges are the many state public transportation systems. Many of these systems, including SEPTA, have old and aging equipment that is vital to operating a functional service. We cannot forget or forsake them in our funding plans.

Ideas such as restructuring the fee schedule for registering and inspecting vehicles, changing the taxing structure for oil companies, charging drivers for miles driven are all concepts that have been put on the table. These ideas are only a few of the multitude that have been conceived. The Transportation Funding Advisory Commission is considering them all in hopes of identifying the ones that work best for Pennsylvania. The Commission will, upon hearing all the ideas and thoughts, make a recommendation to Governor Corbett on where to generate the much needed funding to bring our infrastructure into the 21st century. What happens after that will be determined by the state legislature and ultimately the drivers and voters in Pennsylvania.

The fact of the matter is plainly this, without a dramatic change in the way we think about how we use, design, build, maintain, and fund our infrastructure; Pennsylvania will lose its competitive edge and start to lose jobs to areas that have taken on the issue. It is uncertain how the problem will be solved, and it is likely that it will be a multi-faceted approach to the issue. Many may argue that increasing expenses on travel will not bear a positive outcome during a recession. Fortunately, there are a dedicated few that recognize that not addressing the issue will certainly have a negative outcome for the future prosperity of Pennsylvania.

T4 America Report Highlights Pedestrian Safety Over Past Decade

2011-06-02T15:13:00.005-04:00

Transportation For America (T4 America) recently released their 2011 pedestrian safety report, Dangerous By Design 2011, which examines the problem of and offers solutions for the epidemic of preventable pedestrian deaths on our nation's streets. From 2000-2009, more than 47,700 pedestrians were killed and 688,000 were injured while traversing the country's roadway network. Given these statistics, the report asserts that the decades-long neglect of pedestrian safety in the design and use of America's streets is taking a heavy toll on our lives. Pedestrian deaths in the U.S. over the past decade are equivalent to a jumbo jet full of passengers crashing every month for the past ten years. The 688,000 injuries over this same period of time equate to a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle every seven minutes.

Nationwide, pedestrians account for nearly 12% of total traffic deaths, though state DOT's have allocated only 1.5% of available federal funds to projects that retrofit dangerous roads or create safe alternatives. In the nation's 15 largest metropolitan areas, pedestrian fatalities have actually increased over the past decade, even as overall traffic deaths fell. Children, older adults, and racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in these fatal statistics, but people of all ages and walks of life have been struck down in the simple act of walking.

The lack of federal funding dedicated to pedestrian improvements is mainly due to the perception that pedestrian safety is a local issue, even though 67% of the 47,700 pedestrian deaths over the past decade occurred on federal-aid roadways, major roadways eligible for federal funding for construction/improvements, and under federal guidelines for design. The majority of pedestrian deaths in the past decade share a common theme: though labeled as "accidents", they occurred along arterial roadways that were dangerous by design. These streets were engineered for speeding traffic with little or no provision for people on foot, in wheelchairs, or on bicycles.

Dangerous by Design 2011 also includes a ranking of the 52 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S. and how dangerous they are to pedestrians. The Orlando-Kissimmee, Florida metro area is considered the most dangerous, and three other Sunshine State metro areas are in the top five. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro area is ranked 39 out of 52, in addition to having 3.8% of its population walking to work. Correspondingly, T4 America developed an interactive map to document the location of all pedestrian fatalities from 2001 to 2009.

T4 America makes several recommendations for provisions in the next Surfact Transportation Authorization bill to improve nationwide pedestrian safety along roadways. These recommendations include: retaining dedicated federal funding for safety of people on bicycle or foot (such as Safe Routes to School and Transportation Enhancements), adoption of a national complete streets policy, filling in strategic gaps in the pedestrian network, committing a fair share of federal funding to pedestrian safety, and holding states accountable for creating communities that are safe for walking.

Steve Wray Keynote on World Class Greater Philadelphia [Video]

2011-05-27T13:40:00.004-04:00

Did you miss our annual meeting?

No problem!

Now you can see the entire keynote presentation from GVF's Annual Meeting on the World Class Greater Philadelphia Intiative by Steve Wray, Executive Director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia.

World Class Greater Philadelphia is an initiative that convenes business, nonprofit, government, labor, and community leaders to establish a set of long-term priorities and focused strategies to better our region. Facilitated by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, this multi-year initiative strives to make the region a world class place to live, work, and play by 2026 - the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

For more information go to www.worldclassgreaterphila.org

Music: "Pling" by Jaspertine

jaspertine / CC BY-NC 3.0

Get ready to tee off at the GVF TMA Foundation Golf Outing!

2011-05-26T12:51:00.005-04:00

The newly formed GVF TMA Foundation, a 501 c 3 subsidiary of the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF) will hold its first golf outing at The Club at Shannondell on Friday, June 24.

The GVF TMA Foundation will secure funding for educational seminars, training, outreach and environmental awareness for the general public in support of livability initiatives. The foundation will create a scholarship fund for college students to expose them to the public and private transportation sectors.

For all detailed event information, including sponsorship opportunities, click here.

GVF's 2011 Annual Meeting [Video]

2011-05-19T14:00:00.003-04:00

Last week, GVF held their annual meeting at the BEST WESTERN PLUS the Inn at King of Prussia. The night included cocktails, hors d’ oeuvres, our award ceremony, and a keynote speech by Steven Wray (@STWray) of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia on the World Class Greater Philadelphia Initiative.

This initiative is an effort for the Greater Philadelphia Region to achieve World Class Status by 2026- the 250^th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Steve gave a presentation on four possible futures for the region and how we can thrive in all of them.

GVF also presented awards that evening to the following organizations and individuals:

Engineering and Design Award - Boles Smyth Associates Inc. Awarded for their design of the Henderson Road ramps currently being constructed off of I-76
Environmental Leadership Award- Montgomery County Community College Awarded for their investment in the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment
Legislative Leadership Award - Senator Daylin Leach Awarded for his ongoing support and involvement in the Norristown High Speed Line Project
Peter P. Quinn Leadership Award- Jeff Guzy, URS Awarded for his dedication to GVF and its Board of Directors
Planning Leadership Award - Limerick Township and Simone Collins Awarded for completing the Sanatoga Master Plan
Private Sector Leadership Award - The CEO Council For Growth Awarded for their leadership along the Route 422 Corridor

“I would like to once again congratulate all of our award winners from this year’s annual meeting. I would also like to thank our sponsors again who continue to support GVF and its mission. As we continue our work to make our region’s transportation system world-class, we feel it’s important to recognize all of those who are improving our mission and making our region a better place to work and live,” said GVF Executive Director Rob Henry.

Did you miss the event? That’s ok; we also have some video footage of the evening’s highlights:

Did you attend our annual meeting? Please, let us know in the comments how we did. Thanks to everyone who attended and I hope to see you all again next year.

New I-76 Ramp From Henderson Road [Video]

2011-05-13T14:13:00.002-04:00

On May 4^th at 11:00 a.m., PennDOT opened a new on-ramp to I-76 Westbound from the intersection of Henderson Road and South Gulph Road. This marks the successful completion of the first phase of the Henderson Road Ramps Project, a $10.5 million project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to create a new interchange with I-76 Westbound in Upper Merion Township. PennDOT plans to open the new off-ramp from I-76 Westbound to Henderson and South Gulph Roads at some point in the Fall of 2011.

“This new interchange connects the westbound expressway with a key intersection in the King of Prussia area, and the new ramps will help relieve traffic pressure from the Gulph Mills Interchange,” PennDOT District 6-0 Executive Les Toaso noted.

The Upper Merion Transportation Authority partnered with PennDOT to provide preliminary design, environmental clearance, and right-of-way funding for the project. This allowed the project to achieve the “shovel-ready” designation necessary to receive funding under the federal stimulus program.

Immediately after opening the new on-ramp, PennDOT and Glasgow Inc., the general contractor, closed the existing on-ramp to I-76 Westbound from South Gulph Road near its intersection with Crooked Lane. As Tom Loughery of Glasgow Inc. explains to Ryan Jeroski of GVF in the attached video, the new on-ramp will provide motorist with a major upgrade over the older ramp. The new on-ramp is located at a signalized intersection, with a dedicated turn lane for those using the ramp, all of which was lacking in the old on-ramp. These upgrades will greatly improve traffic flow along South Gulph Road and safety for those turning on to the on-ramps.

GVF Rallies for Bicycling and Walking [Video]

2011-05-05T13:55:00.004-04:00

On May 4, Harrisburg was swarmed by bikers. These bikers were not tattooed outlaws riding loud motorcycles, but rather were clicking around in their bicycle shoes, sporting helmets and reflectors. The 3rd Annual PA Walks and Bikes Summit was held to draw attention to the needs of pedestrians statewide. PA Walks an Bikes is a statewide coalition of pedestrian and bicycle advocates including bicycle industry folks, transportation professionals, and concerned private citizens.

The Summit began with a rally on the steps of the capital rotunda. Standing in front of more than thirty bicycling advocates Republican Chair of the House Transportation Committee Rick Geist declared that “bicycling in Pennsylvania is alive and well.” Representative Bill Kortz stood and said that he is a cyclist and finds it “exhilarating.” When Representative Ron Miller spoke, he had much support for his bill, HB 170, which calls for motorists to allow a four foot safe passing buffer when passing a bicycle on the road. Miller said “if we all share the roads we can get more people bicycling.”

After the rally in the rotunda, the group moved to the Keystone Building for a discussion and information session. Jeff Peel of the Leauge of American Bicyclists presented information on programs that rank states in order of bicycle friendliness. Pennsylvania is ranked 42nd of 50, which is actually worse than in 2010 when we were ranked 40th. Peel went on to speak about the bicycle friendly community, to which Philadelphia is the only eastern PA city on the list; Philly is a bronze level.

It was evident that we have quite a ways to go to make Pennsylvania a more bicycle friendly state. With this information, the attendees left to meet with state senators and representatives. GVF met with Senator Daylin Leach of the 17th Senatorial District and Representative Tim Briggs of the 149th House District. Both were supportive of bicycle and pedestrian needs, Representative Briggs voted to pass the HB 170 from the transportation committee.

At the end of the day the message of the need to make bicycling and walking viable alternatives for Pennsylvanians was brought to the capital. The work does not end with the rally, but only begins. To see PA raise its national ranking much work has to be done. It is still difficult to include bicycle and pedestrian needs in the design of new transportation projects, and funding is always a struggle. Changing the perception that bicycling is only a recreation and not transportation is the first step. Investments in bicycling networks are much more cost effective, and much more environmentally friendly.

To promote bicycling as mode of transportation, GVF is sponsoring our third annual Bike to Work Challenge. To register visit www.gvfbiketowork.com. If you want to get involved in bicycle advocacy, visit www.pawalksandbikes.org.

GVF is excited to announce the addition of six new partners since March 1, 2011

2011-04-29T14:48:00.005-04:00

GVF is excited to announce the addition of six new partners since March 1, 2011. These are companies and organizations that are dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our region, and are forward-thinking in finding ways to make transportation smarter and greener and engage employees in re-thinking their commuting habits.

These companies include:

Arcadia University: a comprehensive, independent institution that offers men and women a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs on its suburban Philadelphia campus and through its College of Global Studies.

Carter Van Dyke Associates Inc: a planning and landscape architectural firm based in Doylestown.

HNTB: an infrastructure firm serving federal, state, municipal, military and private clients.

KMJ Consulting: an Ardmore-based transportation consulting firm.

KSK Architects Planners Historians, Inc: a Philadelphia-based architecture, planning and historic preservation firm.

Shire: a specialty biopharmaceutical company that works to enable people with life-altering conditions to lead better lives.

Welcome to GVF! If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of GVF partnership, contact Carissa Bobenchik.

GVF Celebrates Earth Day

2011-04-21T12:45:00.004-04:00

On Wednesday afternoon GVF employees attended several Earth Day events throughout the Greater Valley Forge area. GVF had a presence at local corporations and colleges to spread information about green ways to commute. From taking public transportation, carpooling, utilizing a shuttle service, or participating in GVF’s upcoming Bike to Work Challenge there are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint!

Here are some other green tips for Earth Day:

Reuse your water bottle. Avoid buying bottled water.
Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Given a choice between plastic and paper, choose paper.
Go paperless. Consider reading your newspaper and magazine subscriptions online. Switch to electronic banking and credit card payment, too.
Turn your car off if you’re going to be idle for more than one minute.
Recycle your technology. Dell, Hewlett Packard, Apple, and IBM, among others, offer recycling programs.

Remember, small changes can add up to make a BIG difference! How do you celebrate Earth Day?

US 202 Section 300 Groundbreaking Ceremony [Video]

2011-04-21T10:39:00.001-04:00

Groundbreaking Ceremony for the US 202 Section 300 held April 2011.

Dutch Astronaut Hopes to Revolutionize Public Transit [Video]

2011-04-14T10:03:00.007-04:00

New transportation systems like BRT (bus rapid transit) and high speed rail are attracting a lot of buzz these days, but what if someone were to combine the two? That’s exactly what Wubbo Ockels, first Dutch astronaut and general manager of the Superbus Project has done:

The Superbus is the Ferrari of public transportation and is extremely cool looking; however that sleek, aerodynamic design is not just used for eye candy. Once implemented, the Superbus would have access to designated “Superbus tracks” where it could ramp up the speed to a blazing 155 mph between cities, an intriguing concept for cities where high speed rail isn’t an option.

While an interesting concept, a few key drawbacks will probably keep the Superbus from revolutionizing transportation. First is the economic feasibility in implementing a system like this. Who will ride it? The Superbus is currently being marketed as a luxury way to travel for the upper class, a demographic that tends to avoid public transportation. I am also not sure of how the public will perceive the safety of travelling 155 mph in a vehicle not attached to rails. It’s nice that the Superbus is an electric vehicle however this limits its range to 130 miles before it has to recharge, which will narrow potential areas the Superbus can be deployed.

Even with these drawbacks I still think that this project could be used as a valuable resource to transportation management, perhaps some ideas pioneered by the Superbus could be utilized in our next generation of transit systems.

More Information:

http://www.superbusproject.com/

Amtrak Pursues High-Speed Rail Funding For NEC

2011-04-07T14:57:00.004-04:00

Amtrak has recently filed an application for $1.3 billion in high-speed rail funding, from the pot of $2.4 billion turned back by the state of Florida, to upgrade its high-speed rail service along the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor. The funding would go towards a series of infrastructure improvements, including elements of Amtrak's Gateway Project, that would provide critical first steps to bringing high-speed rail service to the Northeast mega-region. The Gateway Project represents Amtrak's vision for next generation high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor.

"The Northeast Corridor is a premier region in the country to advance the nation's high-speed rail program," said Amtrak President/CEO Joseph Boardman. "The Gateway Project improvements to increase passenger rail capacity and accesss into the heart of Manhattan are absolutely essential to make next generation high-speed rail a reality."

Amtrak worked closely with state partners to prioritize project selection in its application, ensuring that projects submitted by Amtrak were vital for the reliability and capacity of the current NEC network, in addition to being critical building blocks for expanded high-speed rail service.

The three Gateway Projects requests within the applicaiton include:

- A $720 million replacement of the more than 100 year-old movable Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River in New Jersey with a new, high-level fixed bridge. Amtrak has requested $570 million for this, and the state of New Jersey will contribute up to $150 million.

- A request of $188 million for preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for two new tunnels under the Hudson River into Manhattan with related infrastructure improvements.

- $50 million for preliminary engineering and environmental analysis for the development of a new Penn Station South facility to accomodate more tracks and platforms in downtown New York.

- $450 million to support capacity increases and improve trip times between Philadelphia and New York, one of the busiest sections of the NEC. The project will upgrade electrical power, signal systems, and overhead catenary wires in New Jersey and Pennsylvania to improve reliability, increase speeds up to 160 mph, and support more frequent high-speed service. Track switches at the western end of New York's Penn Station will also be reconfigured to avoid congestion issues.

Separate from the Gateway Project is an application for $15 million for the necessary environmental and preliminary engineering design to examine replacement options for the 100+ year-old, low-level movable Pelham Bay Bridge over the Hutchinson River in the Bronx on the Hell Gate Line that connects New York to New England.

Boardman emphasized that the Gateway Project is key for the future growth and economic development in the entire NEC region. The Gateway Project represents the cornerstone from which Amtrak plans to build a new, two-track 220 mph next generation high-speed rail system.

Air Quality Partnership to Host Lawn Mower Trade-In Event on May 7

2011-04-01T09:26:00.000-04:00

Residents in southeastern Pennsylvania will have an opportunity to get rid of their old, gasoline-powered lawn mowers and purchase environmentally friendly, discounted electric or battery-powered mowers at an event on Saturday, May 7 in Springfield Township, Montgomery County.

Hosted by the Air Quality Partnership (AQP), a program to reduce air pollution in the region, the event will be held:
Saturday, May 7
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Springfield Township High School parking lot
1801 East Paper Mill Road, Erdenheim, PA.

Interested residents can pre-register at http://www.airqualitypartnership.org/. The first 140 registrants will receive a $50 voucher toward a new, electric or battery-powered lawn mower.

Black and Decker will be on-site, giving up to an additional 30% off to those who purchase a mower at the event. Participants must trade-in an old mower in order to receive the voucher and discount. Registration will close at 250 participants.

The AQP is partnering with Sustainable Waste Solutions (SWS) to haul away the old mowers. All mowers must be drained of fluids before drop-off. A list of county hazardous waste days can be found at www.airqualitypartnership.org.

AQP is a program of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), which educates residents about the dangerous effects of ground-level ozone, and provides air quality forecasts to the public. Gas-powered lawn mowers are a major contributor to ground-level ozone, and purchasing an electric mower is just one way the public can help the environment. To sign-up for air quality forecasts and alerts, and for tips on how to reduce air pollution, visit the newly redesigned website, www.airqualitypartnership.org.

Sustainable Waste Solutions, LLC, an environmentally green recycling and solid waste services company, is the first landfill-free waste company in our region. Its focus is converting trash to renewable energy. Headquartered in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Sustainable Waste Solutions serves its clients throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley and Delaware.

Montgomery County Community College featured in APTA magazine

2011-03-23T08:48:00.005-04:00

The Montgomery County Community College was featured in the March 11 edition of the American Public Transportation Association's magazine, Passenger Transport. Passenger Transport is sent to companies, organizations and individuals throughout the United States. The article focused on the partnership between GVF and the College, and the details of the shuttle.

The shuttle is just one of the ways the College is fulfilling its promise and goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, since College President Dr. Karen Stout signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Change Commitment in 2007.

As Dr. Stout quotes in the article, "This effort supports sustainability and student success by helping students gain access to courses required for completion of a degree that may be available at one campus and not the other."

To read the full article, click here.

Miles Per Dollar vs. Miles Per Gallon

2011-03-17T15:48:00.006-04:00

You hear it in every car commercial. Fantastic claims that their flashy new car gets excellent miles per gallon. It is a simple metric to calculate, take the number of gallons of fuel and divide it by the number of miles driven. Miles per gallon is a standard for measuring the efficiency of a vehicle against any other vehicle. If you are on the fence between an SUV or a sedan, the miles per gallon will be a consistent measure to clue you into the cost of driving. Miles per gallon has also become a bragging right for people with extremely efficient cars. Hybrid owners will turn their nose up in hubris as they proudly declare that they get 51 miles per gallon, then with a smug tone ask what your SUV gets.

What happens when you get your new car home? Does miles per gallon tell you how much your car is costing you? To know how expensive your commute is, or to decide whether to make a special trip for milk rather than stringing it as part of your next trip try calculating your Miles Per Dollar. Miles per dollar, much like miles per gallon is a measure that can be consistent across any vehicle, but what miles per dollar does better than miles per gallon is helps make transportation decisions. When we equate miles per gallon it assumes that we must drive, miles per dollar assumes we must travel. To calculate miles per dollar divide the total number of miles driven by the amount of money spent fueling your car. Example: If you drive 500 miles and it costs $75.00 to fill your fuel tank then your car gets 6.67 miles per dollar.

Once you are equipped with the knowledge of how expensive it is to drive, start considering alternative modes of transportation. For short trips, it will be more economical to leave the car at home and take a bicycle. For longer trips, taking SEPTA may pay off. If you can't take SEPTA or ride a bike, try carpooling.

Knowing your miles per gallon may give you something to brag about at your next cocktail party, but knowing your miles per dollar will save you money and make you a smarter traveler.

Proposed Bill Would Dramatically Fund ITS Deployment

2011-03-04T12:39:00.004-05:00

Legislation currenlty under consideration by the US House of Representatives would dramatically increase funding for the deployment of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in selected communities across the US. The "Smart Technologies for Communities Act", sponsored by Congressmen Mike Rogers (R-MI) and Russ Carnahan (D-MO) would establish several competitively selected model deployment communities for existing transportation technologies, which could also serve as real world research and testing sites for advanced ITS solutions that are nearing deployment such as VMT-based user fees and a wireless communications system between vehicles that could help drivers avoid crashes.

The bill proposes a $1 billion competitve grant program over the next five years, with funding coming from the existing Federal Highway Trust Fund. A total of $350 million would be available in 2012, should the bill be enacted. The US Department of Transportation estimates that a connected vehicle network could prevent or mitigate the impact of 80% of unimpaired vehicle crashes, saving thousands of lives each year while significantly improving mobility.

David St. Amant, a Board member of ITS America, recently testified before the US House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure regarding the Smart Technologies for Communities Act. In his testimony, he noted that the act would "advance the deployment of 21st Century technologies that are vital for creating a safer, more efficient transportation system, spurring job creation, and improving our nation's economic competitiveness, while generating a greater return on our transportation investment." David St. Amant also points out how cost effective these ITS solutions can be, pointing out that smart traffic signals that change based on real-world conditions are returning to the public roughly $40 in time and fuel saving based on every $1 invested, reducing travel delays by 25% and CO2 emissions by up to 22%.

Is $53 Billion to Much For Our Future

2011-02-25T15:26:00.005-05:00

In 1956 President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act which created the interstate system. Ike's inspiration for the highway network came after after his 61 day journey in the United States Army Transcontinental Convoy that traveled from Washington D.C. to Gettysburg, then on to San Fransisco. The trip was a grueling journey, and later inspired President Eisenhower to begin the largest construction effort in the history of our nation. The result was the Interstate Highway System. Imagine if the convoy had used the rail system. Would Eisenhower put money into developing an interstate rail system?

Here we are, fifty-five years later deciding again whether or not to invest in and develop a network of high speed rail to connect our country in the same way the Interstate Highway System has. The problem is not a technical one, we have the engineers and technology to complete the system. The problem is a political one, we have differing opinions on the necessity. Our highway network is largely complete, and in dire need of repairs and upgrades. Congestion on many inter-urban corridors frustrates commuters, slows the movements of goods, and costs our nation in lost productivity.

President Obama has proposed a solution that will solve the problem of congestion and our dependency on oil. The National High Speed Rail Plan will reconnect cities, and offer incredible alternatives for mobility. His plan comes at a cost, $53 Billion, which is not a small figure. Compared to the $114 Billion spent on our Interstate Highway System, it doesn't seem as bad. For less than half what we spent to build highways, we can create a complementary system.

Many critics have said that this system is too costly, and that our nation can not afford to build high speed rail. What is not being discussed is the cost of inaction. The United States is the only nation in the world without a developed high speed rail system. Our reliance on oil has become our Achilles heal. While the rest of the world develops alternatives, we have been drilling deeper, only to find the wells are running dry.

Building a high speed rail network is critical for the future success of our nation. The construction will provide jobs in the present tense, it will develop opportunities for urban growth in the near future and it will bless the next generations with a mobility network that does not need to rely on a single source of fuel. Building the High Speed Rail network will carry a cost to our nation but make us stronger. Not investing in this system will not cost us much, much more.

GVF's 2011 Sustainable Awards - Submit Application Now!

2011-02-18T11:48:00.000-05:00

GVF is pleased to announce its 2011 Sustainable Awards nomination period! GVF seeks nominations to recognize its partners for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality. When we launched this program in 2010, we were excited to see 11 partners participate, which employee over 16,000 employees. This year we hope to exceed these numbers!

Take a moment to view the application by clicking here or visit http://www.gvftma.com/, to see how you qualify for either the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition level. Upon review of the application, partners will be recognized at GVF’s Fall Partner Breakfast, which will be held in September 2011.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. We look forward to receiving your applications!

President Obama's Proposed Transportation Budget

2011-02-17T13:18:00.005-05:00

President Obama recently released his proposed Transportation Budget for Fiscal Year 2012. The full report can be found here.

On page 1 of the full report, you will see the funding highlights:

• Provides $13.4 billion in discretionary resources in 2012, a $1.3 billion decrease from 2010 levels. (This figure excludes $109 billion in obligation limitations for the surface transportation plan. Including surface transportation obligation limitations, Department of Transportation’s total budgetary resources increase by $53 billion over 2010.)

• Includes a six-year, $556 billion surface reauthorization plan to modernize the country’s surface transportation infrastructure, create jobs, and pave the way for long-term economic growth. The President will work with the Congress to ensure that the plan will not increase the deficit.

• Jump-starts productive investment and stimulates job growth with a first-year funding boost of $50 billion in 2012.

• Provides $8 billion in 2012 and $53 billion over six years to reach the President’s goal of providing 80 percent of Americans with convenient access to a passenger rail system, featuring high-speed service, within 25 years.

• Includes $30 billion over six years for a pioneering National Infrastructure Bank to invest in projects of regional or national significance to the economy.

• Continues to invest in the Next Generation Air Transportation System—a revolutionary modernization of our aviation system.

• Initiates Transportation Leadership Awards to create incentives for State and local partners to pursue critical transportation policy reforms.

• Reduces funding for Airport Grants, focusing Federal support on smaller airports, while giving larger airports additional flexibility to raise their own resources.

2011 Sustainable Awards

2011-02-10T15:10:00.005-05:00

For the second year, GVF is seeking nominations to recognize its partners for their outstanding achievements in implementing programs that provide and promote commuting alternatives for their employees and its community, thus reducing congestion and improving air quality. The program was launched in 2010, we were excited to see 11 partners participate, which, combined, employee over 16,000 employees. This year we hope to exceed these numbers!

To view the application, click here or visit http://www.gvftma.com/, to see if your company qualifies for either the Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum recognition level. Once the application has been completed, please e-mail the application, along with at least one picture of your workplace’s sustainability initiative, to Carissa Bobenchik by August 12th. Upon review of the application, partners will be recognized at GVF’s Fall Partner Breakfast, which will be held in September 2011.

GSK moving Philadelphia operations to Navy Yard

2011-02-10T11:13:00.001-05:00

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of GVF's partners, is relocating its Center City operations to the Philadelphia Navy Yard. It will move about 1,300 downtown employees to the South Philadelphia site.

Liberty Property Trust, another one of GVF's partners, will construct a 205,000-square-foot “state-of-the art workplace of the future” for the pharmaceutical company, said John Gattuso, senior vice president and regional director at Liberty, a Malvern, Pa., real estate investment Trust. Robert A.M. Stern Architects will design the $81 million, four-story building, which will be built to meet a LEED platinum designation.

“The reason it is at the Navy Yard is the company wanted a very specific environment that had a main street and that’s not a configuration that could be adapted in a current building or built in Center City,” Gattuso said. “That is the driver of the selection of the Navy Yard.”

GSK said the building will have an open plan design, which is consistent with other GSK facilities designed to bring employees together to foster better communication and idea sharing. The building will have a fitness center, restaurant, retail services, and free parking for employees and visitors. To read the entire article from the Philadelphia Business Journal, click here.

GVF is pleased to see two of its partners working together on this sustainability initiative and look forward to seeing the outcome. Among many notable awards, Liberty Property Trust was recognized in 2010 with GVF's Sustainable Awards. Through GVF's Climate Change Task Force, GVF has offered a tour of Liberty Property's Tasykake Bakery, which was built with several features in order to target LEED-Silver certification.

Would you be interested in visiting the LEED platinum GSK building once it is open? Let us know by emailing info@gvftma.com or calling 610-354-8899, so we can see if a possible tour would be feasible.

GVF Named Gold Level Company by the Best Workplaces for Commuters

2011-02-07T16:25:00.003-05:00

The Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF) is proud to be named a Gold Level Company by the Best Workplaces for Commuters. Best Workplaces for Commuters, a program designed to encourage sustainable transportation innovation and managed by the University of South Florida’s National Center for Transit Research, singled out 23 companies, institutions and individuals nationwide Tuesday in the 2010 “Race to Excellence” Virtual Awards Ceremony.

The awards recognize organizations who have taken exemplary steps to for their efforts to offer alternatives for their employees driving alone and thereby reduce air pollution, traffic congestion, and fuel usage from Jan. 1, 2010 to Oct. 15, 2010.

“We are very pleased to receive this recognition from the Best Workplaces for Commuters. We advocate for companies to implement commuting strategies and I’m happy to say we practice what we preach. We’re also honored to be included with companies like Microsoft, wonderful universities and the State of Arizona,” said Rob Henry, Executive Director of GVF.

Other companies that were recipients of the Gold Level include:
o Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota)
o Stanford University (Stanford, California)
o State of Arizona (Phoenix, AZ)
o University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)
o University of California – Irvine (Irvine, CA)
o Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA)

For more information about the Best Workplaces for Commuters program, visit http://www.bestworkplaces.org/.

If your organization is interested in becoming a Best Places for Commuters please contact GVF as we work with an organization to create a commuting program which saves money, reduces stress and improves the environment.

Old Betzwood Bicycle/Pedestrian Trail Project

2011-01-27T16:38:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, February 16^th from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., a Public Open House will be held at Education Center of Valley Forge National Historical Park to display the proposed plans for the Betzwood Pedestrian Bridge, a part of the US 422 River Crossing Complex Project. In 1995, the Betzwood Bridge, linking PA Route 23 with Trooper Road, was demolished due to its deteriorating condition. This deeply affected bicycle and pedestrian travel across the Schuylkill River at this strategic location, which linked the Schuylkill River Trail with trail networks in Valley Forge National Historical Park. Since that time, bicyclists and pedestrians have traveled over a narrow boardwalk on the US Route 422 bridge to cross the river, a daunting path that was meant as an interim solution.

The Old Betzwood Bicycle/Pedstrian Trail Project will rebuild the Betzwood Bridge as a Schuylkill River crossing exclusively for bicyclists and pedestrians, linking the regional trail systems of Montgomery County, Chester County, Valley Forge National Historical Park, and Upper Merion Township. These new connections will improve recreational opportunities, expand bicycle commuter options, improve access for visitors at Valley Forge National Historical Park, reduce auto dependency, and promote green travel patterns. While the bridge is meant primarily for bicycle and pedestrian usages, it will also be accessible for emergency vehicles up to 20 tons. The design and environmental review for the bridge is expected to continue through Summer 2011, with construction bids going out in Fall 2011. Construction of the bridge will begin in Spring 2012 and be completed by Fall 2013. While the Old Bestwwod Bicycle/Pedestrian Trail Project will serve the area's growing non-auto demands, separate projects in the US 422 River Crossing Complex that will rebuild and improve the US 422 bridge and nearby interchanges are also underway to meet future travel demands.

New Bar Being Set for Higher Ed Sustainability

2011-01-27T13:33:00.001-05:00

GVF currently partners with Montgomery County Community College, St. Joseph's University and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and provides our professional expertise by participating on MCCC's transportation committee, which was implemented when Dr. Stout signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Committment, and SJU's transportation committee, which was implemented after President Lannon created the Committee on Sustainability. It is exciting to be a part of these committees and assist MCCC and SJU to become more sustainable and setting benchmarks for future initiatives.

Below is an article from the Keystone Edge regarding Chatham University, located in Pittsburgh, which has taken on a decidedly green approach to education.

That has become evident in recent years with the establishment of its School of Sustainability and the Environment, the hiring of its first sustainability coordinator and the addition of an Environmental Biology track to its Master of Science in Biology program.

Chatham recently announced its latest and most ambitious sustainability initiative yet: the nation's first university campus to integrate sustainable development, living and learning.

Chatham's Master Plan to develop the Eden Hall Campus in nearby Richland Township calls for the School of Sustainability and the Environment - the second of its kind in the U.S. - to be housed there on a 388 acre site north of the school's Shadyside Campus.

The new campus will be able to handle 100 students, which is expected to increase to 1,500 in the next decade, and will include four districts:

Mueller Center Campus-Restoration and preservation of existing facilities, construction of academic and residentail facilities and landscape restoration, with long range plans for an EcoCenter, commons building, greenhouse, agricultural fields, amphitheater, sports complex, constructed wetlands and art studio.

Elsalma Center-Interaction with the public on northwest corner of campus through a conference center, teaching kitchen, classrooms/workshops, orchard, farm market, aquaponics and wellness center.

Stanford Hill- Includess academic and residential buildings set in forest, streams and meadows.

Elizabeth Meadows- Includes parking facilities, townhomes for faculty, students and staff and additional constructed wetlands.

GVF is excited to launch its new program Commuter Challenge BINGO!

2011-01-21T13:30:00.000-05:00

Looking for a fun and interactive way to change your commuting habits, and win some great prizes doing it? Sign up today for GVF’s Commuter Challenge Bingo, which we launched on January 3rd and goes until March 31, 2011!

Below GVF Project Manager, Carissa Bobenchik explains that the purpose of the Commuter Challenge is to improve mobility and sustain the environment by utilizing commuting alternatives. GVF encourages all residents of the Delaware Valley to walk, cycle, take transit, carpool, telecommute and/or utilize relevant commuter resources to make commuting easier and more sustainable.

Here’s how it works:

When you log onto Phillytraffic.com, click on 'How to Play' to register today! Each participant will receive an electronic bingo card in the form of a PDF that shows different commuting alternatives and ways to improve commuting overall. Once a participant “gets bingo” (completes all of the challenges in straight or diagonal line) they will submit the completed card to GVF. The first 10 participants to submit a completed card will win a prize.

We hope this Challenge exposes all participants to commuting alternatives, as well as different resources avaialble. Remember – you can make a difference in improving air quality, reducing congestion and enhancing mobility by making small changes in your daily commute!

Changes in Transportation Funding

2011-01-20T14:25:00.005-05:00

The new rules adopted by the United States Congress do not bode well for transportation funding. A dramatic change in how transportation funds are managed have been approved by House of Representatives; no longer are transportation funds kept in a separate lock box, but rather deposited to the general fund. The change essentially allows taxes collected from the sale of motor vehicle fuel to be used to balance the federal budget. To understand the significance of this change, it is important to understand how our highway and transportation infrastructure is funded. The federal government collects a fee in the amount of $0.184 per gallon. That rate was set in 1991, and hasn’t changes since. The taxes collected are then deposited into the Highway Trust Fund. This fund has been the sole source for federal transportation funding, and was previously separate from the general budget of the United States. The separation of funds guaranteed that the money paid by drivers at the pump was used by the Department of Transportation to build highways and transit.

In 2008 the Highway Trust Fund was drained completely of all funds. Congress acted quickly by depositing $8 Billion from the general fund into the trust fund so that projects underway and planned to begin could continue to receive funding. In 2009 the cycle repeated with the trust fund once more requiring $7 Billion in emergency funds deposited. Since then the trust fund has remained solvent. The primary reason this occurred is that Americans were driving less and driving more fuel efficient vehicles. Purchasing less fuel and paying less in taxes along with the continually rising cost of construction has made many transportation officials nervous that funding will not always be a constant.

The recent rule change is dramatic. Shifting funding for transportation projects from a dedicated fund to the appropriations committee exposes our infrastructure to the game of politics. The money paid by drivers is no longer guaranteed to be spent on the infrastructure needed to continue to support our nation’s growth. Funding levels are now subject to the game of politics, with our infrastructure being treated as bargaining chip in a political game of poker. Infrastructure will now be competing for funding against all other federal program, with the unique distinction that transportation has the ability to generate its own funds.

As our nation’s economy begins its recovery, our infrastructure is going to be crucial to providing industry the ability to move goods to market. The condition of infrastructure will be a determining factor in the growth of the new American economy. As highways and bridges continue to age, it becomes doubly important to make solid investments that benefit all Americans.

The change in house rules has weakened the confidence of transportation professionals. The certainty of continued funding is no longer certain; the likelihood of increased funding is even less probable. The change in rules is not being taken lightly by transportation officials. If one thing is certain, areas with alternative infrastructure funding programs will come out ahead. Local and state funding dedicated for transportation will buttress federal funding, and ensure that the region will continue to move forward, regardless of what Washington D.C. decides.

GVF still seeking student for Peter P. Quinn Internship

2011-01-13T16:28:00.000-05:00

Are you or someone you know interested in exploring the field of transportation management? Do you want to learn more about how local infrastructure is created, funded and sustained?

GVF is seeking a highly-motivated intern who is interested in learning about the numerous career opportunities in the transportation industry. The Peter P. Quinn Scholarship gives current students who are unsure of their career paths the opportunity to explore different aspects of transportation and get the opportunity to see how local government, engineering firms, chambers of commerce and large organizations are all adapting as the industry continues to evolve.

GVF works in both the public and private sectors to make travel easier, faster and more sustainable in a variety of ways. The internship will expose the student to how a TMA operates, and their importance in the region.

Peter P. Quinn is the founder of the Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF) which was the first transportation management association in Pennsylvania. Peter retired as Executive Director of the organization in 2008, after 18 years of dedicated service to Chester and Montgomery Counties.

The internship, which will last from February through April, will focus on different aspects of a TMA and its role on the local, state and federal levels. As an organization that partners with such entities as PennDOT, SEPTA, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and a number of local municipalities, engineering firms and major corporations, this internship will expose the student to a number of different and exciting career paths.

Upon completion of the internship, the $1,200 scholarship will be paid directly to the student’s college or university. The intern will also be invited to a lunch meeting with Rob Henry, GVF’s current Executive Director and a GVF Board Member. Reliable transportation required.

Interested? Contact Carissa Bobenchik at cbobenchik@gvftma.com or 610-354-8899.

Getting Back on Track - Climate Change & State Transportation Policy

2011-01-07T10:52:00.001-05:00

With a comprehensive climate bill stalled at the federal level, many are turning to the states to make progress toward reducing carbon emissions. Are the states ready? To succeed, many sectors will need to reduce their carbon emissions. In Getting Back on Track, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) examines what states are doing to curb emissions caused by transportation. As such, it is the first report to compare state transportation policy as it affects greenhouse gas emissions and compare performance across the states.

State transportation policy has the potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while also effectively meeting the nation's wide-ranging mobility needs. Few studies have specifically sought to evaluate how states' transportation policies impact greenhouse gas emissions. The NRDC evaluates how well state-level transportation decisions are aligned with efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by examining a selection of key transportation policies currently in place in the 50 states. The findings suggest that there is tremendous potential to make progress on reducing transportation-related carbon emissions. The recommendations in this report suggest ways states can improve their climate performance while meeting their mobility needs.

Evaluating States' Policies to Curb Emissions from the Transportation Sector

This analysis evaluates each state based on 17 policy and spending criteria that have been compared by expert analysis to achieve transportation sector greenhouse gas reductions. States can also implement these criteria independent of local or federal action and each criterion has successfully been adopted in one or more states. The selected evaluation criteria fall into three categories:
1. Infrastructure Policies
2. Investment Decisions
3. Touchstone Policies

The total score and individual Policy, Investment, and Touchstone subtotals for each state can be found in the table. To give additional context to these numbers, each state is further categorized into three scoring tiers as defined below:

Tier 1 (75 - 100):
Most alignment between transportation policy with climate change goals. These states are leading the way in setting transportation policies that support greenhouse gas emissions reduction. However, even these states must strive to do more to support a truly sustainable transportation system.

Tier 2 (25 - 74):
Some alignment between transportation policy and climate change goals. These states are taking some actions that will support greenhouse gas reduction goals, but there are many actions they are not taking. They must do more to get on the right track.

Tier 3 (0 - 24):
Limited or no alignment between transportation policy and climate change goals. Though these states' transportation policies may support climate change goals in some very limited ways, this is countered by many of their other policy choices. Most of the potential to reduce emissions through transportation strategies remains underutilized.

To view the entire article by NRDC and see where Pennsylvania ranks, click here.

CONGRESS PASSES TRANSIT BENEFIT PARITY EXTENSION

2010-12-22T13:45:00.001-05:00

Two weeks ago, I reported that GVF was working diligently to ensure the transit benefit parity was extended to remain at $230 per month. I'm happy to report that on December 16th, Congress completed work on an extension of the Bush/Middle class tax cuts and included, as a part of that package, is a provision extending parity between the transit/vanpool and parking portion of the transportation fringe benefit at a level of $230/month for 1-year. The transit benefit was set to be reduced to $120/month on January 1^st, with this action; the transit benefit will stay at $230/month until at least the end of 2011.

“We would like to thank all of our fellow transit advocates who were able to help us convince our elected officials that this benefit is critical for those who take public transit. We were very active in helping to get the benefit changed in the first place as all we wanted was to have equality with those who pay for parking. We will continue to advocate for this important benefit as the long term goal is to make this a permanent benefit,” said Rob Henry, GVF Executive Director.

GVF, along with its partners the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), American Public Transportation Association (APTA), Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) and VPSI, has worked diligently to ensure this parity was extended. GVF has been working with its local delegation by submitted letters of support to the below legislators asking them to support the transit parity extension. We would like to extend our appreciation to them for their continued support.

• U.S. Senator Casey

• U.S. Senator Specter

• Congressman Gerlach

• Congresswoman Schwartz

• Congressman Sestak

BPG Participates in Collecting Packaging Waste for TerraCycle

2010-12-16T10:33:00.001-05:00

GVF is a tenant of BPG Properties, located in King of Prussia. In effort to be more sustainable, BPG partnered with TerraCycle an in effort to encourage its tenants to collect their packaging so it can be recycled.

TerraCycle's , located in Trenton, NJ, goal is to help eliminate the idea of waste. They do this by creating collection and solution problems for all kinds of waste, by creating waste brigades and turning the collected waste into new products, ranging form park benches to backpacks. TerraCycle operates all around the world so please check out if we are in your country.

To learn more about the different brigades, click here. There are brigades for many different waste steams ranging from candy wrappers to pens. While some brigades have a cost many are free, where TerraCycle pays the shipping and for every unit of waste you send to them, TerraCycle will pay at least $0.02 to a charity or school of your choice.

TerraCycle recently expanded its brigade to collect packaging waste for tortilla and cheese bags. Tortilla brands Mission and Guerrero, both run by Gruma Corporation, package their tortillas and tostadas in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bags. While technically recyclable, LDPE, identified by the #4 resin code, is not commonly collected in recycling programs. The New Jersey-based upcycling company will take the tortilla packaging and use it to make new tortilla holders and other consumer products. It will also collect packaging from the companies' dips and salsas. To read the entire article, click here.

GVF is participating in BPG's brigade, which is collecting chip, cookie and candy wrappers. BPG will be donating the proceeds to Juvenile Diabetes Assocation.

GVF Takes an Active Role in the Transit Benefit Parity Status

2010-12-10T11:54:00.000-05:00

GVF has been working diligently, in conjunction with the National Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT), in advocating to keep parity among the transit and parking benefit.

Last year, the transit benefit was increased from $120/month to $230/month, the same as the commuter parking benefit. This increase allowed hundreds of thousands of workers to use a greater share of their pretax income to pay for commuting, saving them up to $1,000 or more on taxes each year! This increase also benefited employers through payroll tax savings providing much needed resources for both employers and families during difficult economic times. This increase also established equity for those who choose to take transit rather than drive to worker encouraging more employees to switch to transit resulting in less congestion, lower energy use and improved air quality.

The transit benefit increase is set to be reduced back to $120/month at the end of this year unless Congress acts to make it permanent. GVF has written several letters of support to legislators encouraging them to support this parity as we feel it is a crucial benefit for our partners and their employees.

ACT reported that on December 9th, the Senate introduced a revised and negotiated extension of tax cuts. Included in that legislation is a provision which extends parity between transit/vanpool and parking at $230/month for 1-year. The package is expected to be voted on in the Senate early next week and then in the House. There are a number of hurdles which remain, but there are far fewer hurdles today then there were last week. ACT is hopeful that by this time next week we can say that it has officially been approved.

Stay tuned for an update next week!

GVF's Climate Change Task Force Tours Tastykake Factory Tour

2010-12-06T08:08:00.000-05:00

GVF's Climate Change Task Force, in collaboration with Liberty Property Trust, offered a complimentary tour of the Tastykake Baking Factory, located in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. We had over 25 people attend this private guided tour of this green bakery, which was held on Wednesday, December 1st.  In addition to learning fascinating facts on the different sustainability initiatives occuring at this site, the group also received complimentary tastykakes!



What went into planning this site?
First, Liberty Property Trust and Tastykake took an abandoned industrial site and re-used the buildings as foundation material for the new bakery, which avoided clearing a forest and reduced construction waste. Secondly, the bakery was built with several features in order to target LEED-Silver certification. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and acts as a report card for the environmental friendliness of a building. Once Tastykake achieves this status, it will be the only baking company in the country with LEED Silver certification.

Below is a picture of one of the LEED standards offered at the site - designated upfront parking for individuals who drive fuel efficient vehicles.

Moreover, a list of the additional features that are included under LEED standards are:

* A white, reflective roof, which minimizes heat-absorbing surfaces that contribute to global warming.

* No-mow, drought-resistant grass that uses less water.

* All wood doors and half of the wood used in the building come from certified sustainable sources that work to conserve trees.

* Paints and carpeting with low chemical content that reduce ear, nose and throat irritation.

* Refrigeration equipment using environmentally friendly refrigerants to minimize emissions that contribute to global warming.

* Covered parking lot lights that reduce light pollution; bike racks and access to public transportation that reduce vehicle usage and pollution.

* Solar panels on the roof that provide power to several of the building’s systems.

King of Prussia Mall's FREE Holiday Shuttle is in Service!

2010-12-02T15:19:00.006-05:00

Looking for an easy and free way to get around one of the East Coast's largest shopping centers this holiday season?

The King of Prussia Mall has partnered with GVF and Suburban Transit Network (TransNet) to provide holiday shoppers with a complimentary shuttle service to make shopping at the Mall easier and more convenient this holiday season.

GVF will be managing the King of Prussia Mall Courtesy Shuttle, which will run every Saturday and Sunday until December 26, and also the entire week of Christmas (12/20 - 12/24).

This service will be free for all Mall shoppers, visitors and employees. GVF encourages all shoppers to use this service - it's a great way to reduce car congestion in the Mall, as well as reduce emissions in the region.

Each of the two circular shuttles, which are fully handicapped accessible, will hold up to twenty (20) passengers and will make nine stops, circulating both the Court and the Plaza.

GVF Advocates for Bike Lanes

2010-11-29T09:03:00.000-05:00

GVF recently submitted a letter of support to PennDOT requesting that their Bicycle Occupancy Permit (BOP) be amended.

The Bicycle Occupancy Permit is a document required by PennDOT for a municipality to stripe bicycle lanes on state owned roads. The municipality desiring bicycle lanes must then be responsible for policing, maintenance (including the removal of snow), and proper traffic signing and marking of the bikeway according to the BOP. The Bicycle Occupancy Permit is included in Chapter 16 of PennDOT’s Publication 13M (DM-2). BOP has created unintended confusion and is preventing projects across the state from installing bicycle lanes and facilities.

GVF along with PEC, PA Walks and Bikes, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, PPAC, Doylestown Borough are among the agencies that have signed on as supporters and are hoping to meet with PennDOT to further discuss this issue.

As one of the many alternative modes for commuting, biking enables individuals to save money by biking to work, as well as intergrating a healthier way of living. One program where GVF encourages people to bike to work is with its Bike to Work Challenge, which concluded its second season in August.

Below is a video of how transportation planners in Portland, Oregon are taking their famous bicycle boulevards to the next level - by adding more routes! GVF wants to see our region increase bicycle lanes and facilities into its projects and not have them be eliminated because of PennDOT's BOP.

Portland's Bike Boulevards Become Neighborhood Greenways

2010-11-24T13:41:00.000-05:00

Transportation planners in Portland, Oregon are taking their famous bicycle boulevards to the next level. By adding more routes and stepping up the traffic calming treatments, the city is not only making these streets more attractive and usable for cyclists, but also for pedestrians, runners, children, and anyone else who gets around under their own power.

These next-generation facilities have been christened “Neighborhood Greenways,” and by 2015, over 80 percent of all Portlanders will live within half a mile of one. The city is counting on these re-engineered streets to reach its goal of increasing bicycle mode share from eight percent to 25 percent by 2030.

Philadelphia gets grant for electric car chargers

2010-11-19T11:42:00.001-05:00

Below is the full article of the recent $140,000 grant Philadelphia will receive to purchase and install chargers for 20 electric vehicles that will serve PhillyCarShare, Zipcar and the public.

City of Philadelphia Receives Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant from Pennsylvania DEP to Add Electric Vehicles to Local Car Share Fleets

Philadelphia, November 16, 2010 – Governor Edward G. Rendell and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced today that the City of Philadelphia’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability will receive a $140,000 Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant (AFIG) to purchase and install chargers for 20 electric vehicles (EV) in Philadelphia. The chargers will serve 18 EVs that PhillyCarShare and Zipcar will add to their fleets and provide two parking spaces with charging services available the public. By displacing 18 traditional car share vehicles, the project is expected to cut CO2 emissions by 61,000 pounds per year.

“Greenworks Philadelphia sets a goal to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2015,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “Adding electric vehicles to Philadelphia’s successful car share programs will give thousands of Philadelphia drivers an affordable opportunity to experience new EV technology and help the City reach our ambitious sustainability goals.”

Electric vehicle technology is well suited for car share use because the average car share trip is between 30 and 40 miles long, well within the range of one battery charge. Using EVs in high-mileage fleet settings such as car share programs also increases the environmental benefit of the vehicles by replacing a large number of traditional fuel vehicle miles driven.

The project is an important first step in strengthening Philadelphia’s EV infrastructure. It will help the City understand and improve EV charger installation permitting, give PECO valuable information about how chargers interact with the existing grid, and provide data on how electric vehicles perform in Philadelphia’s weather and traffic conditions.

“This project starts solving the chicken and egg problem by creating an electric car public charging infrastructure that will then encourage people to purchase and use electric cars,” said DEP Secretary John Hanger. “The project also shows that Philadelphia can be a leader in the electric car revolution that will create enormous health, environmental and economic benefits.”

SMPS offers tour to The President's House

2010-11-18T08:54:00.006-05:00

GVF belongs to the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), which is a national association where marketing and business development professionals work to secure profitable business relationships for their companies. SMPS offers their members professional development, leadership and networking opportunities, as well as marketing resources.

Offered by the SMPS Philadelphia Chapter, I recently attended a behind the scences tour and sneak preview of The President's House: Freedom and Slavery in Making a New Nation (above) located at Independence National Historical Park.

During the tour, project manager Troy Leonard (left), Kelly/Maiello Architects & Planners, discussed the project and its various challenges such as, how the concept design changed in 2007 when archaeologists discovered fragments of the foundation of the original house, as well as the challenges to the artists and scriptwriters to portray the relationship between the presidents and the nine enslaved Africans (picture below) accurately when there were few records of their interaction.

GVF belongs to the local Philadelphia Chapter of SMPS and along with the networking and marketing resources SMPS offers, we have found their national conferences to be very beneficial. In July, I attended their Build Business: Reinvent - Retool - Rebound conference and from this program, along with the first conference I attended in 2008, I have been able to gain more information on the benefits of utilizing social media and redesigning our brand, which we launched in early 2009.

Ever want to see where Tastykakes are made?

2010-11-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force, with the help of Liberty Property Trust, is offering a tour of the new Tasty Baking Company’s facility located in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. A requirement of both Liberty and Tasty Baking, was to make this project as sustainable as possible. Utilizing the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) specifications, the building is targeting a Silver Certification.

Upon certification, the facility will be the largest LEED® certified bakery in the nation! Sustainable features of the building and the baking process include:

Responsible construction diverting 90% of waste from landfills
Use of recycled materials in construction
Redevelopment of a Brownfield site
Highly efficient HVAC systems
An intelligent building automation system
Rainwater harvesting system used for landscape irrigation
Low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) materials
Innovative thermal oil system utilized in the baking process

GVF's Climate Change Task Force is happy to offer this tour, which will take place on Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 10:00AM. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE! Please contact Lauren Peak at 610-354-8899 if you are interested in attending this event. *This event is open to GVF partners only.

GVF’s Climate Change Task Force will be an advocate for its partners by taking proactive measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, energy costs, protect air quality and public health and improve the environment throughout our region.

The vision of the Task Force is to:

Provide continuous and up to date information on climate change issues that are affecting our partners and assist with identifying the appropriate steps of action.
Host roundtable discussions on specific issues and concerns our partners are having and where they would like assistance.
Work collaboratively with a panel of experts, such as DEP, EPA, DVRPC, Montgomery County and Chester County and other participants, on a variety of issues that will inform our partners on the necessary action items to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

If you are interested in more information on GVF's Climate Change Task Force or the additional services we can assist your business with, please contact Maureen Farrell at 610-354-8899.

2010-11-11T10:47:00.002-05:00

There has been a shift in the political mood and direction of both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States as a whole. The mid-term elections of 2010 have shaken up the political landscape, mostly centered on the spending of our state and federal government. Whether you agree or disagree on the issue of spending, the next budget cycle will be filled with debate as legislators decide which programs to fund and which programs to cut. Infrastructure, the backbone of our economy and the essential network that facilitates the American way of life will certainly enter into the debate.

Infrastructure is an extremely costly, yet high value investment. Regions with a good network of roadways, transit lines, railroads, sewers and water delivery systems are able to attract industry, provide a higher quality of life and retain workers. A large part of what drove the growth of our economy, and defined the American way of life was our vast and extensive interstate highway system. When it was first conceived in 1956, it generated the feeling of freedom; freedom to go anywhere, do anything, see everything. Fifty years later, our infrastructure is becoming a significant obstacle to progress as age, deferred maintenance and over use have finally caught up.

Pennsylvania is a national leader when it comes to highways. With over 253,000 lane miles of road, (lane miles represents actual amount of paved surface. One mile of a two lane road is equal to two lane miles) Pennsylvania has more lane miles than Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and West Virginia combined. We also have more lane miles than New York. Needless to say, owning that many lane miles is a huge responsibility, and a huge expense. The American Society of Civil Engineers has estimated that 50% of our bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, 44% of our major roads are in poor quality, and 34% of our urban highways are congested. All that leads to a $3 Billion backlog in projects to bring our system to good standing. Sometimes being a leader is curse.

The needs of Pennsylvania’s infrastructure transcend election politics. A structurally deficient bridge has no party affiliation; it simply needs to be fixed. The challenge is deciding how we will pay to fix our bridges. There are many good ideas that address the financial obligation we have to our infrastructure; however there is no single solution. Properly addressing our infrastructure funding needs will require our politicians to make difficult decisions but it will also require the voters and taxpayers to support their decisions. Some concepts being considered include raising the gas tax (which is the primary way our roads are paid for), tolling high volume highways to generate new revenue, privatizing roadways to shift the burden from the state to a private owner, and investing in transit and railroads to remove cars and trucks from the roads. Each of these options can work, however none of them can work independently, they must be part of a comprehensive transportation funding reform.

As Pennsylvania moves forward after this election with fresh faces in Harrisburg, it is crucial that the importance of infrastructure is not lost in political debate. Our elected officials must now provide the leadership they asked to be given, and show the residents of this state that Pennsylvania can also be a national leader in infrastructure funding reform. Backing away from this discussion now will only continue to hurt prosperity and increase the amount we all have to pay to fix this problem.

GVF to launch Commuter Challenge BINGO!

2010-11-05T15:57:00.000-04:00

Founded in 1990, GVF is a not-for-profit organization created to advocate and promote a viable transportation network for the region’s economic vitality. To maximize awareness and develop sustainable support, we partner with public and private entities.

GVF's mission is to achieve a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies.

Beginning January 3, 2011, GVF will be launching a fun and interactive way to change your commuting habits, along with winning some great prizes while doing it called Commuter Challenge Bingo!

The purpose of the Commuter Challenge is to improve mobility and sustain the environment by utilizing commuting alternatives. GVF encourages all residents of the Delaware Valley to walk, cycle, take transit, carpool, telecommute and/or utilize relevant commuter resources to make commuting easier and more sustainable.

Here’s how it works:

Each participant will receive an electronic bingo card in the form of a PDF that shows different commuting alternatives and ways to improve commuting overall. Once a participant “gets bingo” (completes all of the challenges in straight or diagonal line) they will submit the completed card to GVF. The first 10 participants to submit a completed card will win a prize.

The Challenge will run from January 3, 2011 until March 31, 2011. Cards received prior to the start date or after the end date will not be valid. Look for another upcoming blog entry with some of the prizes we've secured, as well as more details on the Challenge before we launch it on January 3rd!

For more information on this Challenge and/or the other programs and services GVF offers, please visit http://www.gvftma.com/ or contact us at 610-354-8899.

Can Walk Score Really "Walk the Walk"?

2010-10-27T14:47:00.001-04:00

Two weeks ago, I blogged about a useful website - Walkscore.com. This blog entry is a follow up to a recent article I read: "Walk Score Can't Walk the Walk", which cited insufficiencies to the website with it not being entirely accurate with the "walk score" it produces for a specific location. The article talked specifically about Altanta, GA but I thought it was prudent to provide this piece to our readers so you are accurately informed about the website.

Rarely would the Conservative Planner and James Howard Kunstler be able to see eye to eye. But such is the case when it comes to the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) and their interesting selection of Atlanta as the host city for their 2010 gathering.

The Conservative Planner attended several sessions, including one where a doctor associated with the National Institutes of Health raved on and on about Walkscore.com and how it should be applied by physicians when prescribing more activity to obese children and adults. This brought great internal chuckle, given the setting.

One only had to take a stroll around the Hilton in downtown Atlanta to see the inherent flaws in this online tool. Type the Hilton’s address in Walk Score (255 Courtland Street NE, Atlanta, GA) and it will tell you that it is a “86 – Walker’s Paradise” (now “86 – Very Walkable” due to recent changes and thanks to Human Transit).

Nevermind the fact there are 4- and 5-lane one-way streets with high speed traffic surrounding the hotel. Interstates 85/75 runs to the north and east of the hotel and is a major pedestrian barrier. The restaurants that are deemed by Walk Score to be nearby and within walking distance are buried within the Marriott and Hilton hotels, which are 1960s/1970s behemoths. It is hardly a walking paradise; it may be in a downtown area but the street system is strikingly suburban.

To read the entire article, click here.

MCCC extends shuttle into spring semester

2010-10-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

Montgomery County Community College, one of GVF's partners, will continue its pilot transportation shuttle program between its Central and West campuses for the spring 2011 semester, which runs from Jan. 19-May 11. The shuttle, which is managed by GVF, enables students to travel back and forth between campuses for classes and activities.

The shuttle pilot was rolled out on September 1, free of charge to the College’s students during the current fall semester. Students can continue to ride the shuttle for free through the spring semester extension. The College is also adding Fridays to its shuttle schedule for the spring, with five departures per day from each campus between 6:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., starting and ending at the West Campus in Pottstown.

MCCC Shuttle Kick-Off Press Event: (From left to right) Student Calvin Wang, Student Nicole Weising, Sue Kopystecki of TransNet, MCCC Vice President of IT Celeste Schwartz, MCCC Facilities Manager George Shal, GVF Assistant Director Maureen Farrell, MCCC President Karen A. Stout, Jennie Duffy of GVF and Jacqueline McClure of GVF.

MCCC and GVF are extremely happy with the success of the shuttle thus far, which is averaging approximately 115 rides per week at the mid-point of the current fall semester. Extending the pilot for the spring will enable the College to gather more accurate ridership data, as students can plan their spring semester course schedules around the shuttle’s departure times.

The shuttle, which is operated by Suburban Transit Network (TransNet), can accommodate up for 14 passengers, is wheelchair accessible, and is equipped with Wi-Fi. Each run will take 45 to 50 minutes, with rush hour runs taking up to one hour.

The shuttle pilot ties into the College’s Sustainability and Students Success initiatives.

Since signing the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007, the College has put into place policies and procedures that reduce its carbon footprint. The shuttle program has the potential to reduce vehicle usage by up to 3,900 miles daily if the bus operates each trip at full capacity.

GVF has been assisting MCCC with reducing its carbon footprint by sitting on their Transportation Committee. The shuttle is just one of the initiatives we are assisting them with. If you are interested in learning more about the services GVF can provide, such as shuttle management and/or assistance with your greening initiatives, please contact Maureen Farrell at 610-354-8899.

Bike Pottstown Program Featured In White Paper Entitled “Smart Mobility For A 21st Century America”

2010-10-21T09:30:00.000-04:00

GVF is proud to announce that Bike Pottstown, the area's first community bike sharing program, was featured in a white paper titled “Smart Mobility for a 21st Century America.”
The Bike Pottstown program provides bicycles free of charge for the community to use and enjoy.
The Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) joined the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, Transportation for America and the University of Michigan Sustainable Mobility and Accessibility Research and Transformation (SMART) Initiative to introduce a white paper entitled ‘Smart Mobility for a 21st Century America,’ which showcases how existing and emerging technologies can squeeze more capacity from over-burdened highways, help commuters avoid traffic delays and improve transportation options, all while saving money and creating jobs.
To view the white paper, visit http://data.memberclicks.com/site/asct/ITS-White-Paper-100710-FINAL.pdf. Bike Pottstown is featured on page 27.
“GVF was very pleased to see a project that we took from conception to vision listed as a project that can and should be replicated throughout the United States. Bike Pottstown is a wonderful program which focuses on alternative commuting, health and wellness and improves air quality. We congratulate Preservation Pottstown for continuing to manage the program and we have enjoyed watching it continue to grow and be successful,” said Rob Henry, Executive Director of GVF.
If you would like to create a similar program for your community please contact Shayne Trimbell of GVF at 610-354-8899 or by email at strimbell@gvftma.com
For more information about the Bike Pottstown program, visit http://www.bikepottstown.com.
Throughout the past 20 years, GVF has been a driving force for a number of projects throughout the region, including:
· PA 309 reconstruction project
· More than 100,000 trips generated on GVF’s corporate and community shuttles
· Partnered to install more than 150 bus shelters in the region
· PA 73 reconstruction project
· Partnered to establish the transportation center at the King of Prussia Mall
· Continues to advocate to keep the region moving and growing
GVF is a not-for-profit organization created to advocate and promote a viable transportation network for the region’s economic vitality. To maximize awareness and develop sustainable support, we partner with public and private entities.
GVF’s mission is to achieve a desirable quality of life and a healthy, competitive economic environment by developing multi-faceted transportation strategies.

Ever Wonder What Your Neighborhood's Walking Score Is?

2010-10-15T10:52:00.000-04:00

At GVF’s most recent event, its Land Use Seminar, Geoff Anderson, President & CEO of Smart Growth America was our keynote speaker. During his presentation, Geoff provided the audience with a very interesting website: WalkScore.com. When you log onto WalkScore.com and enter a specific address, it will provide you with a number between 0 and 100 that measures the walkability of that address.

As you read this, you may already know how walkable or not walkable your residential and/or place of employment neighborhood is but when you enter the specific address, in addition to the rating you receive, the website displays a Google map with the surrounding attractions, such as restaurants, shopping, which could potentially be walking distance for you. The website will also provides you with the different transit options available from that location. Once you have your Walk Score, you can also get your Energy Score, as well as several other useful information.

If you are an employer or employee that received a low walk score for your area, GVF can assist with providing services to educate employees on the different commuting alternatives available to them, such as carpooling, biking, public transit. GVF operates numerous programs, such as the Bike to Work Challenge, which encourages riders to “ditch their car” and ride their bike at least once a week to work.

GVF manages Mongtomery County Community
College Campus Shuttle

Some office locations are unable to provide on-site amenities but in an effort to be more sustainable, the company does not want all their employees leaving everyday for lunch in their single occupancy vehicles. Therefore, a company can offer a shuttle service, which could provide transportation to a local shopping center, for example. Another type of shuttle a company offers is operating it before and after work to transport employees to and from area transit centers. GVF manages several different community and corporate shuttles. For more information on these shuttles or if you are interested in starting one for your business or community, please visit http://www.gvftma.com/.

Drexel to purchase enough wind energy to meet power needs

2010-10-12T14:24:00.000-04:00

Although Drexel University is not in GVF's service area, below is an interesting article on one of their initiatives, which some of GVF's partners may be interested in.

Drexel University will pay to have an amount of wind power generated annually that is equal to the amount of power it consumes. Drexel said that it has agreed to purchase renewable energy certificates from Radnor, Pa.-based Community Energy.

The deal will make Drexel among the 50 largest purchasers of wind energy in the country and put it among the top five universities in terms of wind power purchased.

Drexel has been purchasing wind renewable energy certificates since 2002 and has been steadily increasing the amount it purchases. Neither it nor Community Energy said how much it will pay for the certificates. They did say the university consumes 84,268 megawatt hours.

Drexel is based in the section of West Philadelphia known as University City and has more than 19,500 full- and part-time graduate and undergraduate students.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal

GVF's 2010 Bike to Work Challenge

2010-09-28T10:16:00.007-04:00

Car Free Day 2010: Benefits of Biking to Work

2010-09-23T14:05:00.001-04:00

Cyclists today can list endless reasons why they prefer the bicycle over a car, bus or train: a good workout, decrease on carbon footprint, faster commute, always a parking space available-- but one of the most-enticing benefits is the cost savings.

Yesterday, our project coordinator, Jacqueline McClure took a 32 mile (round trip) commuting challenge to GVF on World Car Free Day—and she said it was not only a great way to wake up before arriving to her desk, but riding to work is financially worth it.

According to Kipplinger’s online Bike Calculator, Jacqueline saved $12.93 today riding her bike instead of driving to work – with a yearly savings of up to $3362.

In addition to saving even more money, Congress last year acknowledged and added bicycle commuters to the list of those eligible for a transportation tax benefit. Just as companies today can provide tax-free reimbursement for transit passes, they can now also subsidize the cost of biking to work. The bicycle benefit is capped at $20 per month--far lower of a tax break for parking at $230 or transit at $120 per month. Companies such as Commuter Check are providing employees with paper checks that can be cashed only at bicycle shops for qualified expenses—repairs, bicycles, helmets, etc.

Car Free Day is organized in various cities throughout the world in different ways, but with the common goal of taking cars off the streets every year on September 22. The benefit to greater society is a day with less traffic congestion, a greener environment and reduced gasoline demand. Today, Car Free Day includes participation in 1,500 cities in 40 countries.

Also, GVF would also like to congratulate Greg Rosas - winner of the GVF Car Free Day raffle prize! Greg won a King of Prussia Mall American Express gift card! Thanks to Greg for biking to work on Car Free Day, and making a difference to reduce congestion and improve air quality in our region!

Upper Merion Township looks at solar power

2010-09-21T10:15:00.000-04:00

One of GVF's founding partners, Upper Merion Township, is exploring both the environmental and economical benefits, of solar power in parts of the Township. Below is a recent article, from the Main Line Media News, with the details.

The supervisors heard a presentation Thursday from Andrew Meserve, vice president of solar sales and development for Tangent Energy Solutions, about the feasibility of locating solar panel arrays in Heuser Park and at the municipal building and township garage.

Meserve said his company, which is based in Kennett Square, would own the panels and sell the power to the township. He told the supervisors that the firm was building about $25 million worth of solar projects in Pennsylvania. Meserve said the Colonial and Bethlehem school districts were among Tangent’s clients.

According to Meserve, the three projects in Upper Merion would produce 947,814 kilowatt-hours of energy annually. In 2009, he said, the township consumed 7.3 million kilowatt-hours, at a total cost of $789,187.

The panels proposed for the roof of the municipal building could generate cumulative savings of $840,000 over 20 years, Meserve added. However, he noted that the building’s roof is scheduled to be replaced. If that work were incorporated into the installation of the solar panels, it would offset the energy cost savings projected over 20 years.

“There’s an environmental aspect to this,” Meserve added. For instance, he said the proposed projects would offset the generation of about 1.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide.

Supervisor William Jenaway asked if other municipalities were moving forward with installing solar panels. Meserve responded that the municipalities that had embraced the idea were primarily in California.

Supervisor Gregory Waks asked how soon the project could be completed. If the supervisors decide in October to move forward, Meserve said, construction could begin in January, with the work to be completed by next March.

SEPTA Pilot Program to Capture, Reuse Subway Energy

2010-09-17T14:45:00.000-04:00

SEPTA recently announced a pilot project that would capture electricity generated by braking subway trains, much like a hybrid automobile produces power when it slows down. The electricity will be stored in a large, railside battery array and reused when the train accelerates. The system is expected to reduce electrical power purchases 10 percent to 20 percent at each location of the batteries, said Andrew Gillespie, SEPTA's chief engineering officer for power.
But the system is designed to do more than capture power from the subway's dynamic braking system, said Audrey Zibelman, the chief executive officer of Viridity Energy Inc., the Conshohocken smart-grid innovator that devised the project for SEPTA.
The power-storage system is potentially so large-each battery array would store one megawatt of power that SEPTA could further reduce its electric bill by buying cheap power at night to use or resell during expensive peak hours.

Below is a question and answer interview with SEPTA discussing the details of this pilot program:
1) When did the pilot project officially start?

SEPTA and Viridity signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to submit a grant application to the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) in June 2010, and received notice of the award in August. The project kickoff meeting will take place in September, with installation tentatively scheduled for late 2011 or early 2012 following the procurement of the storage device and all requisite engineering and design work.

2) Why is SEPTA investing $900,000 at this time to explore a battery/smart grid project?

SEPTA has been analyzing the evolution of energy storage technologies for several years and is comfortable with the readiness of such devices to meet the needs of a large, aging, urbanized transit system. The availability of resources, through PEDA as well as through the Federal Transit Administration's "Transit Investments for Greenhouse Gas and Energy Reduction" (TIGGER) program, served as the immediate impetus to move forward with project plans. Additionally, the presence of a locally based smart-grid start-up like Viridity Energy provided a unique opportunity to leverage the project to generate additional financial benefits and support the Greater Philadelphia's emerging position as a hub for advanced energy technology.

3) Has this kind of braking power/battery technology already been implemented at another subway or electrically driven transportation system in the U.S. or abroad – or would this be a first?

Regenerated braking power is widely utilized by electrified transit systems around the world, but only recently have agencies begun to pilot the use of wayside energy storage devices, and none, to our knowledge, have done so in partnership with a smart grid firm with Viridity's capabilities to optimize its use. While somewhat more common abroad (especially Europe), the only other North American transit systems that have piloted installation of wayside energy storage devices include agencies in New York City, Portland (OR), and Sacramento.

4) Would there be a significant upfront cost to expand the battery throughout your subway system?

Yes, although in the interim, SEPTA plans on aggressively pursuing additional external resources, such as a recent $2.7 million grant application to the FTA under its FY2010 TIGGER grant program.

5) How big an investment, roughly?

Devices are running at roughly $1 million each, however SEPTA anticipates that the unit cost would be substantially reduced if the devices were ordered in bulk. Additional technological advancements in the coming years also likely will reduce unit costs.

6) What kind of reactions has the announcement of the SEPTA pilot project received so far from passengers, city officials, and maybe people abroad?

The most common responses have been excitement and intrigue. Because of the newness of wayside energy storage technologies, many transit and energy industry officials and experts have expressed an eagerness to learn more about the project and closely follow its outcomes. Elected officials have endorsed the project as an example of SEPTA's innovative approach to reducing operating costs and leveraging alternative sources of revenue, noteworthy given lagging ridership and ongoing economic stagnation. City and regional leaders are particularly interested in the project's potential to serve as an additional boost to the region's emerging position as a hub for advanced energy technology, for which SEPTA is receiving increasing recognition as a multifaceted but underutilized asset.

GVF Recognized with Two Prestigious Awards

2010-09-09T21:25:00.000-04:00

GVF Recognized with Two Prestigious Awards

The Association of Commuter Transportation's TMA of the Year Award and the

Main Line Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award.

The Association of Commuter Transportation's TMA of the Year Award is given to a Transportation Management Association (TMA) located in the United States, Canada or Europe that is judged to have best used its public/private partnerships to achieve local or regional transportation goals.

ACT specifically recognized GVF’s work and dedication to its coalitions. GVF manages four local coalitions:

• PA 309 Corridor Coalition

• Schuylkill Valley Transportation Coalition

• Southeastern Montgomery County Transportation Coalition (SMTC)

• US Route 422 Corridor Coalition

Each coalition, which is based on its geographical locations, offers a forum in which the business community, municipal, county and state officials can cooperatively address and seek a resolution of traffic-related problems affecting the specific area. By enhancing mobility and safety, through the reduction of congestion and pollution, GVF’s coalitions help to promote the area's orderly growth, sustain its quality of life, and ensure its continued economic vitality.

GVF was also recognized by the Main Line Chamber of Commerce for its dedication to transportation issues in the region. Most notably, GVF was selected for the award in part for:

• Securing $25 million to the U.S. Route 422 River Crossing Complex project.
• Establishing Bike Pottstown, the first community free bike sharing program in this region, which is still in existence.
• Participating on the Paoli Task Force; facilitating the improvements on Route 202; GVF’s 422 Corridor and SVT Coalitions; GVF’s Climate Change Task Force; Ardmore Train Station and its advocacy work in Washington, D.C.

TMA of the Year Award from the Association of Commuter Transportation

GVF staff receives the Main Line Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award

Recovery Act Keeps U.S. on Clean Energy Path

2010-09-01T10:07:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON, DC — The Recovery Act has kept the country on track to halve the cost of solar power and has helped lay the foundation to double renewable energy generation in the U.S., according to a White House report.

"The Recovery Act: Transforming the American Economy through Innovation" looks at how the $100 billion in reinvestment funds from the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is affecting solar power costs, electric vehicle battery production and renewable energy, as well as high-speed rail, electronic health records and human genome projects.

The report especially credits the Recovery Act funds for positioning the U.S. to meet President Barack Obama's goal to double the amount of renewable energy the U.S. can generate along with how much renewable energy equipment it can produce by 2012.

Nearly a quarter of the reinvestment funds are going toward those goals, pumping $23 billion into renewable energy projects. Doubling renewable energy generation from wind, solar and geothermal projects would see the U.S. go from producing 28.8 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy to 57.6 GW. In doubling the production of wind turbines, solar panels and other equipment, the country would move from making enough equipment each year to produce 6 GW to enough to generate 12 GW.

The Recovery Act is also helping the U.S. cut the cost of solar power in half between 2009 and 2015. Through investments in new technologies and increasing the scale of solar manufacturing and deployment, the U.S. is looking to see the cost of solar power drop from $0.21 per kilowatt hour (kWh) in 2009 to $0.10 per kWh in 2015, which would bring the price down to household electricity rates. Utility-scale solar projects are expected to drop from $0.13 per kWh to $0.06 in the same timeframe.

More than $2 billion from the act is being invested in advanced battery and electric drive manufacturing with the intent of bringing down the cost of electric vehicle batteries by 70 percent by 2015. All-electric vehicle batteries would go from $33,000 to $10,000 while plug-in hybrid batteries would cost $4,000 instead of the current $13,000.

Along with bringing down costs, the Recovery Act funds are going toward making batteries lighter by about 33 percent and making them last 14 years as opposed to four years.

Last year the U.S. had two factories making advanced vehicle batteries, producing less than 2 percent of the world's vehicle batteries. By 2012, the report says, the country will have 30 factories capable of producing 20 percent of the world's vehicle batteries.

Governor Rendell, Transportation Secretary Outline Options to Generate $1 Billion to Fix Ailing State, Local Transportation Systems

2010-08-24T08:23:00.000-04:00

The General Assembly could vote this fall to generate approximately $1 billion needed to improve the safety of state and local transportation systems and create jobs, Governor Edward G. Rendell and Transportation Secretary Allen D. Biehler, P.E., said today.

"Across Pennsylvania, and in both chambers of the General Assembly, there is strong consensus that our transportation systems are failing and something needs to be done now," Governor Rendell said, noting that both the House and Senate held numerous hearings on the issue throughout the summer.

A poll taken last week confirmed that 95 percent of Pennsylvanians believe that the quality of our transportation infrastructure matters to the state s economy and 74 percent would support taxing the profits of oil companies to pay for the needed improvements. By a margin of 48 percent to 45 percent, residents favored increasing vehicle fees, some of which have not been raised in more than three decades, consistent with inflation to help pay for transportation infrastructure.

"This poll indicates that the road we must take is not problematic and we have a chance to do something of vital importance that benefits Pennsylvanians now and in the future," the Governor said. "I think we should do more than these options provide, but legislators have told me that in an election year the political appetite in Harrisburg is too small to meet the full needs.

"Every month we delay, the cost of repairs goes up. The time for legislative action is now, otherwise future generations will pay a much higher cost," the Governor added, noting that a project that cost only $300,000 in 1987 would cost more than $720,000 to complete today.

Following the Governor's remarks, Biehler addressed a joint, bipartisan meeting of the House and Senate to outline two options that could be implemented this fall and in place by January. The measures would raise nearly $1 billion in the first full fiscal year and cost the average Pennsylvania driver approximately 33 cents per week:

● An 8 percent tax on the gross profits of oil companies doing business in Pennsylvania.

Companies paying the tax would be exempt from the 9.99 percent Corporate Net Income tax. The new oil company tax would raise $576 million the first full fiscal year. Oil companies would be legally barred from passing the increase on to consumers.

● Increasing a variety of license, registration and vehicle fees.

Some of the fees have not been raised since 1977. For example, the four-year drivers license fee would increase from $21 to $25 (the $7 photo charge would remain unchanged). The annual registration fee for a passenger car would increase from $36 to $49. The fee for a certificate of title would increase from $22.50 to $31.

"This much-needed infusion of money will help keep bridges and roads safe and smooth and create jobs and prosperity across Pennsylvania," Biehler said. "Based on feedback from residents and legislators, this plan offers a realistic way to deal with the clearly demonstrated transportation needs.

"The latest poll findings clearly show the people of Pennsylvania understand that transportation funding is critical to the state's future and the time for ensuring adequate investment in highways, bridges and public transit is now," Biehler added.

Despite significant additional investments in recent years, Pennsylvania has 5,646 state-owned structurally deficient bridges, leading the nation in the number of such spans and exceeding the total number of similarly deficient bridges from Virginia to Maine, combined. There are more than 10,000 miles of state roads in need of repair, with 7,000 miles of those classified as in "poor" condition.

TD Bank Closes Loop on Paper Use, Saves 43K Trees Yearly

2010-08-17T08:53:00.000-04:00

One of GVF's newest partners is making an environment impact:

CHERRY HILL, NJ-TD Bank (NYSE: TD) is closing the loop on its paper waste in a partnership with Boise, one that will save tens of thousands of trees as well reducing landfill waste.

As the newest member of Boise's Closed Loop System, TD Bank will divert at least 1,500 metric tons of paper every year into Boise's paper recycling system, and will purchase the recycled paper back from Boise once it has been remanufactured.

"We keep looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and elimination of waste is key to this," Gerry Guidice, head of U.S. Real Estate for TD Bank, said in a statement. "This program means we will generate less waste - diverting it from landfills -- and recycle more, which is great for the environment and business."

The paper that TD Bank purchases for use in its operations is Forest Stewardship Council certified and already contains a portion of recycled paper. TD Bank is promising to deliver at least enough paper to Boise (NYSE: BZ)to manufacture the new generation of paper products that the bank will use each year.

As a result of closing the loop on its paper use, TD Bank will save about 43,000 trees per year, or the equivalent of 300 millino sheets of paper.

Earlier this month, the company made the EPA's Green Power Partnership list, landing in the 15th spot for companies that purchase the most renewable energy in the U.S.

Read more: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/08/16/td-bank-closes-loop-paper-use-saves-43k-trees-yearly?utm_source=GreenBuzz&utm_campaign=8837959b21-GreenBuzz-2010-08-16&utm_medium=email

Private Sector Weighs In On US 422 Improvements

2010-08-13T14:29:00.002-04:00

Over the past year and a half, there has been much talk about a proposal to examine the feasibility of tolling US Route 422. One of the larger questions in the media and among residents along the corridor, is the impact of any potential tolling option on the region's economic competitiveness. On August 11th, Thomas Caramanico, a member of the CEO Council for Growth as well as President and CEO of McCormick Taylor Inc., offered his thoughts on the situation along US Route 422 in a Letter to the Editor in the Main Line Suburban Life newspaper.

To give some background, the CEO Council for Growth is a group of prominent business executives committed to Greater Philadelphia's growth and prosperity. Through high-impact initiatives that lead to high wage jobs, new business opportunities, and wealth creation, the CEO Council offers a consistent and invigorating approach that sets the regional growth agenda. The CEO Council for Growth is also the governing body for Select Greater Philadelphia, the region's economic development marketing organization.

Here is the text of the Thomas Caramanico's recent Letter to the Editor:

Calmly look at U.S. 422 issues

To the Editor:

More than two years ago, the effort to restore passenger rail service on the R6 line to Reading was on life support because of the lack of federal and state funding, and the most recent version of PennDOT’s 12-year plan does nothing to address the daily 15-mile backup on U.S. 422.

Yet congestion on the corridor is an enormous drag on the region’s economic prosperity. Whether it’s time spent in traffic commuting to work, lost time with family or trucks stalled from delivering their cargo, congestion is costing individuals time and businesses millions of dollars each year.

Although the needs along U.S. 422 are great and the benefits of rail service and highway-capacity improvements are very understandable, it is also apparent that government alone cannot accomplish these goals.

That’s why a group of businesspeople in our region got together to seek a solution now. The CEO Council for Growth along with Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties and other stakeholders along the U.S. 422 corridor commissioned a study to look at the feasibility of financing infrastructure improvements there. The study is in progress and preliminary results are expected this fall. The study will examine a variety of financing options, including an assessment of collecting a toll on U.S. 422 to pay for transportation improvements in the U.S. 422 corridor.

As businessmen and women, we are not committed to any financing option until we have all the necessary information available. Information such as: what improvements could be provided, how would rail service and highway improvements work together, how would we guarantee the money is spent on our improvements and not in other areas of the state, how much would a toll be, and where would it be collected? Only when these and many more questions are answered should anyone take a position for or against the idea.

Unfortunately some candidates running for office have taken a position before all the facts are known. This is a mistake. As statements containing half-truths, pseudo-facts and misinformation come from both political parties, the public is not well served. Sadly for purely political purposes, issues that require mature and reasonable discussion are reduced to a sound bite or simplistic headline.

Worst of all, this kind of political posturing will effectively chase away the private sector. Entrepreneurs and business leaders won’t want to invest in a public/private partnership if they believe the “public” piece of the partnership to be impetuous or, worse, misguided.

This is a call for restraint on the part of our candidates and elected officials. Let all concerns and issues be raised and considered, but please refrain from taking a position for or against any ideas until the facts are known. If the numbers don’t work or the impacts are too great we will all be opposed to it.

However, if there is a way to improve our transportation system in the corridor, we can work on the issues together. When the study is done, let the proposal be discussed and let it rise or fall on its own merits, based on the facts. Let the process work – the success of our region requires it, the public deserves it and these difficult times demand it.

Thomas A. Caramanico, P.E., President and CEO, McCormick Taylor Inc., Co-Chair, Infrastructure Working Group, CEO, Council for Growth

Philadelphia: Green City, Clean Water

2010-08-04T11:05:00.000-04:00

Check out this very interesting video on initiatives being taken by the city of Philadelphia to move towards greener methods of storm water management.

The video shows examples such as green roofs, porous pavers and vegetated streetscapes which offer simple green solutions to solving the cities storm water problems. While at the same time, these practices create green, open spaces which has been proven to create more livable urban areas.

What are your thoughts on this plan for the city of Philadelphia?

For similar videos, check out GreenTreks on youtube

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS, GVF PROUD TO PARTNER WITH TREDYFFRIN TOWNSHIP

2010-07-30T08:39:00.002-04:00

Since its founding in 1990, GVF has worked diligently with area municipalities, large corporations, colleges and universities, as well as local and state agencies throughout Chester and Montgomery Counties, to increase mobility and decrease congestion throughout the region.

GVF would not be able to make the impact it has had on the region without the help and support of its longstanding partners. Therefore, as GVF celebrates its 20th year of service, GVF staff wants to take this opportunity to recognize Tredyffrin Township and Mimi Gleason, Tredyffrin Township Manager.

“GVF helps Tredyffrin Township stay informed about transportation projects and alternatives, funding opportunities, and lessons learned from other partners and regions. GVF also provides a forum for Tredyffrin to work together with others in the public and private sectors towards sustainable transportation solutions in this part of the Philadelphia region, which impact the economic climate for our businesses and the quality of life for our residents,” said Tredyffrin Township Manager Mimi Gleason.

During the past 20 years, GVF has worked closely with Tredyffrin Township on:

• US 202 Section 300

• Section 400

• Paoli Transportation Center Task Force

• PA Turnpike Design Roundtable

"Tredyffrin Township was on the forefront in establishing GVF, the first transportation management association (TMA), in the commonwealth and continues to lead in our field today. It's been a wonderful relationship over our twenty years as Tredyffrin Township has and continues to be a leader on smart growth, sustainability and planning for their residents’ future," said Rob Henry, Executive Director of GVF.

GVF is a transportation management association based in King of Prussia that offers a forum in which the business community and municipal, county and state officials can collectively work on transportation issues affecting the Greater Valley Forge area.

A goal of GVF is to enhance mobility and safety through the reduction of congestion and pollution. GVF helps to promote the area's orderly growth, sustain its quality of life and ensure its continued economic vitality.

Throughout the past 20 years, GVF has been a driving force for a number of projects throughout the region, including:

• PA 309 reconstruction project

• More than 100,000 trips generated on GVF’s corporate and community shuttles

• Partnered to install more than 150 bus shelters in the region

• PA 73 reconstruction project

• Partnered to establish the transportation center at the King of Prussia Mall

• Continues to advocate to keep the region moving and growing

Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center achieves LEED Honors

2010-07-27T15:03:00.001-04:00

The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center has recently been awarded a LEED Gold Certification. This makes the museum/park the first to do so in Pennsylvania, and only the fourth in the country to achieve such a level of LEED certification.

Highlights of the Museum and Visitor Center's environmental responsibility include:

Geothermal heating and cooling system: 207 wells, average depth of 550 feet use the earth's constant 55-degree temperature to heat and cool the facility
Wetlands restoration: Nearly two acres of wetlands were restored during Museum and Visitor Center construction
Native plants: Native, drought resistant plants that were used throughout the facility's campus require no irrigation
Timber reuse: Existing timber was reused in the building's construction
Recycling: A facility-wide recycling program was adopted
Construction waste reduction: Metal, cardboard and wood was separated during construction to minimize waste
Storm water run off minimization: Storm water run off was reduced through the use of underground storage tanks
Plumbing: Low flow toilets and sinks were installed
Reduced off-gasses: Off-gassing from carpets, glues, vinyl and paints was reduced
Low-emission vehicles and carpooling: Parking spaces will be labeled for preferred use by hybrid vehicles and by carpoolers
Green power: Green power credits will be purchased
Regional materials: Twenty-five percent of the building materials manufactured locally, and 50 percent were harvested locally

For an article containing more information on the project and certification, CLICK HERE