Methacton School District wins First Annual GVF Seatbelt Challenge!

GVF is excited to announce that Methacton School District was the winnerof the organization’s first annual Seatbelt Challenge! This year’s Challenge was against Upper Merion High School.

The purpose of the Seatbelt Challenge is to bring attention to the importance of seatbelt safety, determine how many students are wearing seatbelts and encourage those who are not to do so. GVF manages the Challenge by conducting a counting survey during the fall semester; present the findings to the participating schools, and then setting up seatbelt safety presentations through the Pennsylvania State Police and the Lower Providence PoliceDepartment.

At the end of the challenge, GVF conducted another counting survey,to see if the number of students wearing seatbelts has increased. The winning school district is the one with the highest increase of seatbelt use.

In our initial study, conducted on October 1, 2011, 83 percent of Methacton students were observed wearing seatbelts. The follow up study was conducted on March 28, 2012, 90 percent of students were observed wearing seatbelts.

Thedistrict was awarded $500, which was provided by AAAand their Keys 2 Drive program, which provides parents tips and information to work with their teens through each step of safe driving.

The full results of the Challenge were as follows:

School	Number of Cars Surveyed	Number of People in the Cars	Number of People Wearing Seatbelts	Number of People Not Wearing Seatbelts	Percentage of People Not Wearing Seatbelts
Methacton Senior High School (fall semester)	173	387	323	64	17%
Methacton Senior High School (spring semester)	211	373	337	36	10%

School	Number of Cars Surveyed	Number of People in the Cars	Number of People Wearing Seatbelts	Number of People Not Wearing Seatbelts	Percentage of People Not Wearing Seatbelts
Upper Merion High School (fall semester)	129	232	138	94	41%
Upper Merion High School (spring semester)	143	248	191	57	23%

GVF is already underway in planning next school year's Challenge. If you're interested in participating, contact us at info@gvftma.com or 610-354-8899.

Read more »

April Events at GVF

There's a lot of exciting things going on at GVF during the month of April!

GVF TMA Foundation's Third Annual Bike to Work Challenge begins on April 30. Registration is now open, so if you haven't registered yet, visit www.gvfbiketowork.com to do so. The Bike to Work Challenge is a 20 week-long program that encourages employees to commute to work by bike. The ultimate goal is to see the environmental impact by keeping vehicles off the roadways while maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Last year, 164 participants:

biked 42,651 miles

saved 1,975 gallons of fuel

prevented 38,307 tons of CO2 emissions into our air.

The best part is, anyone who registers to participate and rides to work by Bike to Work Day, which is observed on May 18, will be entered to win a “Platinum Bike Fit” from Cadence Cycling and Multisport, valued at $299! Events, recognition and prizes are all part of this event, to keep participants engaged and excited about biking to work.

Earth Day is also observed this month on April 22. Although it falls on a Sunday this year, GVF has numerous outreach events planned to promote sustainable transportation. Earth Day is a great catalyst to start the conversation about different commuting options, aside from driving to and from work alone. We can help to get your employees thinking about changing their commutes by carpooling, public transit and biking. Reach out to us today to learn more!

Read more »

GVF Named Gold Level Champion and Employer by the Best Workplaces for Commuters

GVF is proud to be named a Gold Level Champion and Employer by the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC)!

The awards recognize organizations like GVF who have taken exemplary steps to offer transportation options such as vanpool and transit benefits or telework and compressed workweek for their employees.

In 2011, we were recognized as a Gold Level company only. This year, we are proud to be awarded as a champion - an organization that works to encourage others to re-think their commuting habits, and employer - because GVF provides commuting options and benefits to our staff of eight.

GVF's partner TransNet was recognized at the silver level. Congratulations on YOUR award and working to be a BWC!

BWC is a program designed to encourage sustainable transportation innovation and managed by the University of South Florida’s National Center for Transit Research. This year, they singled out 15 companies, institutions and individuals nationwide on Thursday, January 26 during the annual “Race to Excellence” Virtual Awards Ceremony.

Other companies that were recipients of the Gold Level include:

§ Bishop Ranch Transportation Association (San Ramon, CA)

§ Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN)

§ State of Arizona (Phoenix, AZ)

§ Tindale-Oliver & Associates (Tampa, FL)

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

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

Read more »

Philadelphia's "Park In The Sky"

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.

Read more »

422Plus: A Better Ride

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.

Read more »

Climate Change Task Force tours Valley Forge National Historical Park

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.

Read more »

What it Would Take for a Truly Car-Free Day

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.

Read more »

Jenkintown Streetscape Groundbreaking Ceremony

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.

Read more »

Congratulations to the Sustainable Award Winners!

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!

Read more »

No Damage from the Earthquake, but is Everything OK?

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.

Read more »

Partner In The Spotlight: West Conshohocken Borough

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.

Read more »

Adaptive Traffic Signal Technology Deployed in King of Prussia

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:

Read more »

The Revolutionary Shuttle provides free service through VFNHP [Video]

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!

Read more »

Royesford-Spring City Bridge Stakeholders Meeting [Video]

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.

Read more »

GVF TMA Foundation Hosts First Golf Outing [Video]

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.

Read more »

It's About Solutions

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.

Read more »

GVF's 2011 Annual Meeting [Video]

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.

Read more »

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

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.

Read more »

GVF Celebrates Earth Day

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?

Read more »

US 202 Section 300 Groundbreaking Ceremony [Video]

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

Read more »