In response to some accidents involving pedestrians many years ago in this neighborhood - particularly around schools - the Philadelphia City Planning Commission started a planning process to improve the "Walkability" of this neighborhood.  Using federal dollars, they completed the SOUTH OF SOUTH WALKABILITY PLAN in April 2009 (available by request from the SOSNA office).

The plan offers some creative techniques for using capital improvements to make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.  This plan means that - in concept - municipal authorities are on-board to invest in these improvements for our community.  However, it's up to SOSNA and all neighbors to focus and prioritize the recommendations of the plan into a set of short and long-term implementation steps.

SOSNA then applied to a nationally competitive grant program through the Federal Highway Administration which is meant to empower neighbors such as yourself to bring about real change to help pedestrians.  SOSNA's application was one of ten selected out of more than 80 communities nationwide to test the FHA's "Resident's Guide for Creating Safe and Walkable Communities" (available here), and utilize the guide's contents to implement pedestrian safety measures in our community.

Per our responsibilities to the grant, SOSNA has created a Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PedAC) which meets monthly. The Committee is using the FHA's guide and really implementing innovative and unprecedented measures to improve pedestrian safety. The PedAC is educating residents and relaying our priorities to municipal authorities. See the website for the stoop lighting program recently organized by our PedAC at www.lightsonswcc.org.

Anyone interested in participating should email Andrewd AT southofsouth.org