2023 RAISE - North Philadelphia Schools FINAL - Redacted

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The following application tracking information was generated by the system:
Grants.gov Tracking GRANT13816698

Number:
UEI: K3LGS8BABNH9
Submitter's Name: Sarah R Zyto
CFDA Number: 20.933
CFDA Description: National Infrastructure Investments
Funding Opportunity DTOS59-23-RA-RAISE

Number:
Funding Opportunity FY 2023 National Infrastructure Investments
Description:
Agency Name: 69A345 Office of the Under Secretary for Policy
Application Name of North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project

this Submission:
Date/Time of Receipt: Feb 28, 2023 04:29:14 PM EST
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North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)
Transportation Discretionary Grant – FY 2023
Funding Opportunity: DTOS59-23-RA-RAISE
Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2023 National Infrastructure Investments
RAISE Capital Project Grant Application

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania City of Philadelphia
RAISE Area Type: Urban Municipal Services Building
Amount Requested: $25,000,000 1401 John F. Kennedy Boulevard
February 28, 2023 Philadelphia, PA 19102
North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project 2023 RAISE Grant Application
Table of Contents
Contents
SECTION 1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................ 1
1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 PROJECT HISTORY AND CONTEXT ........................................................................................................ 2
1.3 TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES ......................................................................................................... 3
1.4 STATEMENT OF WORK ............................................................................................................................ 4
SECTION 2. PROJECT LOCATION ..................................................................................................................... 5
2.1 LOCATION OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................ 5
0
SECTION 1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Philadelphia requests $25,000,000 in FY2023 RAISE funding to construct multimodal
safety, accessibility, and mobility improvements, or "Slow Zones," around six schools and High
Injury Network (HIN) corridors in Philadelphia, PA. The proposed work includes improvements
such as raised crosswalks at Neighborhood Slow Zone gateways; redesigned Slow Zone advisory
signage for drivers entering Slow Zone limits; concrete curb extensions in place of painted corner
clearances at key community locations and at hazardous crossings; installation of Continental
crosswalks in place of several standard crosswalks, and new ADA ramps at multiple locations. In
addition to implementing traffic safety countermeasures, the North Philadelphia School Zones
Traffic Safety Project will also implement gravely needed state-of-good repair upgrades such as
resurfacing streets, upgrading traffic signals and communications, and streetscape improvements
such as planting street trees, and other improvements to the pedestrian realm.
Located in North Philadelphia, the proposed work seeks to address high crash rates within the
project area by implementing Slow Zones. From 2017 – 2021, there were 418 crashes in the project
area, resulting in 156 injuries and three fatalities. Furthermore, the selected schools scored among
the top ten highest schools on the City’s School Stress Index, which determines school stress based
on: the number, frequency, and severity of vehicular, pedestrian, and bike injuries; proximity to
the City’s High Injury Network; scoring high on the City’s Litter Index; the number of households
in poverty; number of narcotics-related crime incidents; and health indicators, including high rates
of asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
The proposed work is part of the City’s Neighborhood Slow Zone Program, which brings posted
speed limits down to 20MPH and installs traffic calming throughout an entire zone of residential
streets. Informed by FHWA’s Proven Safety Countermeasures and a robust community
engagement process, the proposed improvements aim to improve health and safety in Philadelphia
by increasing the number of students walking and bicycling to school, decreasing the likelihood
of injuries and fatalities and, ultimately, improving equitable access to opportunity.
Advancing racial equity is a central goal of this project. The proposed improvements, which are
fully located within USDOT designated Historically Disadvantaged Community Tracts and
Persistent Poverty Census Tracts, aim to confront and address decades of underinvestment. Low-
income residents, as well as communities of color, have borne the brunt of deficient infrastructure.
The City’s grant proposal will help remedy these disparities. The North Philadelphia School Zones
Traffic Safety Project represents an opportunity to direct long-overdue infrastructure investments
and job opportunities to families and residents around the project area.
All Philadelphians deserve safe and accessible roads and equitable access to schools. Yet
Philadelphia’s infrastructure has suffered decades of underinvestment, undermining the public’s
trust in government. RAISE represents a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s
infrastructure and competitiveness. Philadelphia is ready to deliver results through the North
Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project to help rebuild the nation’s aging infrastructure
and trust. Grant funding from RAISE will help the City and Biden administration deliver
meaningful results for Philadelphia’s highest-need communities.
1
1.2 PROJECT HISTORY AND CONTEXT

The North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project will address challenges tied to safety,
state of good repair, mobility & access, and workforce diversity. Equity and engagement will guide
implementation.
Vision and Goals

Equity: The Project is entirely located in historically disadvantaged community tracts, as well as areas
of persistent poverty Census tracts. Proposed improvements will focus on proactively addressing racial
equity and barriers to opportunity.
Safety: People, especially students, will be Mobility & Access: People of all ages and
safe and not in danger of death or serious abilities, especially students, will be able to
injury when they travel around the project. access housing, transit, schools, opportunities,
The neighborhoods selected for this and recreation affordably. The proposed
project have been disproportionately improvements will increase affordable
impacted by traffic violence. transportation choices and expand active
transportation usage. It will also improve
connections to neighborhoods divided by the
Northeast Corridor rail line.
State of Good Repair: People will be able Workforce Diversity: create high-quality,
to reliably use the transportation good-paying jobs for Philadelphians and
infrastructure in the project area. The ensure that traditionally underrepresented
proposed improvements will restore and Philadelphians, including women and
modernize existing infrastructure assets communities of color, can secure these high-
that are beyond their useful life and will quality job opportunities
reduce future burdens through efficient
and well-integrated design.
Meaningful Engagement: The City will utilize strategies identified in US DOT’s Promising Practices
for Meaningful Public Involvement in Transportation Decision-Making guide to ensure residents are
informed and involved in project implementation.
Figure 2.1. The proposed Project supports the City’s goals and mission of improving mobility, safety, and access for all who use
the City’s streets and roadways.
Overview of Vision Zero Efforts for Schools: Philadelphia's Vision Zero program is a
comprehensive road safety initiative aimed at reducing the number of traffic deaths and injuries in
the City to zero by 2030. The program recognizes that one of the most vulnerable and at-risk
populations on the roads are schoolchildren, who often travel to and from school on foot or by
bike, and that the most effective way to address traffic safety for this population is by pairing a
robust safety curriculum with infrastructure investments in proven safety countermeasures.
Philadelphia's Vision Zero program supports schools through the following programs and
initiatives:
1. Safe Routes to School: The program includes a Safe Routes to School initiative that
focuses on improving the safety of students’ routes to and from school. The Safe Routes to
School program includes identifying safety issues and addressing them with road
treatments such as crosswalks, traffic signals, and other infrastructure improvements.
2
2. School Zone Safety: The program works to improve school zone safety by reducing
vehicle speeds and increasing awareness of school zones with improved signage, pavement
markings, and other measures.
3. School Safety Education: The program includes a school safety education component that
provides resources and support to schools to educate students on safe walking and biking
behaviors. The School Safety Education program involves curriculum development
addressing specific safety challenges for each school, including pedestrian safety lessons
and bicycle safety classes.
4. Community Engagement: The program encourages community engagement in
improving safety around schools, including working with parents, teachers, and school
administrators to identify safety issues and develop solutions.
By implementing these strategies, Philadelphia's Vision Zero program helps to create safer streets
and intersections within Slow Zones, making it easier and safer for students to walk and bike to
school. This, in turn, can help reduce the risk of traffic crashes and injuries, creating a safer
environment for students and their families.
Slow Zone Program Overview: Philadelphia's Slow Zone program is a traffic calming initiative
that aims to reduce vehicle speeds on residential streets to make them safer for pedestrians, cyclists,
and other vulnerable road users. The program uses a variety of interventions, such as speed humps,
curb extensions, and chicanes, to slow down drivers and improve safety for people walking or
biking.
The Slow Zone program was launched in 2019 as part of the City's broader Vision Zero campaign,
which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and severe injuries by 2030. The program has established
six Slow Zones across the City as of 2021, covering more than 40 miles of residential streets.
The goal of the Slow Zone program is to create safer, more livable neighborhoods by reducing the
speed of motor vehicles on residential streets. The program focuses on areas where people live,
work, and play and seeks to improve safety for all road users, particularly vulnerable users such as
children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
The Slow Zone program is based on the idea that slower traffic speeds reduce the risk of serious
crashes and improve safety for all road users. By making residential streets safer and more pleasant
places to walk, bike, and live, the program aims to promote healthier, more active communities
and reduce the number of traffic-related injuries and fatalities in Philadelphia.
1.3 TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES

Safety Challenges: The proposed project aims to introduce Neighborhood Slow Zones around six
elementary schools in North Philadelphia to address the high rates of traffic crashes, injuries, and
fatalities in the area. Philadelphia has one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities in the US, with a
disproportionately high number of low-income residents or people of color affected. Rates of
traffic deaths are 57% higher for residents living in Philadelphia’s lowest-income ZIP codes
compared to the city's highest-income ZIP codes. From 2017-2021, there were 418 crashes in the
project area, resulting in 156 injuries and three fatalities. Vision Zero, a strategy to eliminate all
traffic-related deaths and severe injuries, was launched in 2016. In 2021, there were 121 traffic
deaths on Philadelphia streets, making it the second-deadliest year for traffic crashes since 1999.
3
Children and older adults are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes, highlighting the need for
traffic safety measures that benefit all road users.
State of Good Repair Challenges: The City of Philadelphia has a goal of maintaining well-
maintained streets with adequate sidewalks and roadways, particularly around these school zones.
However, decades of underinvestment have made it difficult to meet this goal, particularly in
certain neighborhoods. The City has a backlog of paving and deficient street infrastructure, which
makes achieving a state of good repair a challenge. The City's largest investment in paving and
street maintenance was made in the FY 2022 budget, but this alone will not be sufficient to meet
infrastructure goals. The City is also responsible for 3,000 signal controllers, many of which have
not been upgraded since the 1960s and are difficult to maintain. According to City records, over
78% of the street segments identified for repaving in this project have not been resurfaced for 20
years or longer, and several roads have not been paved since the early 1990s. Additionally, 15
intersections in the project area rely on outdated and inadequate signal technology.
Accessibility Challenges: The City aims to ensure streets are comfortable and accessible to all
ages and abilities, including those using a wheelchair. Unfortunately, the current conditions of the
roadways included in the project do not adequately serve people with disabilities. For example,
approximately 200 pedestrian ramps in the project area require upgrades or new construction.
Pedestrian ramps and other ADA treatments are critical in providing safe and accessible means of
travel throughout Philadelphia. Pedestrian ramps provide access on and off our streets and
sidewalks and are essential tools for all pedestrians, especially aging Philadelphians and persons
with disabilities.
1.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

The proposed work includes constructing six Neighborhood Slow Zones and installing safety
improvements along HIN corridors in North Philadelphia, PA. The proposed activities may
involve resurfacing; upgrading traffic signals; introducing raised crosswalks at Neighborhood
Slow Zone gateways; redesigned Slow Zone advisory signage for drivers entering Slow Zone
limits; concrete curb extensions in place of painted corner clearances at key community locations
and at hazardous crossings; installation of Continental crosswalks in place of several standard
crosswalks, and ADA upgrades at multiple locations.
4
SECTION 2. PROJECT LOCATION

2.1 LOCATION OVERVIEW
The project is located within the City of Philadelphia, PA, Urbanized Area (UZA) in Congressional
Districts PA-02, PA-03, and PA-05. The Philadelphia UZA is the fifth largest UZA in the nation
and had a 2020 Decennial Census population of 5,696,125. The full land area of the UZA occupies
1,981 square miles across four states. The City of Philadelphia had a population of 1,526,006 in
2010, which grew by 5 percent, to 1,603,797, in 2020. Philadelphia County and Philadelphia City
are coterminous, and Philadelphia is designated as a Persistent Poverty County.
Nearly 40,000 people live in the census tracts located in the project area. All census tracts located
in the project area are designated as Historically Disadvantaged Community Tracts and Persistent
Poverty Census Tracts.
Figure 2.2. Project location map showing USDOT identified Areas of Persistent Poverty,
and Historically Disadvantaged Communities. The Project is located within Philadelphia
County, a Persistent Poverty County.
5
Project Budget
FY 2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

(RAISE)
City of Philadelphia
February 28, 2023
Table of Contents
Contents
SECTION 3. PROJECT BUDGET ......................................................................................................................... 1
3.1 BUDGET OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................................ 1
3.2 COSTS ......................................................................................................................................................... 1
3.3 SOURCES AND AMOUNTS OF FUNDS FOR RAISE-ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.......................................... 1
SECTION 3. PROJECT BUDGET

3.1 BUDGET OVERVIEW
The City of Philadelphia requests $25,000,000 in RAISE 2023 Capital Grant funding to complete
the proposed project. The requested RAISE funds will match $4,000,000 in local funding to design
and construct the project. This section presents the project costs and the sources and uses of funds
planned for the project. No previously incurred expenses are included in the budget.
3.2 COSTS
The total estimated cost of the proposed North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project
is $29,000,000 (Table 3.1). Project activities and cost estimates are provided below. The entire
portion of the RAISE grant will be directed toward construction costs, while non-federal funds
will support preliminary engineering, design, and construction management and inspection.
Table 3.1. Detailed Budget of Eligible Costs
Item Total RAISE Non-Federal
Preliminary Engineering
Final Design
Construction
Construction Management & Inspection
TOTAL ELIGIBLE COSTS $29,000,000.00 $25,000,000.00 $4,000,000.00
3.3 SOURCES AND AMOUNTS OF FUNDS FOR RAISE-ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

As shown in Table 3.2, non-federal sources make up $4,000,000, or 14%, of total project costs for
The proposed project. A $4,000,000 contribution from the City's Capital Budget will serve as the
local match for the project. Federal sources make up $25,000,000, or 86%, of total project costs.
Table 3.2. Funding Sources
Item Funding Amount Percent
RAISE Funds: $25,000,000 86%
Other Federal Funds: - -
Non-Federal Funds- City Capital: $4,000,000 14%
TOTAL FUTURE ELIGIBLE COSTS $29,000,000 100%
Table 3.3. Project Costs per Census Tract
Designation Project Costs per Census
Census Tracts Population
(HDC, APP, Both, or None) Tract
164 Both 4,633
167.02 Both 2,704
174 Both 2,392
175 Both 6,943
176.01 Both 4,972
199 Both 4,498
200 Both 1,320
201.01 Both 3,552
201.02 Both 3,415
203 Both 2,842
Total Not applicable 37,271 $29,000,000
1
Project: North Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Description: FY 2023 RAISE Grant
Date: 2/22/2023
ITEM TOTAL
COST
CONSTRUCTION
GENERAL CONSTRUCTION ITEMS
MOBILIZATION (5%) $
TRAFFIC CONTROL (10%) $
Subtotal $
CONSTRUCTION ITEMS
RESURFACING $
ADA RAMP UPGRADES $
CROSSWALK IMPROVEMENTS $
CORNER BUMPOUTS W/ STMWTR INLETS $
STREET TREES $
FLASHING BEACONS $
SPEED CUSHIONS $
TRAFFIC SIGNAL UPGRADES $
CONTROLLER UPGRADES $
OVERHEAD MASTARM UPGRADES $
APS $
SCHOOL 15 MPH $
RAISED CROSSWALKS @ SCHOOL INTERSCECTIONS $
BIKE LANE IMPROVEMENTS $
SCHOOL FLASHERS (UPGRADE) $
SIGNAGE $
PM & LINESTRIPPING $
GRIDSMART $
INTERCONNECT $
TREE TRIMMING $
VEGETATION REMOVAL $ 1
Subtotal $
TOTAL FOR CONSTRUCTION (ACTUAL) $
TOTAL FOR CONSTRUCTION (ROUNDED) $
MISC. ITEMS
CONSTRUCTION CONTINGENCY (approx. 10%) $
ENGINEERING DESIGN (10%) $
CMCI* (10%) $
TOTAL FOR MISC. ITEMS $
PROJECT TOTAL $ 29,000,000

*Construction Management & Inspection
Source: Historic City and PennDOT unit-cost data
Budget completed by City of Philadelphia, Streets Department
Merit Criteria

(RAISE)
February 28, 2023
Table of Contents
Contents
SECTION 4. MERIT CRITERIA ........................................................................................................................... 2
4.1 SAFETY ...................................................................................................................................................... 2
4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY .................................................................................................... 5
4.3 QUALITY OF LIFE ..................................................................................................................................... 5
4.4 MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY ................................................................................... 6
4.5 ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND OPPORTUNITY ......................................................................... 7
4.6 STATE OF GOOD REPAIR ......................................................................................................................... 8
4.7 PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION ................................................................................................. 9
4.8 INNOVATION ...........................................................................................................................................10
1
SECTION 4. MERIT CRITERIA

4.1 SAFETY
A prime objective of the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project is to create a safe
environment for all roadway users. The proposed work will implement a range of urgently needed
traffic safety countermeasures to improve safety for all roadway users. Between 2017 and 2021,
approximately 418 reported crashes occurred on project corridors, resulting in 156 injuries and
three fatal injuries. The data indicates over 97 pedestrians and bicyclists were involved in crashes.
The project area needs substantial traffic safety upgrades to prevent future crashes.
Figure 4.1. Map of crash data within the project area. Source: PennDOT 2017 - 2021.
2
The proposed project seeks to construct

safety improvements on HIN corridors and
introduce Neighborhood Slow Zones
around six elementary schools in North
Philadelphia, PA – an area that
disproportionately experiences higher rates
of traffic crashes, crash-related injuries, and
fatalities. In Philadelphia, traffic-related
fatalities occur at a higher rate than in its
Figure 4.2. Traffic fatality rates are higher in Philadelphia than
peer cities—and disproportionately in
in other large cities in the United States. (Source: PennDOT, neighborhoods with a high proportion of
2017 – 2021). low-income residents or people of color,
such as the proposed project area. From
2017 – 2021, there were 418 crashes in the
project area, resulting in 156 injuries and
three fatalities.
Each loss is devastating and must be treated
as preventable. To better protect all
roadway users, the City launched Vision
Zero in 2016. Vision Zero is a strategy to
eliminate all traffic-related deaths and
severe injuries while increasing safety,
Figure 4.3. Rates of traffic deaths and serious injuries are of
health, and mobility for all. Philadelphia has
critical concern in Philadelphia. one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities in
the country. Cities across the US
experienced a spike in traffic deaths due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, Philadelphia continues
to have one of the highest rates of traffic fatalities compared to its peer cities. In 2021, there were
121 traffic deaths on Philadelphia streets, making it the second-deadliest year for traffic crashes
since 1999.
Figure 4.4. Ages of victims in fatal traffic crashes (Source: PennDOT, 2017 – 2021).
The burden of traffic violence falls unequally on children. Every day four children are involved in
a crash in Philadelphia, and every year four are killed. Comparing the age of drivers and non-
drivers involved in fatal crashes shows that kids (under 16 years old), young adults (16-24), and
older adults (65 and older) are more likely to be involved in fatal crashes. (PennDOT crash data,
3
2017-2021). For the very youngest victims, these numbers include passengers in vehicles of deadly
crashes. This only reinforces the fact that traffic safety is a concern for everyone - not just drivers.
The project seeks to combat this issue by implementing Neighborhood Slow Zones and HIN
improvements. By adding treatments such as resurfacing, upgraded traffic signals, raised
crosswalks, continental crosswalks, concrete curb extensions at hazardous crossings, and
accessibility upgrades at multiple locations, the proposed work greatly reduces safety risks. Many
of the proposed treatments use Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) proven safety
countermeasures. City engineers and planners familiar with implementing road safety solutions
have reviewed these proven countermeasures for appropriateness at each location. Expected
outcomes include:
• Systemic application of multiple low-cost countermeasures at stop-controlled
intersections and other vulnerable areas: The City will use the systematic safe slow-zone
approach to deploy multiple low-cost countermeasures at high crash and vulnerable stop-
controlled intersections. The safe slow-zone approach features a range of low-cost treatments
such as improved signage, enhanced pavement markings, lower speed limits, speed cushions,
and more. The City has experienced tremendous success in implementing this approach in
other Philadelphia locations through the Neighborhood Slow Zone program. This approach is
highly cost effective and can result in a 10 percent reduction in fatal and injury crashes. 1
• Curb extensions and corner bumpouts: Neighborhood Slow Zones will construct corner
bumpouts to improve pedestrian safety. Corner bumpouts decrease the overall width of the
roadway, increase the overall visibility of pedestrians, tighten intersection curb radii, and
encourage slower turning speeds. Curb extensions will also help support transit access because
they improve bus travel times by reducing the amount of time a bus takes to merge with traffic
after boarding. Bus bulbs also help to prevent motorists from double parking in the bus stop.
• Constructing raised crosswalks and other safety treatments around school zones: All
students deserve safer streets and slower speeds so they can safely travel to school. The
proposed work includes constructing raised crosswalks at locations identified by the
community and staff engineers. Raised crosswalks are ramped speed tables spanning the entire
width of the roadway, often placed at midblock crossing locations, and are designed to improve
pedestrian visibility and slow driving speeds. Raised crosswalks can reduce pedestrian crashes
by 45 percent. 2
• Installing Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB): The City will install RRFBs to
enhance pedestrian visibility and increase driver awareness at uncontrolled, marked
crosswalks. RRFBs can reduce crashes for pedestrians by up to 47 percent and can increase
motorist yielding rates by up to 98 percent. 3 The City will install RRFBs at appropriate
locations along proposed project corridors already identified by staff engineers.
• Upgrading signals with leading pedestrian intervals and signal backplates with
retroreflective borders: Pedestrian usage is high in all proposed Slow Zone areas. To better
protect pedestrians, the City will ensure upgraded walk signals are timed with a leading
pedestrian interval, enabling pedestrians to enter an intersection three to seven seconds before
1
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/syst_stop_control.cfm
2
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/step/docs/TechSheet_RaisedCW_508compliant.pdf
3
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/provencountermeasures/rrfb.cfm#psc-footnote
4
vehicles. This improves pedestrian visibility and helps pedestrians who may have slower
mobility. This simple measure can reduce pedestrian crashes by 60 percent. Incorporating
retroreflective backplates also represents a low-cost safety treatment that will improve the
visibility of a traffic signal to motorists by adding a contrasting background. Providing a
retroreflective border further improves the signal's appearance. This leads to a 15 percent crash
reduction.
4.2 ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY
People Involved in Crashes
Pedestrians & Bicyclists 97 10% The project will improve sustainable
Motor Vehicle Occupants
Total
912
1,009
90%
100%
transportation infrastructure for
cycling, walking, and transit riders,
People Killed or Seriously Injured
Pedestrians & Bicyclists 7 37% allowing residents and commuters to
Motor Vehicle Occupants
Total
12
19
63%
100%
make choices minimizing
environmental impacts. The
Figure 4.5. Serious Injury and improvements will provide benefits
Fatal Crashes. Source:
PennDOT. tied to air pollution reduction and
Figure 4.6. Vehicle Access in carbon dioxide emission reduction.
Philadelphia. These benefits will address the
disproportionate negative
environmental impacts of transportation in disadvantaged communities because the projects
directly serve areas of persistent poverty and historically disadvantaged communities.
Air Pollution Reduction – VMT Reduction: The reduced VMTs and the associated reduction in
fuel usage will reduce the emissions of several air pollutants, including nitrogen oxide, nitrous
oxide, volatile organic compounds, carbon dioxide, and particulate matter. With the proposed
project improvements, we estimate that the emission reductions will generate $17,499 in benefits
per year.
Air Pollution Reduction – Stormwater Management: Planting trees and including bioretention
efforts as part of stormwater design directly reduces the presence of harmful emissions. Trees,
open space, and other assets cut down emissions through direct uptake, reduce reliance on
electricity, and reduce overall smog. Reduced emissions yield incremental savings estimated at
$320,076 per year.
Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction: Each of the emission reduction benefits discussed above
will also result in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Following guidance from US DOT,
carbon dioxide emissions are calculated separately and discounted with a 3 percent discount rate.
Combining each of the effects above, carbon dioxide emission reductions are valued at $16,253
per year.
4.3 QUALITY OF LIFE

Proactively addressing racial equity and other disparities is a fundamental premise of the project.
Low-income residents, as well as communities of color, have borne the brunt of deficient
infrastructure. The neighborhoods selected for the project were specifically chosen to help remedy
these disparities.
5
A major source of disparity is access to safe transportation infrastructure. People walking and
biking are more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a crash, as shown in Table 5. While
pedestrians and bicyclists account for a small percentage of the total number of people involved in
crashes (10 percent), they make up a disproportionately large percentage of those killed in crashes
occurring within the project area (37 percent). This is true across Philadelphia.
This disparity is amplified when compared with vehicle access demographics in Philadelphia. As
shown in Figure 16, people of color in Philadelphia are less likely to have access to a vehicle and
potentially safer travel options. The project seeks to help resolve these disparities by constructing
traffic safety improvements along all project corridors.
4.4 MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY

Increasing mobility and connectivity for all users, and particularly for people who do not, cannot,
or choose not to drive, is an explicit project goal and one of the core purposes behind the project.
The project components are specifically designed to expand affordable transportation options to
disadvantaged communities, improve access to all public roadway users (especially non-motorized
travelers), and provide safe public space for Philadelphians to work, live, play, and interact with
neighbors. Additionally, the proposed work seeks to improve accessibility for people of all ages
and abilities, including those using wheelchairs or strollers. Expected outcomes include improving
accessibility along 9,000 LF of pedestrian infrastructure; constructing 300 ADA-compliant curb
ramps; and installing 29 Accessible Pedestrian Signals.
The proposed improvements will make travel by non-vehicular modes much more pleasant and
preferable. Expanding and improving pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure will better connect
businesses, employees, and residents through a better-connected multimodal system. The
improvements will encourage additional pedestrian, cyclist, and public transit travel through
improvements to each of those modes. Beyond the benefits to safety, health, and recreation benefits
calculated in this analysis, the improvements to mobility and connectivity will confer additional
benefits in the form of convenience, comfort, and enjoyment for the users of those travel methods.
Pedestrian Journey Quality and Comfort: The improved separation and protection of pedestrian
traffic through infrastructure improvements will provide more comfortable and spacious pathways.
Increasing overall pedestrian facilities improves the quality, convenience, and comfort of
pedestrian travel. This impact is directly valuable to the residents, employees, visitors, and others
using the pedestrian infrastructure. Using guidance from the Department of Transportation, these
pedestrian facility improvements are estimated to generate $13,137 in benefits each year.
Cyclist Journey Quality and Comfort: The project will enhance the bike lane infrastructure in
the target corridors, providing a safer and more comfortable experience for cyclists. Safe and
comfortable cyclist pathways confer considerable benefits to users by making travel more
comfortable, more enjoyable, and less stressful. These improvements to the quality and comfort of
cycling journeys are valuable to users. Using guidance from the Department of Transportation,
these facility improvements are estimated to generate $56,208 in benefits each year.
Public Transit Journey Quality and Comfort: The planned improvements will make public
transportation options more accessible through improved access to mass transit (specifically,
subway and regional rail) stations in the project area. This will result in increased public transit
usage, which will, in turn, benefit commuters that prefer to use public transportation but were
6
previously unable to because of poor access and unsafe conditions. The planned improvements
will improve this connectivity. Using guidance from the Department of Transportation on public
transit facility improvements, these improvements are estimated to generate $342,829 in journey
quality improvements each year.
4.5 ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND OPPORTUNITY

The City and PennDOT will implement local and other geographical hiring agreements when
procuring contractors and consultants for the development and construction of the project in
accordance with local, state, and Federal regulations. Hiring preferences will focus on individuals
representing populations traditionally underrepresented in the workforce. The City already
implements robust local hiring initiatives and gives preference to certified local businesses and
local hiring through its local preference programs. Businesses that are headquartered in
Philadelphia, employ mostly Philadelphia residents, or conduct most of their business in
Philadelphia can get a Local Business Entity (LBE) Certification. LBEs are given preference
during procurement selections. Businesses can also gain preference through Local Impact
Certifications. Local Impact Certifications represent commitments made by businesses or
applicants to employ City residents or perform work in the City. The City's Department of
Procurement and Office of Economic Opportunity are well equipped to engage, implement and
enforce local hiring preferences in City led contracts as well as Federal procurement funding
through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The project will create high-quality, good-paying jobs for Philadelphians and ensure that
traditionally underrepresented Philadelphians, including women and communities of color, can
secure these high-quality job opportunities. The City is committed to creating a more equitable
Philadelphia, where race, ethnicity, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, income,
or neighborhood are not a determinant of success. An equitable Philadelphia is one where all
thrive. Equity requires City government’s policies, services, and distribution of resources to
account for the distinct histories, challenges, and needs of the different communities it serves. As
mentioned in section 1.3, communities of color and women have been disconnected from jobs and
opportunities in the construction industry for far too long. To help overcome this gap, the City will
deploy a range of strategies to fulfill its commitment to prioritizing workforce diversity and
development. These strategies include:
• Facilitating career paths for residents of Philadelphia and effectively advertising them;
• Maximizing workforce skill training programs such as On-the-Job (OTJ), apprenticeships,
and career pathway programs;
• Implementing techniques learned from opportunities created by Rebuild
programs: Emerging Vendors and Rebuild Ready;
• Identifying methods to bring large diverse-owned vendors to the City to perform this work;
• Extending communication efforts to local vendors to promote improvements/changes the
City has made in terms of public works contracting processes.
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4.6 STATE OF GOOD REPAIR

The City strives to ensure all streets, especially around school zones, offer adequate sidewalks
roadway, and supportive amenities that are in good repair and well maintained. Unfortunately,
decades of underinvestment have prevented the City from meeting this goal especially in
neighborhoods that are the focus of this project.
Figure 4.7. Pothole Repairs in Philadelphia.
The City’s paving backlog and deficient street infrastructure cause challenges for achieving a state
of good repair. The FY 2022 City budget made the largest ever investment in paving and street
maintenance. However, the drastically increasing cost of correcting past underinvestment and
upgrading failing infrastructure will continue to limit Philadelphia’s ability to meet infrastructure
goals through local funding alone. Figure 4.7 shows the steady increase of pothole repairs
throughout the city which indicate failing street infrastructure. Figure 4.8 shows the consequences
of failing street infrastructure Philadelphia is forced to contend with.
Figure 4.8. City road maintenance fell beneath targets during Covid-19, contributing to the SOGR backlog.
The City is also responsible for 3,000 signal controllers. Over 50 percent have not been upgraded
since the 1960s and are difficult to maintain. The original manufacturers of the equipment are no
longer in business and parts are difficult to obtain. The older signals cannot connect to the City’s
Traffic Operations Center and must be synchronized manually.
The project will implement a series of state-of-good repair upgrades that will provide significant
benefits to communities already stretched thin and help the City construct resilient infrastructure,
including:
• Street resurfacing. The project will resurface approximately 5 miles of Philadelphia
neighborhood roadways. This will help maintain Philadelphia streets in a state of good repair
8
that allow for safe and efficient travel for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, and
motorists.
• Traffic signal controller upgrades. The City will modernize traffic signals at 15 intersections.
Most upgrades involve replacing obsolete electromechanical signals with modern solid-state
controllers. Existing traffic signals along these corridors are subject to frequent power failures,
proving highly disruptive both during outages and afterward, as manual retimings are required
throughout the corridors due to the nature of the electromechanical controllers. Anticipated
benefits include crash reductions and improved traffic congestion, improved pedestrian safety,
improved signal visibility, energy efficiency, automated collection of traffic data, and
reductions in maintenance costs.
• Traffic signal communication upgrades: The project will implement communication
upgrades to signals identified by the engineering team. Depending on the intersection,
communication upgrades will involve the deployment of fiber-optic communication or
wireless radio communication. Improved signal communications will improve coordination
and provide integration into the City's Traffic Operations Center (TOC). It is critically
important the upgraded signals operate within a coordinated, safe, and efficient network of
interconnected traffic signals. This integration into the TOC will allow City traffic engineers
to optimize in real time and adjust the traffic signals for maximum efficiency. Anticipated
benefits include reduced congestion, improved mobility, and reductions in the likelihood and
severity of traffic crashes as well as vehicle/pedestrian conflicts. Secondary benefits will be
realized through reduced vehicle emissions and reduced fuel consumption.
The proposed work aims to bring these assets into an improved state of good repair, enabling the
project area to accommodate more pedestrians, transit riders, cyclists, and motorists and improve
the comfort and safety of all roadway users. Multimodal (including non-motorized) transportation
access is essential within school zones; affordable transportation choices are vital to supporting
equitable access to opportunity for all students. With the proposed improvements, the City will
bring North Philadelphia’s school zones into an improved state of good repair.
4.7 PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

The City of Philadelphia is committed to partnering with local labor and union organizations, such
as the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council – AFL-CIO, to promote robust job
creation by supporting good-paying jobs with free and fair choice to join a union throughout the
lifecycle of the Project. The City’s commitment and partnership is demonstrated in the attached
letter of support signed by the Business Manager of the Philadelphia Building and Construction
Trades Council – AFL-CIO, Ryan Boyer. The City’s close partnership with local labor
organizations with expand high-quality training and education programs to help training and
education programs to help train and place people, with a focus on women, people of color, and
other populations facing systemic barriers to employment.
Workforce opportunities for historically underrepresented groups: The City will collaborate
with PennDOT to use an "On-the-Job" Training Program (OJT) to provide training opportunities
for underserved and disadvantaged community members to advance them toward journey-level
status in highway construction trades. The use of this workforce strategy will result in the creation
or expansion of high-quality, good-paying jobs. Once a trainee has completed training, they have
the potential to advance towards journey-level status in highway construction trades, including,
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but not limited to, laborer, cement mason, electrician, equipment operator, ironworker, and painter.
After completing the OJT program, participants are provided support services through PennDOT's
Bureau of Equal Opportunity OJT. The supportive services assist OJT participants in securing
apprenticeships and full employment in highway construction trades.
The City is committed to incorporating OJT in constructing the improvements. The total number
of trainee hours available in the project will depend on the final construction budget. However, the
City anticipates offering 10,000 to 15,000 hours of work for OJT participants throughout the
project's life.
The City is also committed to diversity and incorporating disadvantaged business enterprises
throughout the project's life. Each year, the City aims to reach 35 percent participation from
minority, women, and disabled-owned enterprises (M/W/DSBEs) on its contracts. The City’s DBE
Program Office, Office of Economic Opportunity, Department of Procurement, and Department
of Commerce help achieve this goal by maintaining a registry and database for certified
disadvantaged businesses. The registry is available for city departments so project managers can
reach a more diverse pool of candidates. Non-city entities can also access this list which
encourages partnerships among consultants and contracts. This process creates opportunities for
diverse companies while creating alliances within the city government and advancing diversity
hiring goals.
4.8 INNOVATION
The project deploys innovative technology that supports and enhances transportation system
operations. Many of the existing signals located within the project area rely on antiquated
electromechanical devices, which require significant upkeep and manual retimings, and are
frequently unsynchronized. The proposed North Philadelphia Traffic Safety Project will
modernize traffic signals and provide additional detection at 15 signalized intersections. The
proposed improvements will bring the proposed traffic signals into the modern era, providing
innovative solutions for improved traffic flow.
With the proposed improvements, applicable intersections will be integrated into the City's traffic
management system and the City's Traffic Operations Center (TOC) through fiber optic
connections or wireless communications. TOC integration allows traffic engineers to send and
receive critical information between other agencies and stakeholders. The engineers in the TOC
collect traffic flow data to optimize traffic signals. Live video streams from a network of more
than 5,000 cameras owned by the City, PennDOT, the Philadelphia Police Department, SEPTA,
and other agencies to facilitate better decision-making coordinate incident response, and manage
congestion. The use of innovative and modern traffic management technologies to improve traffic
management and operations will directly benefit disadvantaged residents because all
improvements are located entirely within areas of persistent poverty or historically disadvantaged
communities.
The City also aims to experiment with embedding “Playful Learning” installations in the design
of the future improvements. Playful Learning is a broad umbrella initiative that marries community
involvement and learning sciences with placemaking in order to design carefully curated playful
experiences in everyday spaces. As it focuses on learning outcomes, particularly for children and
families from under-resourced communities, Playful Learning offers a new way to involve families
10
in the kinds of experiences that enrich relationships, enhance children’s development, and breathe
new life into city streets. Installations can take many forms - from intersection murals and
crosswalk art to painted plazas, or bridge underpasses – and is often an effective and low-cost
strategy to create safer and more welcoming streets and public spaces. These projects can also
improve safety by increasing visibility of pedestrian spaces and crosswalks, promoting a more
walkable public realm, and encouraging drivers to slow down and be more alert for pedestrians
and cyclists, the most vulnerable users of the road. The City is already actively collaborating with
the William Penn Foundation and Playful Learning Landscapes Action Plan Network (PLLAN) to
implement Playful Learning opportunities in other Philadelphia neighborhoods. If selected for a
RAISE award, the City will apply this innovative approach to the North Philadelphia School Zones
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Project Readiness

(RAISE)
February 28, 2023
Table of Contents
Contents
SECTION 5. PROJECT READINESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK ............................................................... 2
5.1 PROJECT PARTIES .................................................................................................................................... 2
5.2 PROJECT SCHEDULE ................................................................................................................................ 2
5.3 REQUIRED APPROVALS........................................................................................................................... 3
6.4 ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT RISKS & MITIGATION STRATEGIES ....................................................... 4
1
SECTION 5. PROJECT READINESS AND

ENVIRONMENTAL RISK
The City understands the statutory deadlines for FY 2023 RAISE funds and is prepared to execute
a grant agreement with USDOT to obligate a RAISE award by 2026 in advance of USDOT's
statutory obligation deadline of September 2027. As shown in Table 5.2, final design completion
is anticipated in 2025. The project will be ready to begin construction in 2026. Substantial
completion of construction is expected by 2028, and project closeout is planned for 2029 in
advance of the 2032 expenditure deadline.
5.1 PROJECT PARTIES

The project includes a broad range of stakeholders. The City of Philadelphia is the applicant and
will serve as the recipient if the project is selected for an award. Table 5.1 provides a description
of the roles and responsibilities of project stakeholders.
Table 5.1. Project Partners

PROJECT PARTNERS
Grant Applicant
City of Philadelphia - The City of Philadelphia’s Department of Streets will lead the project. The Department of
Streets is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the City's transportation systems, including roads,
bridges, and other roadway structures; signals; transit; traffic control; and right-of-way permitting.
Key Partners
The Philadelphia Vision Zero Task Force – the VZ Task Force brings state and local government officials side-
by-side with community and advocacy groups to work towards a goal of zero traffic deaths. The Task Force works
to incorporate the Vision Zero Action Plan goals, principles, and values into everything City departments, agencies,
and organizations do.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) - The City has engaged PennDOT in the conceptual
development of the project. PennDOT has expressed support for the proposed improvements. The City has a close
working relationship with PennDOT and looks forward to collaborating with the Department throughout the life of
the project. If awarded, the City will continue coordinating with PennDOT to ensure the proposed project is
properly implemented.
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) - DVRPC serves as the regional metropolitan
planning organization. As demonstrated in Appendix D, DVRPC is committed to including the project in the
Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) by the time of obligation of the award.
Other Regional and Local Partners of the Planning Process
Engaged members who will participate during public outreach, design, and implementation phases.
Senator Bob Casey, Jr. Safe Routes Partnership
Pennsylvania 2nd District, Congressman Brendan Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades
Boyle Council – AFL-CIO
Pennsylvania 3 rd
District, Congressman Dwight
Evans
5.2 PROJECT SCHEDULE

Major project milestones for the project are listed in Table 5.2. Planning is underway. Preliminary
Engineering and the final design will be completed by December 2024. Construction is expected
to let in 2026 with completion in 2028.
2
Table 5.2 Project Schedule

Item Start End Duration (Months)
Grant Award Announcement March 2023
Preliminary Engineering (including NEPA) Jan 2024 Dec 2024 12
Final Design Jan 2025 Dec 2025 12
Grant obligation (signed grant agreement) Jan 2026
Procurement Jan 2026 June 2026 6
Construction July 2026 June 2028 24
Expenditure Deadline Sept 2032
5.3 REQUIRED APPROVALS

The City has an excellent history of risk management with decades of experience managing large,
complicated, and innovative federally-funded transportation projects.
Environmental Permits and Reviews
The project presents little environmental risk. This project is located entirely within the public
right-of-way. The project will convert travel lanes into space for people walking and biking.
Negative environmental impacts such as increased noise, worsened air quality, and degraded water
quality will be reduced. Improving the walking and biking environment and upgrading transit will
reduce emissions and help meet regional climate goals.
The City will begin the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process shortly. The proposed
project is not expected to have a significant environmental effect. Therefore, the City expects the
project will meet a Categorical Exclusion based on projects of similar size and scope. The preferred
alternative is based on substantial planning and analysis completed by City staff. Thus far, pre-
construction activities include data collection, analysis, project development, and initial design and
engineering.
Fulfillment of Federal, State, and Local Planning Requirements
Inclusion in the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s (DVRPC) TIP
As the Metropolitan Planning Organization for the Greater Philadelphia area, DVRPC has
collaborated closely with the City of Philadelphia in regional planning initiatives and planning
related to the North Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety Project. DVRPC has been a partner
in formulating the ideas embodied in the project, a collaborator in creating this application, and
has committed to getting the project components on the regional Transportation Improvement
Project (TIP).
Coordination with PennDOT
The City has engaged the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) in the
conceptual development of the project. PennDOT has expressed support for the proposed traffic
safety and complete streets improvements that are integral to the project's implementation. The
City has a close working relationship with PennDOT and looks forward to collaborating with the
Department throughout the project's life. If awarded, the City will continue coordinating with
PennDOT for detailed traffic analysis to ensure the proper project implementation. The City has
designated and trained professional staff responsible for federal grant administration and reporting
procedures. They have experience administrating projects through the PennDOT LPA process and
coordinating with appropriate state and federal officials.
3
Consistency with Local and Regional Plans

A multitude of district, City, and regional plans have laid the groundwork for the project and
support its vision. They include:
• City of Philadelphia, Philadelphia2035 - Citywide Vision Comprehensive Plan (2011)
• City of Philadelphia, Connection: Philadelphia’s Strategic Transportation Plan (2019)
• City of Philadelphia, Vision Zero Action Plan 2025 (2020)
• DVRPC, Connections 2050, Plan for Greater Philadelphia (2022)
Right-of-Way
The proposed work requires no right-of-way acquisition.
Federal Transportation Requirements Affecting State and Local Planning
The City does not anticipate any issues with federal transportation requirements.
6.4 ASSESSMENT OF PROJECT RISKS & MITIGATION STRATEGIES
For projects that are similar in scope and size to the proposed North Philadelphia School Zone
Traffic Safety Project, typical risks include potential schedule delays due to permitting approval,
procurement, cost escalation, and public support. The City has mitigated all these risks by
proactively beginning the design, permitting, and engagement. This work has helped to reduce
uncertainties in the project cost estimate, resulting in a higher level of confidence in the cost
estimate.
To mitigate the risk of delay due to permitting, the City has started an initial project review with
permitting agencies, and anticipated project requirements have been established. The City has
screened for potential cultural resources within the project area, and expects to begin consulting
with the State Historic Preservation Office January 2024.
To mitigate financial risks, the project team adjusted cost estimates for inflation and included a
10% contingency. The cost estimate is based on recently completed projects as well as current
unit-price data provided by the State's Engineering and Construction Management System. The
City's funding commitment letter, signed by the City's Managing Director, represents the City's
commitment to cover pre-construction costs and a portion of construction management and
inspection. The letter of support provided by the Mayor reiterates the City’s commitment to
completing and funding the project.
Traffic control plans are under development. Construction activities will have the proper oversight
as outlined in the PennDOT LPA Manual, will follow all OSHA guidelines, and will meet all
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) work zone requirements.
The contract bid package will contain all current documents required for Federal Projects, such as
Buy America and Davis-Bacon Wage Rates. The City has completed numerous State and Federal-
Aid projects over the years. It is very familiar with the various contracting requirements that need
to be satisfied during the design, bidding, and construction phases of the project.
4
Benefit-Cost Analysis Narrative

(RAISE)
February 28, 2023
North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project City of Philadelphia
Benefit-Cost Analysis Narrative FY 2023 RAISE Grants
1. Benefit / Cost Analysis (Quantitative Benefits)
Table 1 - Primary Benefit Categories

Long-Term Outcome Associated Benefit Types
Reduced Car Crashes

Safety
Reduced Bicycle and Pedestrian Crashes
Green Design Impacts – Air Quality

Environmental Sustainability
Car Air Pollution Reduction
Reduced Noise Pollution

Quality of Life
Recreation Benefits
Pedestrian Journey Quality and Comfort

Cyclist Journey Quality and Comfort
Mobility and Community Connectivity
Public Transit Journey Quality and Comfort
Health Benefits
Economic Competitiveness and Opportunity Property Values
Avoided Congestion
Reduced Property Damage from Car Crashes

Reduced Road Maintenance Costs
State of Good Repair
Stormwater Cost Savings
Background
The City of Philadelphia is pursuing funds for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic
Safety Project. This project will significantly improve safety and road network quality around six
schools in North Philadelphia. These schools are each located in relative proximity to one
another, and the span of improvements proposed in this project will positively impact the safety
and operability of roadway infrastructure in the entire overall area.
The proposed improvements represent over eight miles of heavily used, urban roadway that are
currently in significant disrepair and inordinately prone to crashes and incidents. All six of the
target schools have been identified by the City of Philadelphia as the highest scoring schools on
the School Stress Index which includes, among other indicators, measures of traffic safety as key
indicators of harmful school and neighborhood conditions. The planned improvements will
address this gap in needed infrastructure. The project entails the repaving and renewal of a
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“zone” around each school, significant improvements to signaling, intersections, traffic flow
measures, and other design enhancements. Further, the project incorporates green infrastructure
and stormwater management best practices.
Benefits from the planned improvements will extend beyond the significant safety impacts as
well. By improving pedestrian and cyclist pathways and access, the project will better connect
the businesses and residents throughout the improved area, and make travel much safer and more
inviting. This will promote additional pedestrian and cyclist activity, bringing a host of benefits
including reduced emissions, positive health outcomes, and improved quality of life.
This analysis identifies and quantifies the benefits in their natural units (travel time savings, for
example) and values the benefits in dollar terms. We then discount the benefits to 2023 and
calculate the Benefit-Cost ratio. The detailed Benefit-Cost Analysis indicates that quantifiable
benefits are 13.4 to 5.1 times the total costs of the project, as shown in Table 2.
Table 2 - Benefit Cost Summary

Present Value Present Value
Metric Nominal Sum
(3%) (7%)
Present Value of Benefits $387,931,019 $222,940,868 $120,301,704
Present Value of Costs $29,000,000 $26,355,460 $23,375,943
Net Present Value $358,931,019 $196,585,408 $96,925,761
Benefit / Cost Ratio 13.4 8.5 5.1
Baseline
The BCA compares the proposed project against the baseline. The baseline projection used in
this BCA assumes that the improvements planned for this project are not implemented.
Project Costs
The total project costs are estimated at $29.0 million. These costs include the full development of
the improvements. The present value of the project cost is $23.4 million based on a 7% discount
rate and $26.4 million based on a 3% discount rate.
Capture Period for Benefits
The construction period of the project is estimated to last from 2023 through 2028. We assume
that the project begins to generate partial benefits in 2028, and full benefits in 2029. We assume
that the useful life of the project is 30 years.
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1. Safety
The proposed project confers safety benefits through direct roadway design improvements as
well as the marginal shift of travel from vehicular modes to pedestrian, cyclist, and public transit
usage. Transfer away from vehicular travel reduces the overall likelihood of crashes on the
roadway. The intersection and roadway improvements throughout each of the six zones will
directly address the safety issues that motorists and pedestrians currently face. Between 2017 and
2021, the project area experienced an average of 84 crashes per year, including 3 fatalities in that
same 5-year period. These severe incidence rates point to the importance of updated
transportation infrastructure for this area. The safety improvements along the road will
significantly reduce crash rates, which will generate sizeable benefits.
Reduced Traffic Injuries
The reduction in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduces traffic crashes, effectively reducing
injuries and deaths. Using specific crash information for the target area, and valuation guidance
from RAISE, VMT reduction can be translated to the expected value of avoided crashes. The
significant improvements to roadway conditions and design—including traffic control measures,
intersection improvements, and other improvements—will further reduce crash likelihood by
controlling traffic through the area. Based on those calculations, we estimate that these
improvements will result in annual benefits of $4,475,303 per year.
Reduced Bicycling and Pedestrian Crashes
Improvements to pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure will decrease the risk of pedestrian and
cyclist-related crashes. The planned improvements to the pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure
along the target corridors will reduce the risk of crashes and incidents throughout the project
area. Incorporating the improvements planned for this project, we estimate a crash risk reduction
of 55% for the incidents in the target corridors. This reduction generates $4,223,831 in safety
benefits each year.
Table 3 – Safety Benefit Cost Analysis

Average 3% 7%
Nominal
Safety Annual Discount Discount
Value
Value Value Value
Reduced Car Crashes - Injuries and
$4,475,303 $134,259,102 $75,042,968 $38,749,925
Fatalities
Pedestrian and bicycling crash
$4,223,831 $126,714,920 $70,826,212 $36,572,519
reduction
Subtotal $8,699,134 $260,974,022 $145,869,180 $75,322,444
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2. Environmental Sustainability
Air Pollution Reduction – VMT Reduction
The reduced VMTs and the associated reduction in fuel usage will reduce the emissions of a
number of air pollutants, including nitrogen oxide, nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds,
carbon dioxide, and particulate matter. With the proposed project improvements, we estimate
that the emission reductions will generate $17,449 in benefits per year.
Air Pollution Reduction – Stormwater Management
Planting trees and using bioretention efforts as part of stormwater design directly reduces the
presence of harmful emissions. Trees and other assets cut down emissions through direct uptake,
reduced reliance on electricity, and reduce overall smog. Reduced emissions yield incremental
savings estimated at $320,076 per year.
Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction
Each of the emission reduction benefits discussed above will also result in the reduction of
carbon dioxide emissions. Following guidance from the DOT, carbon dioxide emissions are
calculated separately, and discounted with a 3% discount rate. Combining each of the effects
above, carbon dioxide emission reductions are valued at $16,253 per year.
Table 4 – Environmental Sustainability Benefit Cost Analysis

3% 7%
Average Nominal
Environmental Sustainability Discount Discount
Annual Value Value
Value Value
VMT reduction - Air pollution $17,449 $523,464 $291,986 $150,307
Green Design Impacts - Air Quality $320,076 $9,602,273 $5,363,067 $2,766,090
CO2 Reduction Benefit - 3% Discount $16,253 $449,360 $449,360 $449,360
Subtotal $353,778 $10,575,097 $6,104,413 $3,365,757
3. Quality of Life
Quality of life benefits for this project are generated primarily through the value of improved
access and connection to recreation and exercise assets, and through the marginal reduction in
noise pollution from decreased vehicle traffic. However, the presence of these assets, and the
attention to design, aesthetics, and community, will bring additional experiential benefits,
specifically to residents. The presence of these factors will increase the general happiness of
community members, employees, and visitors.
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Recreation Benefits
Safe accessible biking and pedestrian paths are considered to be an amenity for local residents,
visitors, and general users. The extension of safe pedestrian and cyclist access will enable many
users in the area to engage in pedestrian and cyclist activity. In addition to the health benefits
associated with exercise, recreation users have a direct value for space to exercise safely, which
is commonly measured by a user’s willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a public good. Exercise,
recreation, and walkability are often studied topics in willingness-to-pay research and are shown
to be highly demanded and valued resources. Using information from the Army Corp of
Engineers and other sources on willingness-to-pay for recreational assets, total benefits from
recreation users are $267,698 per year from new users, and $340,456 per year from increased
participation among current users.
Reduced Noise Pollution
The proposed improvements will reduce noise pollution in the area. The reduction in overall
vehicle miles traveled through the area will marginally reduce traffic-related noise. Noise
pollution is an aesthetic disamenity, and can be harmful in high levels. Following guidance from
the Department of Transportation, noise pollution reduction is estimated to generate $452 in
benefits each year.
Table 5 – Quality of Life Benefit Cost Analysis

Average Nominal 3% Discount 7% Discount
Quality of Life
Annual Value Value Value Value
Recreation Benefits - Current Users $340,456 $10,213,688 $5,708,853 $2,947,879
Recreation Benefits - New Users $267,698 $8,030,936 $4,488,822 $2,317,892
Reduced Noise Pollution $452 $13,549 $7,573 $3,911
Subtotal $608,606 $18,258,172 $10,205,248 $5,269,682
4. Mobility and Community Connectivity
The proposed improvements will make travel by non-vehicular modes much more pleasant and
more preferrable. Expanding and improving pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure will better
connect businesses, employees, and residents through a better-connected multi-modal system.
The improvements will encourage additional pedestrian, cyclist, and public transit travel through
improvements to each of those modes. Beyond the benefits to safety, health, and recreation
benefits calculated in this analysis, the improvements to mobility and connectivity will confer
additional benefits in the form of convenience, comfort, and enjoyment for the users of those
travel methods.
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Pedestrian Journey Quality and Comfort
The improved separation and protection of pedestrian traffic through infrastructure

improvements will provide more comfortable and spacious pathways. Increasing overall
pedestrian facilities improves the quality, convenience, and comfort of pedestrian travel. This
impact is directly valuable to the residents, employees, visitors, and others using the pedestrian
infrastructure. Using guidance from the Department of Transportation, these pedestrian facility
improvements are estimated to generate $13,137 in benefits each year.
Cyclist Journey Quality and Comfort
The project will enhance the bike lane infrastructure in the project area, providing a safer and
more comfortable experience for cyclists. Safe and comfortable cyclist pathways confer
considerable benefits to users by making travel more comfortable, more enjoyable, and less
stressful. These improvements to the quality and comfort of cycling journeys are valuable to
users. Using guidance from the Department of Transportation, these facility improvements are
estimated to generate $56,208 in benefits each year.
Public Transit Journey Quality and Comfort
The planned improvements will make public transportation options more accessible through
improved connectivity to pedestrian and cyclist systems and safer direct access. This will result
in increased public transit usage, which will in turn be a benefit for commuters that prefer to use
public transportation, but were previously unable to because of poor access and unsafe
conditions. The planned improvements will improve this connectivity. Using guidance from the
Department of Transportation on public transit facility improvements, these improvements are
estimated to generate $342,829 in journey quality improvements each year.
Table 6 – Mobility and Community Connectivity Benefit Cost Analysis
Average Nominal 3% Discount 7% Discount

Mobility and Community Connectivity
Annual Value Value Value Value
Pedestrian Journey Quality and Comfort $13,137 $394,102 $220,280 $113,746
Cyclist Journey Quality and Comfort $56,208 $1,686,241 $942,510 $486,684
Public Transit Journey Quality and Comfort $342,829 $10,284,873 $5,748,641 $2,968,425
Subtotal $412,174 $12,365,216 $6,911,431 $3,568,854
5. Economic Competitiveness and Opportunity
This project will help enhance the region’s economic competitiveness by improving
transportation efficiency through reducing congestion throughout the region. The project will
also create positive health impacts through increased exercise activity. The significant
6 of 10
improvements to connectivity and infrastructure in historically underserved communities will

also create significant improvements to the economic health of the region.
Health Benefits
The proposed improvements will expand infrastructure for pedestrian and cyclist travel. This will
provide a considerable number of residents greater access to the area’s pedestrian and cyclist
infrastructure, and will encourage residents to exercise more, which has extensive proven health
benefits. Health benefits include reduced direct and indirect healthcare costs, direct and indirect
workers compensation costs, and lost productivity costs. Using guidance and data from the
Department of Transportation on valuing health benefits of walking and cycling, we estimate that
these incremental savings will amount to $541,871 per year.
Real Estate Impact
Building out multimodal infrastructure has direct and indirect value to the residents and
businesses of Philadelphia. Walkability in communities is a heavily researched topic, and a
significant body of literature exists which quantifies the marginal increase in home values
associated with nearby improvements to walkability. 1 Studies have observed property value
increases due to pedestrian infrastructure proximity of a wide range from 5% to 32%. 2 Access to
reliable, safe, attractive walkability would be heavily valued by residents in the area. Increasing
walkability and accessibility for nonvehicular travel increases economic opportunity for residents
and businesses, which is especially important in Philadelphia, which is the poorest large city in
the United States. 3 These effects have significant value among community members. That value
can be represented by the increase in home values from these improvements. The six schools
which comprise the project area have all been identified by the City as severely lacking safe
vehicular and walkable infrastructure. Considering this dire need for improvement, the potential
benefits of the project as described in this section should be fully realized.
These effects are also felt by the tourists and visitors in the area. For commercial properties, in
addition to the direct factors mentioned above, the relative attractiveness of Philadelphia as a
destination will promote economic vitality in the area. The more attractive, safe, and improved
the transportation infrastructure is throughout the area, the more economic opportunity will
spread. Increased economic activity for residents and businesses brings an entire host of
beneficial effects. While the magnitude of each individual effect is not easily quantified, these
effects together will be reflected in increased property values. As such, property value effects are
used as a proxy for the value of these social benefits. Using research on the impact of pedestrian
and cyclist infrastructure on nearby property, we estimate a property value increase of 8% to
nearby properties. To maintain conservative estimates and account for the current existence of
public assets in the area, we assume only 25% of that value is conferred through the planned
1
See for instance: Economic Benefits of Trails, Pennsylvania Land Trust Association (2011);
2
The Business of Trails: A Compilation of Economic Benefits, American Trails (2008)
3
Craft, S. (2014, June 1). The Economic Impact of PLACEMAKING. Placemaking.
7 of 10
improvements. Overall, residential and commercial property value increase is valued at

$21,241,309.
Reduced Congestion
The reduction in VMT per year also reduces the congestion on local roads. This decongestion is
quantified through a reduction in travel delay, excess fuel consumed, and congestion costs via a
reduction in overall car commuters. These savings are above and beyond the savings experience
by commuters switching away from vehicle travel. As those users drive less, overall road
congestion declines. As congestion declines, all motorists in the area experience improvements
in their commutes. These incremental savings are valued at $18,549 per year.
Table 7 – Economic Competitiveness and Opportunity Benefit Cost Analysis

Average
Economic Competitiveness and Nominal 3% Discount 7% Discount
Annual
Opportunity Value Value Value
Value
Health Benefits - New Users $541,871 $16,256,130 $9,086,224 $4,691,852
Property Value Increase N/A $21,241,309 $17,789,262 $14,153,981
Reduced Congestion $18,549 $556,480 $311,040 $160,611
Subtotal $560,420 $38,053,919 $27,186,525 $19,006,444
6. State of Good Repair
Avoided Road Maintenance (Reduced VMT)
The reduction in vehicle miles traveled due to an increase in the use of other travel modes
reduces future road maintenance costs along the surrounding roads. Using estimates for roadway
maintenance per vehicle mile traveled 4 and the VMT savings above, these incremental savings
are estimated at $4,772 per year.
Reduced Car Crashes – Property Damage
The reduction in VMT will also result in a concomitant reduction in car crashes. More
significantly, the extensive improvements to intersections and roadways will directly reduce the
prevalence of crashes. These effects together will reduce property damage costs incurred by the
avoided crashes. Using cost information from the RAISE guidance regarding car crashes, these
incremental savings are estimated at $227,477 per year.
4
Transportation Cost and Benefit Analysis II – Roadway Costs, VTPI (2020)
8 of 10
Stormwater Cost Savings – Water Treatment
Efficient stormwater design, including green elements such as street trees, can effectively
manage almost all rainfall outside of major storm events. New green infrastructure and best
practices in the planned improvements will collect excess storm water, which would otherwise
be collected and treated. At an average cost of 23 cents per gallon to treat, total savings from
water captured by green infrastructure is estimated to be approximately $1,305,804 annually.
Stormwater Cost Savings – Energy Savings
Beyond water treatment savings, green stormwater design reduces energy uses through a number
of vectors. Planted trees and other greenery minimize temperature variations, provide shade, and
positively impact landscape conditions to reduce energy requirements. Using EPA data on
impacts per planted tree, the energy savings from the project stormwater design is estimated to
be $52,100 per year.
Table 8 – State of Good Repair Benefit Cost Summary

3% 7%
Average Nominal
State of Good Repair Discount Discount
Annual Value Value
Value Value
Reduced VMTs - Road Maintenance Costs $4,772 $143,158 $80,017 $41,318
Reduced Car Accidents - Property Damage $227,477 $6,824,309 $3,814,389 $1,969,635
Stormwater Cost Savings - Water Treatment $1,305,804 $39,174,124 $21,896,039 $11,306,454
Stormwater Cost Savings - Energy Savings $52,100 $1,563,002 $873,626 $451,114
Subtotal $1,590,153 $47,704,592 $26,664,071 $13,768,522
Results of the Benefit-Cost Analysis
As outlined above, the proposed project will provide significant long-term benefits for the
project area and for Philadelphia overall. On the basis of the benefit-cost analyses presented
above, the City of Philadelphia estimates that the benefits of the proposed improvements will be
approximately $120.3 million and the total costs will be $23.4 million over the useful life of the
project. These benefits and costs are the present values of future benefits and costs, and are
discounted at 7% to 2023. The Net Present Value (NPV) of the project, calculated as benefits
minus costs, is approximately $96.9 million, and the benefit-cost ratio is 5.1. The project has an
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 31%.
9 of 10
Table 9 – Benefit Cost Summary

Present Value Present
Metric Nominal Sum
(3%) Value (7%)
Present Value of Benefits $387,931,019 $222,940,868 $120,301,704
Present Value of Costs $29,000,000 $26,355,460 $23,375,943
Net Present Value $358,931,019 $196,585,408 $96,925,761
Benefit / Cost Ratio 13.4 8.5 5.1
10 of 10
Funding Commitment Documentation

(RAISE)
February 28, 2023
Letters of Support

(RAISE)
February 28, 2023
February 24, 2023
The Honorable Pete Buttigieg

Secretary of Transportation
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington D.C. 20590
Dear Secretary Buttigieg:
I write today in support of the City of Philadelphia’s application to the U.S. Department of
Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE)
program for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project. I urge you to give this
application full and fair consideration.
I have learned that the City of Philadelphia is proposing a construction project to implement
critically needed transportation safety improvements (or “Slow Zones”) at six elementary school
zones in historically disadvantaged communities and areas of persistent poverty in North
Philadelphia. It is my understanding that the proposed Slow Zones serve North Philadelphia
schools that scored highest on the City’s School Stress Network, which determines school stress
based on vehicular, pedestrian, and bike injuries; distance from the City’s High Injury Network;
the City’s Litter Index; households in poverty; narcotics-related crime incidents; and rates of
asthma, diabetes, and obesity. With the proposed improvements, the City of Philadelphia hopes
to provide a safer and healthier environment for students walking and biking to schools and
ensure equitable access to opportunity for all.
Furthermore, I was pleased to learn that the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety
Project also seeks to achieve the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s goal of creating good-
paying jobs by advancing workforce training programs that would provide more employment
opportunities for Philadelphians, especially those too often underrepresented in transportation
and construction.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration. Please include this letter in the official
record of the application. Consistent with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, I also
respectfully request that you keep me informed of the status of this grant application. Finally, if
you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact me or my staff at (202)
224-6851.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.

United States Senator
2
QUETCY LOZADA
ROOM 316, CITY HALL
PHILADELPHIA, PA 19107
(215) 686-3448 OR 3449
Fax No. (215) 686-1936
COUNCILMEMBER – 7TH DISTRICT
February 21, 2023

US Department of Transportation
Washington, DC 20590
Re: City of Philadelphia’s FY2023 RAISE Application – North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety
Project
Dear Secretary Buttigieg,
I am writing in support of the City of Philadelphia’s application to the United States Department of
Transportation (USDOT) FY2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity
(RAISE) program for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project in Philadelphia, PA. The
City proposes a construction project to implement critically needed transportation safety improvements (or
“Slow Zones”) at six elementary school zones in historically disadvantaged communities and areas of
persistent poverty in North Philadelphia. These areas are all located within the 7th Councilmanic District,
which I represent in the City of Philadelphia City Council. The district has its share of challenges, like
many lower-income neighborhoods across the country and unfortunately, high rates of vehicular,
pedestrian, and bike related injuries and deaths are a part of our challenges.
We believe that the proposed Slow Zones - which serve North Philadelphia Schools that scored highest on
the City’s School Stress Network (based on various indices including number of vehicular, pedestrian, and
bike injuries; distance from the City’s High Injury Network; the City’s Litter Index; households in poverty;
narcotics-related crime incidents; rates of asthma, diabetes, and obesity) – will result in fewer injuries and
will greatly improve the quality of life and safety for thousands of my constituents. The proposed work is
consistent with the City’s Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to eliminate all preventable traffic related
fatalities. These improvements will help provide a safer and healthier environment for students walking and
biking to schools, and ensure equitable access to opportunity for all.
The North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project also seeks to achieve the Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act’s goal of creating good-paying jobs by advancing workforce training programs
that would provide more employment opportunities for Philadelphians, especially those too often
underrepresented in transportation and construction.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration.
Respectfully,
C I T Y O F P H I L A D E L P H I A
JAMES F. KENNEY
Office of the Mayor Mayor
215 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 686-2181
FAX (215) 686-2180
February 15, 2023

Re: City of Philadelphia’s FY2023 RAISE Application – North Philadelphia School Zones
Traffic Safety Project
I am writing in support of the City of Philadelphia’s application to the United States Department
of Transportation (USDOT) FY2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and
Equity (RAISE) program for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project in
Philadelphia, PA.
The City proposes a construction project to implement critically needed transportation safety
improvements (or “Slow Zones”) at six elementary school zones in historically disadvantaged
communities and areas of persistent poverty in North Philadelphia. The proposed Slow Zones
serve North Philadelphia Schools that scored highest on the City’s School Stress Network, which
determines school stress based on: vehicular, pedestrian, and bike injuries; distance from the
City’s High Injury Network; the City’s Litter Index; households in poverty; narcotics-related
crime incidents; rates of asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
The proposed work is consistent with the City’s Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to eliminate
all preventable traffic related fatalities. People are killed in crashes in Philadelphia at a higher rate
than our peer cities—and disproportionately in neighborhoods with a high proportion of residents
on low-incomes or people of color. These disparities were amplified during the COVID-19
pandemic. In 2020, amid the pandemic, the number of fatal crashes spiked. In total, 156 people
died due to traffic violence in Philadelphia, an 82 percent increase from the previous five years.
These statistics are unacceptable, and each traffic death is a tragedy to be systematically
addressed. This is why during my first year in office, I signed Executive Order 11-16 and created
the Office of Complete Streets and the Vision Zero Task Force, which ensures our streets are safe
for all users. With the proposed improvements, the City hopes to provide a safer and healthier
environment for students walking and biking to schools, and ensure equitable access to
opportunity for all.
The proposed work seeks to achieve the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s goal of creating
good-paying jobs by advancing workforce training programs that would provide more
employment opportunities for Philadelphians, especially those too often underrepresented in
transportation and construction. The proposed North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety
Project supports my vision for Philadelphia as a city where every neighborhood matters and
everyone has an opportunity to thrive.
Sincerely,
February 24, 2023

Re: City of Philadelphia’s FY2023 RAISE Application – North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project
On behalf of Safe Routes Partnership, a national nonprofit focused on improving safe, convenient, and equitable
opportunities for children to walk and wheel to school, I am writing in support of the City of Philadelphia’s application to
the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) FY2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability
and Equity (RAISE) program for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project in Philadelphia, PA.
The City proposes a construction project to implement critically needed transportation safety improvements (or “Slow
Zones”) at six elementary school zones in historically disadvantaged communities and areas of persistent poverty in North
Philadelphia. The proposed Slow Zones serve North Philadelphia Schools that scored highest on the City’s School Stress
Network, which determines school stress based on: vehicular, pedestrian, and bike injuries; distance from the City’s High
Injury Network; the City’s Litter Index; households in poverty; narcotics-related crime incidents; rates of asthma, diabetes,
and obesity. The proposed work is consistent with the City’s Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to eliminate all preventable
traffic related fatalities. With these improvements, the City hopes to provide a safer and healthier environment for students
walking and biking to schools, and ensure equitable access to opportunity for all.
Safe Routes to School interventions like school slow zones have been associated with dramatic reductions in child
pedestrian injuries and fatalities. For example, In New York City, areas with Safe Routes to School interventions found a 44
percent reduction in child pedestrian injury rates during school travel hours, while other areas without interventions had no
change. Implementing Safe Routes to School programs in New York City cost $10 million, but the estimate reduction in
health costs for injury, disability, and death was $221 million.i Philadelphia has the opportunity to replicate similar success.
The North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project also seeks to achieve the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s
goal of creating good-paying jobs by advancing workforce training programs that would provide more employment
opportunities for Philadelphians, especially those too often underrepresented in transportation and construction.
Sincerely,
Marisa C. Jones
Interim Executive Director
i Active Living Research. (2015). Impact of Safe Routes to School programs on walking and biking. Retrieved from
http://activelivingresearch.org/sites/default/files/ALR_Review_SRTS_May2015.pdf
12587 Fair Lakes Circle #251, Fairfax, VA 22033 saferoutespartnership.org

February 20, 2023
The Honorable Pete Buttigieg,

Secretary
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave. SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
SUBJECT: RAISE 2023 - North Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety Project
The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is pleased to support the City of
Philadelphia’s application for funding through the US Department of Transportation’s 2023
Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) federal grant program
for the North Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety Project. DVRPC, as the Metropolitan
Planning Organization (MPO) for the Greater Philadelphia Region, works with stakeholders to
approve and advance federal transportation infrastructure investment in our nine-county, bi-state
region. The City of Philadelphia’s application is consistent with the vision of DVRPC’s Long-
Range Plan, Connections 2050, for an equitable, resilient, and sustainable region, and it aligns
with DVRPC’s goal to transition our existing, expansive, multi-modal transportation system into
one that works for and benefits our residents, businesses, and communities.
This $29 million project would allow the City of Philadelphia to create six neighborhood “slow
zones” around several elementary schools throughout North Philadelphia and construct
multimodal improvements around these schools, based on FHWA’s Proven Safety
Countermeasures. The proposed Slow Zones serve North Philadelphia Schools that scored the
highest on the City’s School Stress Network. School stress is based on counts of vehicular,
pedestrian, and bike injuries; distance from the City’s High Injury Network; ratings on the City’s
Litter Index; percentage of households in poverty; incidents of narcotics-related crime; and rates
of asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
The proposed work seeks to introduce comprehensive safety improvements to address high
crash rates within the project area, with a specific, data-driven focus on the types of crashes
most likely to involve children under the age of sixteen. Multimodal improvements include new
raised crosswalks at Neighborhood Slow Zone gateways; redesigned Slow Zone advisory
signage for drivers entering Slow Zone limits; concrete curb extensions in place of painted
corner clearances at key community locations and at hazardous crossings; installation of
Continental crosswalks in place of several standard crosswalks, and new ADA ramps at multiple
locations.
The project is anticipated to result in the following outcomes:

February 20, 2023
Honorable Pete Buttigieg
Page 2 of 2
• Increases in the number of students walking and bicycling to school in response to the
Safe Routes to Schools programs. Engineering improvements are associated with an
18% relative increase in walking and bicycling, and the effects of education and
encouragement programs are cumulative. Over the course of five years, these education
and encouragement programs will aim to increase walking and bicycling.
• Curriculum and outreach specific to these schools developed by Safe Routes Philly. The
research above suggests that the effect of the curriculum program will be greater when
paired with infrastructure improvements.
• Reductions in driver speed and improved visibility of pedestrians, especially youth. Vision
Zero data indicates the likelihood of death or serious injury increases significantly with
speed, and therefore, these infrastructure interventions specifically address driver speed
and pedestrian visibility.
Should the US Department of Transportation select this application for RAISE grant funding,
DVRPC confirms that we are committed to take necessary steps, as required, to ensure it will
stay included in appropriate documents, such as the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)
for Pennsylvania and our Long-Range Plan. Not all priority projects are fully funded within the
first four years of the TIP due to state and federal funding constraints, and our region has found
it increasingly difficult to fund all current TIP projects and to add new projects to the program,
though they may be valuable and effective in improving our transportation network. If selected
for funding, the City of Philadelphia will identify all supplemental funding needed to ensure that
this new TIP project will be fully funded for implementation in a reasonable period of time and will
coordinate with appropriate state and local agencies.
Creating a safe, modern, equitable, prosperous, and resilient multi-modal transportation system
is part of DVRPC’s vision for the Delaware Valley. Targeted investments, such as, North
Philadelphia School Zone Traffic Safety Project, will provide significant safety benefits, improve
existing transportation infrastructure, and better integrate facilities that will result in significant
benefits for Greater Philadelphia’s residents, businesses and visitors. We look forward to your
support of this important project for our region.
Sincerely,
Ariella Maron
Executive Director
AM:ef
BRENDAN F. BOYLE COMMITTEE ON THE
Congress of the United States

2nd District, Pennsylvania BUDGET
RANKING MEMBER
House of Representatives
February 27, 2023

Re: City of Philadelphia’s FY2023 RAISE Application – North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic
Safety Project
(RAISE) program for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project in Philadelphia, PA.
communities and areas of persistent poverty in North Philadelphia. The proposed Slow Zones serve
North Philadelphia Schools that scored highest on the City’s School Stress Network, which determines
school stress based on: vehicular, pedestrian, and bike injuries; distance from the City’s High Injury
Network; the City’s Litter Index; households in poverty; narcotics-related crime incidents; rates of
asthma, diabetes, and obesity. The proposed work is consistent with the City’s Vision Zero initiative,
which seeks to eliminate all preventable traffic related fatalities. With these improvements, the City
hopes to provide a safer and healthier environment for students walking and biking to schools, and
ensure equitable access to opportunity for all.
Sincerely,
Brendan F. Boyle
Member of Congress
5675 N. Front Street, Ste 180 8572 Bustleton Ave 1318 W. Girard Ave 1502 Longworth House
Philadelphia, PA 19120 Philadelphia, PA 19152 Philadelphia, PA 19123 Office Building
Phone: (267) 335-5643 Phone: (215) 335-3355 Phone: (215) 982-1156 Washington, DC 20515
Fax: (267) 437-3886 Fax: (215) 856-3734 Fax: (267) 639-9944 Phone: (202) 225-6111
Fax: (202) 226- 0611
February 23, 2023

Re: City of Philadelphia’s FY2023 RAISE Application – North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety
Project

(RAISE) program for the North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project in Philadelphia, PA.
communities and areas of persistent poverty in North Philadelphia. The proposed Slow Zones serve North
Philadelphia Schools that scored highest on the City’s School Stress Network, which determines school
stress based on: vehicular, pedestrian, and bike injuries; distance from the City’s High Injury Network;
the City’s Litter Index; households in poverty; narcotics-related crime incidents; rates of asthma, diabetes,
and obesity. The proposed work is consistent with the City’s Vision Zero initiative, which seeks to
eliminate all preventable traffic related fatalities. With these improvements, the City hopes to provide a
safer and healthier environment for students walking and biking to schools, and ensure equitable access to
opportunity for all.
Sincerely,
Dwight Evans
Member of Congress

2023 RAISE - North Philadelphia Schools FINAL - Redacted

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The following application tracking information was generated by the system:

Grants.gov Tracking GRANT13816698

Submitter's Name: Sarah R Zyto

CFDA Number: 20.933

CFDA Description: National Infrastructure Investments

Funding Opportunity DTOS59-23-RA-RAISE

Agency Name: 69A345 Office of the Under Secretary for Policy

Application Name of North Philadelphia School Zones Traffic Safety Project

Date/Time of Receipt: Feb 28, 2023 04:29:14 PM EST

RAISE Capital Project Grant Application

SECTION 1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

1.2 PROJECT HISTORY AND CONTEXT

Vision and Goals

1.3 TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES

1.4 STATEMENT OF WORK

SECTION 2. PROJECT LOCATION

FY 2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

SECTION 3. PROJECT BUDGET

3.3 SOURCES AND AMOUNTS OF FUNDS FOR RAISE-ELIGIBLE EXPENSES

PROJECT TOTAL $ 29,000,000

FY 2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

SECTION 4. MERIT CRITERIA

The proposed project seeks to construct

4.3 QUALITY OF LIFE

4.4 MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY

4.5 ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND OPPORTUNITY

4.6 STATE OF GOOD REPAIR

Figure 4.7. Pothole Repairs in Philadelphia.

4.7 PARTNERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

FY 2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

SECTION 5. PROJECT READINESS AND

5.1 PROJECT PARTIES

Table 5.1. Project Partners

5.2 PROJECT SCHEDULE

Table 5.2 Project Schedule

5.3 REQUIRED APPROVALS

Consistency with Local and Regional Plans

FY 2023 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity

1. Benefit / Cost Analysis (Quantitative Benefits)

Table 1 - Primary Benefit Categories

Reduced Car Crashes

Green Design Impacts – Air Quality

Reduced Noise Pollution

Pedestrian Journey Quality and Comfort

Reduced Property Damage from Car Crashes

Table 2 - Benefit Cost Summary

Capture Period for Benefits

Reduced Traffic Injuries

Reduced Bicycling and Pedestrian Crashes

Table 3 – Safety Benefit Cost Analysis

Air Pollution Reduction – VMT Reduction

Air Pollution Reduction – Stormwater Management

Table 4 – Environmental Sustainability Benefit Cost Analysis

Reduced Noise Pollution

Table 5 – Quality of Life Benefit Cost Analysis

4. Mobility and Community Connectivity

Pedestrian Journey Quality and Comfort

The improved separation and protection of pedestrian traffic through infrastructure

Table 6 – Mobility and Community Connectivity Benefit Cost Analysis

Average Nominal 3% Discount 7% Discount

improvements to connectivity and infrastructure in historically underserved communities will