Philadelphia Transportation Firsts
To celebrate America’s 250th anniversary and Philadelphia’s central role in our nation’s founding, each month of 2026 we are sharing a Philadelphia Transportation First.
Many historians consider the Leiper Railroad, a horse-drawn tramway built in 1810 in Delaware County, to be the first true railroad in North America. Early rail in the US were temporary installations, but the Leiper Railroad was intended to be permanent. Instead of moving people, the railway was built to transport stone to Philadelphia. In addition to helping lay the literal foundations of our city, the railway marked an important step towards permanent rail networks in Philadelphia and the region — a critical transportation first.
Distracted Driving Awareness Month
On July 5, Paul J. Miller was driving his vehicle on northbound on Route 33 in Hamilton Township, PA when a southbound tractor-trailer crossed the center grass divider and traveled head-on into Paul’s car and a northbound van. Paul died from injuries suffered in the crash. The truck driver was distracted at the time of the crash. After years of advocacy from his mother Eileen Miller, Paul Miller’s Law went into effect on June 5, 2025, with a year-long warning period. This law prohibits any driver from using an interactive mobile device (IMD) while driving a motor vehicle. Starting June 5, 2026, drivers in Philadelphia can be fined $50 for the offense. If a driver is convicted of homicide by vehicle and driving while distracted, they may be sentenced up to an additional five years in prison. Visit pa.gov to learn more.
Distracted driving can be more than just using your phone while driving. Messing with radio controls, focusing on the back seat, or eating breakfast on the morning commute can reduce a driver’s focus on the road. Between 2020 and 2025, distracted driving made up 4% of severe crashes in Philadelphia. This may be underreported and the percentage is likely higher. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month – look up and lock in.
Vision Zero Ambassadors
The Vision Zero Ambassador program is in its fifth year. This year we received over 300 applications! If you applied, thank you so much for your commitment to traffic safety in Philadelphia.
Ten ambassadors who are deeply committed to traffic safety and personally invested in their communities were selected for the 2026 season. They have already been to community events talking to residents about the importance of slowing down and getting people involved in Vision Zero. They will be out and about across Philadelphia throughout this spring and summer. If you see them, please say hi! If you have an event coming up that you would like to have an ambassador join, email otis@phila.gov.
On Wednesday, May 6, you can join students across the country for Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day! Whether it’s your first event or you’ve been walking and rolling for years, Safe Routes Philly is here to help plan your best Bike to School Day yet.
Contact us at SafeRoutesPhilly@phila.gov for more information.
Upcoming Events
These events include those hosted by our team as well as events OTIS staff or Vision Zero Ambassadors will be joining to share information about Vision Zero with the community.
- April 25, 2026 – Cobbs Creek Trail Day
10am – 2pm at the playground/park area
(Thomas Ave & Cobbs Creek Pkwy north of Whitby Ave.) - April 30, 2026 – KIPP North Academy School Slow Zone Open House
5 – 7:30pm at KIPP North Academy (2533 N 16th St) - May 6, 2026 – Bike and Roll to School Day
Citywide! (Safe Routes Philly event at D. Newlin Fell School, 900 Oregon Ave) - May 9, 2026 – Eastwick Community Day
10am – 1:45pm at Regional Park (7999 Mars Place)
Partner Updates
Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia (BCGP)
It was a packed house at the 2026 Vision Zero PHL Conference with over 350 attendees and 50 speakers coming together to discuss and learn about the challenges and opportunities toward eliminating all traffic fatalities and severe injuries — while increasing safe, healthy, equitable mobility for all.
This year’s theme, Putting Community First: Revolutionizing Street Safety, focused on the impact that community can have on Vision Zero, as well as the positive impact that streets designed with Vision Zero in mind can have on a community. If you’re interested in learning some of what was covered, you can find all the slideshow presentations from the conference in our blog.
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May is bike month in Philadelphia! See our list of Bike Month Events here.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Every March, the CHOP Pediatric Residency Program celebrates Barbie Day, honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Barbara Friedes, a beloved CHOP Chief Resident who was killed in Philadelphia while riding her bike home from work. This year, the program dedicated “Flowers for Barbara”, a mural designed by Dr. Friedes’ sister Cat Dietrick and painted by members of the Pediatric Residency Program and Barbara’s family.
Pediatric Advocates for Transportation Health & Safety (PATHS) for Barbara is dedicated to creating meaningful change toward zero pedestrian and cyclist deaths and serious injuries in and around CHOP and Penn campus. For more information about this group, please reach out to Noreena Lewis (lewisns@chop.edu).
Indego
Indego’s Classes and Rides season is in full swing! Visit rideindego.com/classes to sign up for any of their FREE upcoming classes or group rides. Join a Learn to Ride class if you would like to learn the essentials on how to start riding, or an Indego Riding Basics class to learn all the ins and outs of how Indego works, as well as the knowledge needed to ride safely around Philly.
Additionally, three new Indego stations are now in Southwest Philly with more to come later this spring/summer! You can find them at 69th & Guyer, James Finnegan Playground, 70th & Elmwood, and 63rd & Buist.
Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH)
We Walk Spring starts on May 1. Join us at Love Park as we recognize our partners and celebrate 10 great years of walks, friends, and fun.
We Walk PHL is for everyone! It’s more than just a walk in the park. It’s an experience!
Register and Learn more at: https://loveyourpark.givepulse.com/event/858979-we-walk-spring-season-kick-off-at-love-park
Vision Zero in the News
Philadelphia 
PA Senate Policy Committee discusses aggressive driving during a Northeast Philadelphia hearing (Broad + Liberty)
Improving safety on Philadelphia’s roads is just as important as preventing violent crime in its streets (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Cyclists are bringing concrete curbs and traffic cones to Center City to advocate for protected bike lanes (Philly Voice)
The seasonal MLK Drive closures for vehicles start this weekend (Philadelphia Inquirer)
City of Philadelphia studying safety issues along Germantown Avenue as concerns from residents grow (CBS News)
Is Philly ready to shift gears and share the road with autonomous vehicles? (Philly Voice)
Remembering Teddy Einstein: A United Community Calls for Safer State Roads in the Region (Bicycle Coalition)
Warning period ends for school speed zone cameras (6abc Philadelphia)
New speed cameras go live on Frankford Ave. through Northeast Philly on Monday (NBC Philadelphia)
‘Pop-up concrete’ event shows what bike lane protection on Spruce and Pine could be (BillyPenn at WHYY)
What We’re Reading 
NTSB Probes Safety Limits of Hands-Free Driving at Highway Speeds (ACT News)
NHTSA Announces Pathways to Safer Streets at Lifesavers Conference (NHTSA)
Vision Zero Jobs
School Crossing Guard, Streets Department
Transportation Intern, Planning and Development
Transportation Grants Coordinator, Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS)
Join the Conversation
Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic deaths and severe injuries on Philadelphia streets www.visionzerophl.com. Follow OTIS on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and help us share safety messages with your networks using the hashtag #VisionZeroPHL.
Do you have events, accomplishments, or calls to action to share with the Vision Zero Task Force, subcommittees, and community? Send your updates for next month’s newsletter by Friday, May 10 to Virginia Lynn at virginia.lynn@phila.gov.