SEPTA real-time arrivals, FDR Park lawsuit, & more

Cherry blossom, Angie Bacha

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:

SEPTA to debut digital bus stop displays. SEPTA announced that it will be piloting real-time digital bus arrival displays at select bus stops starting in May. The displays will track arrival times, be solar-powered, and have a text-to-speech feature for people with vision impairment. CBS News Philadelphia

Judge declines to halt renovations at FDR Park. A group of eleven South Philadelphia residents filed a lawsuit against the City in 2024 for renovations to FDR Park that included the removal of 48 heritage trees and the installation of artificial-turf athletic fields. Last week, Court of Common Pleas Judge Sheila Woods-Skipper denied their request to halt renovations, saying that the group’s objections are of actions that have already occurred. The group is moving their case up to state court. WHYY

Philly sets record-high temperatures. Yesterday, Philadelphia set a record high temperature of 84 degrees. This past March was also notably among the warmest Marches on record since the 1870s. Climate change is impacting temperatures in the region, contributing to a 3.8-degree rise annually. Philadelphia Inquirer

PECO seeks rate hikes. Beginning in 2027, PECO seeks to raise electricity rates for consumers for the third time since 2022. The proposal would increase energy bills for an average household by over $20 per month. Legislators in Delaware County spoke out against the increase and denounced data centers’ substantial energy usage. WHYY

Registration is open for PHS Garden Tenders. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s biannual Garden Tenders program is now open for registration. The free program offers training and resources for starting and maintaining community gardens over six weeks.

Where to see cherry blossom trees in bloom. Philadelphia is home to over 1,000 cherry blossom trees, whose ephemeral bloom period lasts approximately two weeks. To find more spots to view trees in bloom, click here. BillyPenn

Cover photo: Cherry blossom tree, Angie Bacha

Angie Bacha

Angie Bacha (she/her) is a Philadelphia-based solutions journalist and recent Erasmus Mundus Master's in Journalism, Media and Globalisation student in Aarhus, Denmark. Previously, she worked as a student journalist at Community College of Philadelphia and Editorial Intern at Resolve Philly. Some other hats she has worn: Human Rights and Theatre Studies graduate; teaching artist; carpenter; AmeriCorps volunteer; and rock climbing gym shift supervisor.