Crime and public safety are among the most pressing concerns for residents across Philadelphia, permeating discussions about neighborhood and commercial corridor revitalization, local schools and parks, transit use, and potential Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) strategies. With funding from the State Department of Community and Economic Development, Neighborhoods Now hired Interface Studio to undertake a research initiative that examines how strategic investment in TOD can improve public safety.
The study gathered best practices and literature on the subject from around the world and supplemented this research with an analysis of crime in Philadelphia and at five SEPTA station areas in particular. We collected and mapped data for the entire City and discovered that 25% of all crimes in Philadelphia occurred within a 1/4 mile of a rail station. Video, night photography, and a physical assessment of five stations provided a rich analysis methodology and means of understanding the causes of, and potential solutions to, real and perceived crime at each station.
The study is currently in draft form and under review by a number of City departments, SEPTA, and the Philadelphia Police Department.
Client: Neighborhoods Now
