During my Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellowship I have had the opportunity to deep dive into the Lancaster community by meeting and speaking to residents, community leaders and trying various transportation modes firsthand.
I learned a lot and I am inspired by Lancaster, especially regarding the amount of collaboration and collective will to move things forward. Some positive examples and efforts I have seen during my fellowship time include:
- McCaskey high school youths setting up Traffic Gardens to ensure kids learn the rules of the road.
- The Age-Friendly Lancaster community ensuring action plans to improve bus stops and more transportation options for the elderly.
- The Amish traffic safety committee ensuring road safety for vulnerable Amish road users.
- Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) making their first major fixed-route bus change in nearly five decades and exploring micro-transit in Lancaster County to cover for service gaps with help from community input.
- Bike safety education and how to bus tutorials shown and distributed throughout Lancaster County.
- Within City hall, we piloted a City Fleet Share Program and a Bike at Work policy.
Lancaster on the Move would not have been possible without many contributors and collaborators. I would like to sincerely thank the following individuals, organizations and community groups.
- City of Lancaster residents and community leaders
- Mayor Danene Sorace and her Executive Leadership Team, in particular the Mayor’s Office, Department of Public Works (DPW) and Department of Neighborhood Engagement (DoNE), DJ Ramsay, Amber Strazzo Righter, Wyatt Behringer, Stephen Campbell, Cindy McCormick, Emma Hamme, Karl Graybill, Ben Hogan, Matt Metzler, Cory Simo, Milzy Carrasco, Josh Beltre, Yazmin Way, Zayra Falu, Elmer and Annie and HGSE prof. Paul Reville.
Community stakeholders and key collaborators:
- Lancaster County
- Red Rose Transit Authority
- LGH Penn Medicine
- Lancaster Parking Authority
- School District of Lancaster
- Lancaster Downtowners
- Lancaster Global Shapers
- United Way of Lancaster – One United Lancaster – Tim Stuhldreher
I want to wholeheartedly thank the City of Lancaster, Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and Bloomberg Philanthropies for making this once-in-a-lifetime City Hall Fellowship opportunity possible.
Last but not least, I want to thank my wife Zipporah and puppy Icecream for joining and supporting me unconditionally on this journey.
Lancaster is a special place, rooted in tradition but looking towards the future. It is safe for me to conclude that Lancaster is truly on the move, and I am confident this work will be continued by the community to ensure better transportation and safe streets for all in Lancaster.
Bryant Heng is a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow studying how Lancaster City can make transportation better. Learn more here.
