The effort would be part of the City’s commitment to reducing traffic-related deaths
PHILADELPHIA, March 14, 2019 – Councilwoman Cherelle Parker (9th District) today introduced a bill that would authorize the installation of speed cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard between Ninth Street and the Philadelphia County Line as part of the City’s commitment to Vision Zero, a strategy to reduce traffic-related deaths to zero by 2030.
Roosevelt Boulevard is known for being the most dangerous road in Philadelphia and one of the most dangerous in Pennsylvania. Between 2013 and 2017, 139 people were killed or seriously injured on Roosevelt Boulevard and 2,695 crashes were reported, according to PennDOT. Crashes along the 11.75-mile corridor account for 8 percent of all fatal and severe injury crashes in the City.
“The tragic stories of people being killed or seriously injured on Roosevelt Boulevard have become all too common, but this doesn’t have to be the case,” said Parker, whose district includes two miles of the Boulevard. “We know that speed is especially deadly for people walking and biking, and that if we can get motorists to change their behavior and slow down, we can reduce crashes and save lives.”
Upon implementation, drivers would have a 60-day grace period during which speeders would receive a warning notice. Warning signs would also be posted in the vicinity of cameras to alert motorists. Speed cameras would be programmed to automatically take photos of any vehicles going 11 mph over the 45 mph speed limit and mail them a ticket. Vehicles going between 11 and 20 miles over the speed limit would be fined $100; vehicles going between 21 and 30 miles over the speed limit would be fined $125; and vehicles going more than 31 miles over the speed limit would be fined $150.
Last year, state lawmakers – in a notable bipartisan effort led by state Rep. John Taylor – passed Senate Bill 172 allowing Philadelphia to install speed cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard.
Mike Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability: “We are thrilled about Council member Parker sponsoring this bill and her leadership in traffic safety. We look forward to working with her and the rest of City Council in passing this legislation and making Roosevelt Boulevard a safe street for all Philadelphia residents.”
Sarah Clark Stuart, Executive Director, Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia: “This is an invaluable step for Philadelphia to implement Vision Zero. Countless lives will be saved with automated enforcement on Roosevelt Boulevard, and we applaud the Mayor and City Council for doing their part to make this precedent-setting safety measure possible.”
The legislation is co-sponsored by Council members Darrell Clarke, Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Cindy Bass. If approved, there would likely be 7-11 locations for cameras. The cameras would be installed by the end of 2019.
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Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker represents the 9th District, which includes East Mt. Airy, West Oak Lane, East Oak Lane, Lawncrest, Burholme, Olney and parts of Oxford Circle and Logan. She is Chair of Council’s Committee on Labor and Civil Service and Vice Chair of Council’s Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.
