PHILADELPHIA — Today, Mayor Kenney announced Fairhill and Willard Elementary School as the two communities to have their traffic calming proposals funded under the Vision Zero Neighborhood Slow Zone Program.
The Neighborhood Slow Zone Program is a new program that supports the City’s Vision Zero goal introduced by the Mayor in October 2016 to eliminate traffic fatalities. Responding to Philadelphia residents’ common concerns about speeding on their neighborhood streets, the program expands residents’ traffic calming options from single-block solutions to entire zones of residential streets. The Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS) who administers the program in partnership with the Streets Department received completed Neighborhood Slow Zone applications from 28 communities. Complete applications were evaluated and objectively ranked in a need basis.
“Our city and our residents deserve safer streets,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Managing speeds to save lives is a cornerstone of Vision Zero—whether that be on large streets or residential ones. The Neighborhood Slow Zone Program will install proven countermeasures to manage speeds in the Fairhill neighborhood and neighborhood around Willard Elementary, making the neighborhood streets safer for people walking.”
“Neighborhood Slow Zone Program supports CONNECT: Philadelphia’s Strategic Transportation Plan goals for civic engagement by collaboratively working with communities. We look forward to meeting the neighbors of Fairhill and around Willard Elementary School at the table, and to work hand-in-hand with neighbors to design Slow Zones that meet their needs,” said Michael A. Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability.
The Neighborhood Slow Zone Program is made possible by Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) funding, which is distributed by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In 2018, the City of Philadelphia was awarded funding to support the design and construction of two Neighborhood Slow Zones. The total ARLE funding award was $1M, which includes design and construction costs associated with two (2) Neighborhood Slow Zones. Each Slow Zone will have a construction budget up to $450,000. Neighborhood Slow Zone projects will be completed by September 2021.
The Neighborhood Slow Zone Program will bring traffic calming to residential streets. The City will work with Fairhill neighbors to plan traffic calming on residential streets between N. 2nd & N. 5th Streets and Allegheny & Glenwood Avenues, and with the neighbors around Willard Elementary to plan traffic calming on residential streets between Somerset & Clearfield Streets and Kensington & Frankford Avenues.
Click here to review the Neighborhood Slow Zone Program 2019 application evaluation.
The City of Philadelphia is proud to adopt Vision Zero. Vision Zero aims to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and severe injuries on Philadelphia streets by 2030, while increasing safety, health, and mobility for all. Learn more at www.VisionZeroPHL.com.