PHILADELPHIA – Today Mayor Jim Kenney joined with other City and State officials, and members of the Vision Zero Task Force to release Philadelphia’s Vision Zero Annual Report and cut the ribbon at the Chestnut Street Repaving and Safety Project.
“Achieving zero traffic deaths on Philadelphia streets requires action and the need has never been greater,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Despite a high number of traffic crashes in 2021, High Injury Network corridors like Chestnut Street here in West Philly were not only repaved, but were improved so that everyone is safer, no matter how they choose to travel. I am proud of the collective work of the Office of Complete Streets, the Streets Department, the Vision Zero Task Force and all of our partners, especially PennDOT, to continue to advance efforts to achieve our goal of zero traffic deaths and serious injuries.”
Earlier this year, the City and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) worked together to roll out a complete street safety project on West Chestnut Street. Chestnut Street is on the City’s Vision Zero High Injury Network and has a history of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries from crashes.
New safety improvements include:
- High visibility crosswalks with shorter crossing distances
- Two miles of new separated bike lane
- Updated line stripping and flex posts at intersections to slow traffic and clearly direct drivers
- New pavement surface
In 2021, there were 121 traffic deaths on Philadelphia streets, making it the second-deadliest year for traffic crashes since 1999.
“After a tragic spike in traffic deaths in 2020, we had hoped for a dramatic decrease in 2021. This was not the case,” said Deputy Managing Director for Transportation Mike Carroll. “This is why safe infrastructure is an essential part of the City’s commitment to Vision Zero and the completion of the Chestnut Street Repaving and Safety project is a perfect example of that. No matter how people choose to travel, they deserve safe streets.”
Additionally, the City’s Vision Zero Annual Report shows continued progress despite fatal and serious crashes trending upwards both nationally and locally. Highlights from the update include:
- Installation of Philadelphia’s first two Neighborhood Slow Zones in the Fairhill neighborhood and at Willard Elementary
- A 49 percent reduction in traffic fatalities since the installation of the automated speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard
- Safety improvements on corridors including Lehigh Avenue in North Philly and on 22nd Street in South Philly and Center City
- And intersection upgrades to Broad and Locust Streets in Center City
More changes to slow down drivers
As part of the City’s efforts to bring speeds down and make Philadelphia streets safer for everyone, the Mayor announced a commitment to reduce speed limits on all City streets to 25 miles per hour in 2023.
In addition, the Mayor announced for the first time since 2019, there is a new opportunity for residents to apply to the Neighborhood Slow Zone program. This program complements slower speed limits with safe infrastructure improvements on residential streets. Applications are due by January 15, 2023. For more information visit VisionZeroPHL.com.
View the Vision Zero Annual Report 2022.
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About Vision Zero
On November 7, 2016, Mayor Jim Kenney signed an Executive Order to create the Vision Zero Task Force. Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic-related deaths and severe injuries, while increasing safety, health, and mobility for all. Philadelphia is committed to reducing traffic-related deaths to zero by 2030. To learn more, visit VisionZeroPHL.com.