Funding will support citywide intersection modifications, Roosevelt Boulevard Route for Change projects, Neighborhood Slow Zone projects, the bike network curb separation program, and more

PHILADELPHIA — The City of Philadelphia has received multiple investments from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to support citywide traffic safety improvements – specifically, $4 million from the Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) program and $19.3 million from the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program.

“We want to thank our team at OTIS for all their work transforming these state investments into traffic safety projects that protect the lives of Philadelphians,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “And we thank PennDOT for its ongoing investments in Philadelphia. The Automated Red Light Enforcement program funding – which I’ve long championed – will support the City in updating traffic flow and safety, complement our new and ongoing projects, and help to save Philadelphians’ lives. We’re grateful.”

The City’s ARLE funding allocation came as part of the program’s recent round of funding which announced $13 million in total for 39 safety projects across 35 municipalities from around the Commonwealth.

The ARLE program funding will support four separate traffic safety projects in Philadelphia, including:

• The Citywide Intersection Modifications program helps to slow traffic at intersections, improve sight distance between drivers and pedestrians, and reduce pedestrian vulnerability by reducing pedestrian crossing distances. This program will serve as an extension of previous intersection modifications that have successfully implemented safety improvements at several locations throughout the City – many of which are located on the High Injury Network (HIN). Reducing crashes at HIN locations has greater and more impactful potential for reducing Philadelphia’s overall severe and fatal crashes. Two of the program’s locations are in North Philadelphia, specifically the six-way intersection at Belfield and Ogontz Avenues, and along Broad Street at Lehigh and Allegheny Avenues.
• The City will continue to expand and upgrade a number of arterial streets as part of the Information Traffic Systems (ITS) & Fiber Optic Network Expansion program by integrating these streets into an automated traffic management system (ATMS). With the installation of such technology, new signal controllers are being interconnected with a single-mode fiber optic cable. As the City builds a centrally located Traffic Control Network, the last mile of previous arterial upgrades must be connected, thus enhancing the City’s communication infrastructure. This program involves traffic signals on corridors citywide. The funding is expected to impact approximately 40 additional locations citywide depending on individual project complexity and need. All locations are expected to be in residential and/or commercial areas with education institutions or other uses that typically generate transit activity and pedestrian traffic. Locations on the HIN will be prioritized.
• The Speed Limit Signing & Measuring pilot program will increase sign density for the posted speed limit throughout the HIN and reduce speed limits to 25 mph on certain HIN streets throughout the City, currently set to 30 mph or 35 mph. The proposed corridors include a mix of local, state, and park roadways. Before/after analysis will be collected in order to analyze the effectiveness of the speed limit reduction and increased speed limit sign density related to travel speeds and crash data. This pilot project has already advanced on Kelly Drive, Vine Street, and Cottman Avenue. The new funding will allow for expansion to Hunting Park Avenue (between Roosevelt Boulevard and Frankford Avenue), 66th Avenue (between Stenton Avenue and 5th Street), and Olney Avenue (between Wister Street and Rising Sun Avenue).
• The Bike Network Curb Separation program will enable Philadelphia to upgrade the existing separated bicycle facilities, replacing existing plastic delineator posts in the painted buffer with concrete curbs. This program will improve the safety and predictability of the bikeway network while reducing material and staff-time maintenance costs associated with delineator replacement. One of the program’s projects will cover the bike lane on North 10th Street between Spring Garden and Vine Streets. The segment is one southbound lane with an existing delineator post-separated bike lane and is also on the HIN.

“The funding from both programs will allow the City to advance multiple important traffic projects that prioritize safety for all modes of transport,” said Mike Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS). “We have seen success with the automated speed cameras on Roosevelt Boulevard in reducing speeding and therefore saving lives. We look forward to the expansion of this program in other areas of the City, especially along the High Injury Network.”

In December 2023, the ASE program was renewed and expanded – to five additional corridors yet to be determined and five school zones – when House Bill 1284 was signed into law by Governor Shapiro. In January 2024, PennDOT announced the allocation of $19.3 million in funding from its Transportation Enhancement Grants program for transportation safety improvement programs across Philadelphia using the fine revenues from the ASE program.

The ASE program funding will support multiple traffic safety projects in Philadelphia, including:

• $1 million for the Citywide Intersection Modifications Program. Outlined above in the ARLE funding projects.
• $1.8 million for Eakins Oval and Pennsylvania Avenue Redesign for multimodal safety, accessibility, and mobility improvements at these sites on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Through the Project, the City aims to create a world-class public realm, featuring pedestrian-oriented civic spaces along the Parkway and offering equitable access to residents and visitors. Resulting from a rigorous planning process already underway entitled “Reimagine the Benjamin Franklin Parkway,” the proposed design aims to update and rehabilitate the Parkway, enabling it to continue serving as a cultural attraction and critical gathering space for thousands of residents and visitors each year.
• $1.5 million for Safe Bus Stops, which will include the installation of a new signal at Crescentville and Walnut Park Drive and a new pedestrian rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) at the bus stop 600 feet south of Walnut Park Drive. The citywide program will also create safe and accessible stops by paving “landing pads” for passengers to board and alight the bus from at these new pedestrian crossing locations.
• $3 million for Neighborhood Slow Zones. These consist of quick-build speed management improvements such as lane narrowing, reduced corner radii, gateway treatments, speed humps/cushions, and intersection daylighting, intended to slow driver speeds and calm traffic.
• $10 million for 2025 Roosevelt Boulevard Route for Change Intersection Modifications. This funding will supplement the ongoing geometric modifications on and around Roosevelt Boulevard in coordination with PennDOT District 6-0. This will include curb extensions to shorten crossing distances, realigned crosswalks, realigned lane configurations and turn lanes, upgrades to traffic signals and timing, changes to traffic movements, and new or upgraded transit shelters and stations.
• $2 million for Boulevard 2040 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process. This funding will advance the 2040 Route for Change NEPA process in coordination with PennDOT District 6-0. This will include alternatives analysis, environmental analysis, preliminary engineering, and design related to the Roosevelt Boulevard Route for Change Program’s long-term improvements. The short-term recommendations are categorized as “2025 Improvements” and focus on addressing prevalent safety concerns along the full corridor. The long-term recommendations are categorized as “2040 improvements” and represent transformation changes.

For more information on the ARLE and ASE programs, visit PennDOT’s website.