PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Parking Authority says more drivers are slowing down because of the speed cameras installed along Roosevelt Boulevard last year. A new report shows an 84% drop in speeding violations from June to November last year.
After the cameras were activated in June, and a transitional 60-day grace period began, about 224,000 warning notices went out to drivers who were clocked at 11 mph or more over the speed limit. The PPA began issuing tickets for verifiable violations in August. By November, the most recent month for which data is available, the number of violations had dropped to 38,000.
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Fines are tiered — $100, $125 and $150 — based on the number of miles per hour over the speed limit.
One driver who declined to give his name said he is not a fan of the cameras. That may be because, he said, he was still upset about getting a speeding violation once. But overall, he concedes, if the cameras make people slow down and lives are saved, then they are a good thing.
"Every week people get killed. The people who respect the speed limit have no problem," said a driver from Northeast Philadelphia, Danny, who declined to give is last name.
He said he has noticed drivers slowing down, but he still sees a lot of people speeding — "driving like 70-80 miles an hour."
Given the apparent success of the speed camera pilot, the PPA is making some recommendations. First, they say, more speed cameras should be added, especially in trouble spots. Currently there are 32 cameras along the boulevard in eight locations, from the Bucks County line to City Avenue. They say they have recorded speeds higher than 100 mph on the boulevard, going as high as 125 mph in the area of Strahle Street.
Further, they say the boulevard should have a stronger overnight police presence between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. And they suggest launching a stronger information campaign, particularly in Philadelphia and Bucks County.
Authorities believe COVID-19 played a role in the sharp decline of speeding incidents, with more people working and learning from home last year than ever before. But based on a Center City District survey, the PPA expects more commuters to drive rather than take mass transit, as more people are vaccinated and have to head back to the workplace.