Shapiro Administration Invests $19.3 Million for Traffic Safety Projects Across Philadelphia

02/01/2024

Funds will support seven traffic safety projects in the city

 Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) today announced that it will distribute $19.3 million in Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) funding to fund seven safety projects in Philadelphia. Governor Shapiro believes every Pennsylvanian deserves to be safe and feel safe in their communities, his Administration has worked and delivered real results by investing in communities like Philadelphia and across the Commonwealth.

Act 86 of 2018 authorized Pennsylvania's ASE pilot program on Roosevelt Blvd. (U.S. Route 1) in Philadelphia between Ninth Street and the Bucks County line. Earlier this week, Governor Shapiro signed Act 38 of 2023, which made the Philadelphia ASE program permanent and allowed for the authorization of additional locations in Philadelphia. Under this program, the Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) installed automated speed enforcement at eight locations where data shows speeding has been an issue. PennDOT administers a Transportation Enhancement Grants Program using fine revenues from the ASE program.

"There's no question that these projects will improve safety in the City of Philadelphia," said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. "Everyone – no matter who they are, no matter where they live, no matter how they travel – deserves to get where they're going safely, and the Shapiro Administration is proud to make investments that keep communities safe and thriving."

This investment brings the total dollars awarded through the ASE funding program to $55.4 million since the program began in 2021.

The approved projects are as follows:

• $1 million for the Citywide Intersection Modifications Program. This program helps to slow traffic at intersections, improve sight distance between drivers and pedestrians, and reduce pedestrian vulnerability by reducing pedestrian crossing times. For these reasons, intersection modifications can significantly diminish severe and fatal pedestrian crashes. The project will entail design and construction at two to three locations.
  
  
• $1.8 million to design multimodal safety, accessibility, and mobility improvements at the Benjamin Franklin Parkway – home to the iconic Eakins Oval – and the adjacent Pennsylvania Avenue.
  
  
• $1.5 million for Safe Bus Stops, which will install a new signal at Crescentville and Walnut Park Drive, as well as a new pedestrian rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) at the bus stop 600 feet south of Walnut Park Drive. The project 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. These 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 alternatives analysis related to the Roosevelt Boulevard Route for Change Program long-term improvements, including environmental analysis, preliminary engineering, and design activities. This award also includes design for short-term improvements identified in the Route for Change report. 

For more information on how PennDOT promotes safety through traffic signals and management, visit PennDOT's website. 

Contact: Alexis Campbell, alecampbel@pa.gov or 717-783-8800

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