On the Boulevard,
slow down, save lives

By Tom Waring
Times Staff Writer

A group of city and state officials is repeating what it believes is an important message to Roosevelt Boulevard motorists.
"Speed kills," said state Sen. Mike Stack. "Slow down, be careful, and you can save lives."
If motorists ignore that plea, they could pay for it. Last week, the city of Philadelphia and the state Department of Transportation designated Roosevelt Boulevard, from Ninth Street to the Bucks County line, as a highway safety corridor.
The move was made to increase safety for drivers and pedestrians. Fines will double for traffic violations such as speeding, careless or reckless driving, tailgating and improper passing.
PennDOT has provided the city Department of Streets with 14 signs that will be posted in two-mile intervals. The signs will be hard to miss. They are 10 feet by 4-1/2 feet and read, "Safety Corridor. Fines Doubled."
The signs debuted April 12, and the police department will give speeders a one-month grace period. The higher tickets take effect May 12. The doubled fines do not apply to tickets at the intersections with red light cameras.
The announcement was made last week during a news conference at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory. Stack was joined by City Councilman Frank Rizzo, Pennsylvania House Speaker Dennis O’Brien, state Reps. George Kenney, Mark Cohen and Tony Payton and officials from the police department, PennDOT, the streets department and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
The Boulevard, which opened more than 90 years ago, is 12 miles long and features three medians. It carries from 70,000 to 100,000 vehicles per day across 12 lanes and features a mix of business, residences, churches and schools.
The volume of cars and pedestrians can be a dangerous mix.
"Cars go a lot faster than they did when this highway was designed," said Rich Bickel, director of planning for the DVRPC.
Cohen said motorists have gotten used to speeding on the Boulevard over the years, but that doesn’t make it right.
"That behavior is totally counterproductive to public safety," he said.
All of that speeding makes it hard for pedestrians.
"It’s not easy to navigate all the way across," said Rina Cutler. PennDOT’s deputy secretary for administration.
Since 2002, PennDOT has provided $1.15 million to the police department for traffic enforcement on the Boulevard. The state agency will also use $3.2 million earmarked by U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz for education and safety improvements.
Other measures taken by the city, state and the Roosevelt Boulevard Safety Task Force include larger speed limit signs, brighter pedestrian-crossing signs, lane resurfacing, adjusted traffic-signal timing and the placement of speed-display trailers.
Years earlier, PennDOT removed fixed objects such as trees.
How is it working?
Fatalities dropped from 21 in 2001 to eight apiece from 2002-04. There were 15 fatalities in 2005 and 11 last year, according to incomplete data. Crashes dropped from 557 in 2001 to 417 and 454 the next two years. But the figures jumped to 567, 519 and 528 in the last three years.
Police Chief Inspector Richard Bullick said the department is looking forward to enforcing the new penalty, with Kenney adding that the job will be made a lot easier if the state passes a bill that would add 1,345 police officers in Philadelphia.
Cutler, the PennDOT official, rejected a suggestion that the crackdown on speeders is another mere "Band-Aid" on a larger problem.
"We are very serious about this," she said. "Our goal is zero fatalities on Roosevelt Boulevard."
At the same time, Cutler and others said a depression of the Boulevard’s six inner express lanes would be the best option. It would also be the most expensive option, and it’s doubtful that the federal government would be able to provide the funding.
The highway safety corridor program will do for now, they say.
As evidence that the program should work, PennDOT points to a pilot program in six locations across Pennsylvania. A study found that incidences of speeding were reduced from 2 percent to 14 percent during a six-month period.
On the Boulevard, officials say, many of the problems are caused by motorists speeding up on yellow lights.
"It means slow down and stop, not accelerate," O’Brien said of the yellow signal.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority is happy with its red light camera program. Right now, there are cameras along the Boulevard at Cottman Avenue, Grant Avenue and Red Lion Road, along with two locations in South Philadelphia.
By June 1, cameras will be installed along the Boulevard at Mascher Street, Levick Street, Rhawn Street, Welsh Road and Southampton Road.
Meanwhile, the DVRPC is conducting a year-long study of the Boulevard from Ninth Street to Grant Avenue, with results due by July.
Among the things it is studying are signalized mid-block crosswalks, improved lane crossovers, potential pedestrian bridge locations and enhanced safety at bus stops. ••
Reporter Tom Waring can be reached at 215-354-3034 or twaring@phillynews.com