Where do you want speed cameras in Philadelphia? City residents asked to weigh in

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The City of Philadelphia is asking for input to identify areas where residents would like to see speed camera enforcement.

In December, state lawmakers passed a bill that allows the Speed Camera Program on Roosevelt Boulevard to continue.

The money generated from speed cameras along the Boulevard is set to go toward keeping other Philadelphia neighborhoods safe.

Governor Josh Shapiro says that the state will distribute more than $19 million in speed enforcement funding to seven safety projects in the city. The projects include a city-wide program to slow traffic at intersections, establish neighborhood "slow zones," and improvements to the Ben Franklin Parkway.

The bill's passage also paves the way for speed cameras to be placed along five additional high-speed corridors in the city.

To help determine where the cameras should be placed, the office of Philadelphia City Councilmember-at-large Isaiah Thomas has launched a survey for city residents.

It opened on March 1 and will close on May 1. The survey allows people in the city to rank the high-speed/dangerous corridors where they would like to see speed camera enforcement.

To fill out the survey, click here.

As of March 6, city officials said there were about 200 responses to the survey. They are hoping to get 1,000 responses.

"It really depends on where respondents say they want them, and most importantly, we're working with OTIS (Office of Transportation, Infrastructure and Sustainability) and where the data says the most need is," said Max Weisman, the communications director for Councilman Thomas.

The city has already identified its "high injury network," which is the 12% of streets where 80% of all traffic deaths and serious injuries occur.

They include most of Broad Street, Kelly Drive, part of City Avenue, Market Street, and stretches of Allegheny, Erie, and Kensington avenues.

"The hit-and-runs are happening across the city," Weisman said. "This conversation is really about, is the speed camera the best solution for that neighborhood?"

Philadelphia residents had mixed reactions when speaking with Action News about the possibility of more speed cameras.

"You gotta do something," Douglas Tucker, of Kensington, said. "You can't just leave it like this because a lot of people, as you can see, are getting hit by cars."

However, not everyone is on board with additional speed cameras. If one of the cameras catches you driving over the speed limit, you will face a $100 fine.

"If every car around you is going fast and you're going fast as well, and you just happen to be the one picked up by the speed camera, you're going to have some disagreements with that," Harold Frazier, of West Philadelphia, said. "But if they found a way to implement it in a way that it caught everyone that went past it, maybe."

Weisman said the city understands not everyone is in favor of additional cameras.

"We want to hear that feedback. We know the process scares people, and we want to hear that," he said. "We've also seen the data on Roosevelt Boulevard and know that statistically it is working."

City officials said they aren't just looking to add speed cameras, but they are also working to add more speed bumps and stop signs in trouble spots that are identified.

Once the survey closes on May 1, the city says results from it will be combined with street safety data compiled by the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability.

Action News reached out to the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability to see if there is a timeline for when the new cameras could be installed. We are still waiting for comment.