PPA says speed cameras are coming to Broad Street in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Parking Authority will be adding more speed cameras in the city.

The new cameras are expected to be installed early next year along north and south Broad Street.

"Broad Street is probably the second most dangerous road -- second to Roosevelt Boulevard," said Rich Lazer, the executive director of Philadelphia Parking Authority. "Now that the boulevard has the camera program, it's drastically dropped speeding by 90%, and traffic deaths as well."

Lazer explains that the PPA, along with the city and PennDOT, will look at police crash data, and determine the intersections with the most speeding and accidents.

Speed cameras went live on Roosevelt Blvd. in 2020 and currently has 10 locations active.

RELATED: Roosevelt Boulevard speeding violations decrease by 91% since cameras installed: PPA

Researchers estimate they have saved almost one life per month.

"It's not about violations, it's really about making the road safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and people driving vehicles and people crossing the street," Lazer said.

The goal is to have the cameras up on the Broad Street by February.

There will be a warning period of 60 to 90 days, and then tickets will be issued.

The city will also look at additional corridors for camera installation.

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

"I think it's good because far too many people speed down Broad Street," said - Ben Hooson-Jones, from Society Hill. "I'm actually from England and we have speed cameras everywhere. It's annoying at first but you know the roads are safe."

"I think the speed cameras would put us in the mindset that, 'Hey, we just gotta slow it down," added Terrance Seldon, from Southwest Philadelphia.

However, not all drivers are convinced.

"It feels a little big brothery," said Paarth Shankar, from South Philadlephia. "I think if an officer catches someone speeding -- it's the right way to catch them. We pull them over but speed cameras catching every single person seems a bit excessive."

"You have to have radar detectors with state troopers and everything, but what if radar is faulty? How can we know that? How can we prove that we go to court? How do we know that camera equipment or radar equipment isn't faulty?" asked Eric Vandersose, from Manayunk.

The revenue that comes from the violations will goes toward grants for traffic safety projects throughout Philadelphia.