HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced the allocation of $17.4 million in Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) funding to support five road safety projects in Philadelphia. The funding reflects the Shapiro Administration’s broader commitment to ensuring safer travel for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, and public transit riders alike.
The ASE funding, generated through fines collected under Pennsylvania’s 2018 ASE pilot program on Roosevelt Boulevard, will contribute to several targeted initiatives aimed at reducing speeding and improving traffic safety in high-risk areas. Since its launch in 2021, the ASE program has channeled $72.8 million into such projects statewide.
“Dangerous driver behavior – like speeding – makes everyone on the road less safe,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “This program aims to discourage speeding and change people’s behavior, and invest those funds back in the community, in projects that help keep everyone safe.”
Funded Philadelphia Safety Projects
The approved projects, all located in Philadelphia, focus on addressing high-crash areas and enhancing pedestrian and transit safety.
- $1 million will fund preliminary design for the Roosevelt Boulevard Parallel Corridor Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). Corridors such as Bustleton Avenue and Whitaker Avenue will undergo traffic safety analysis and upgrades under this program.
- $5 million has been designated to the design and construction of a Speed Cushion Program on city streets near Roosevelt Boulevard. Speed cushions are asphalt structures similar to speed humps and proven to lower vehicle speeds in residential zones.
- $7 million will support transit-related improvements for the Roosevelt Boulevard Parallel Corridor Transit Priority project, including upgraded intersections and new bus boarding islands along Olney Avenue to enhance transit access.
- $3.4 million will fund intersection modifications at three to four sites, aligned with crash data and project feasibility. Potential sites include Adams Avenue, Castor Avenue, and Rising Sun Avenue. Enhancements include measures to slow traffic, improve visibility, and optimize pedestrian crossing times.
- $1 million is allocated for the expansion of the City of Philadelphia’s Automated Speed Enforcement Program, led in partnership with the Philadelphia Parking Authority, focusing on extending ASE to other corridors with high incidences of speed-related crashes.
The ASE pilot program, launched on Roosevelt Boulevard between Ninth Street and the Bucks County line, uses automated enforcement at eight key locations identified for excessive speeding. With speed cited as a critical factor in road safety, the initiative aims to curb reckless driving and create safe passage for all road users.
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