Drivers in West Philadelphia will soon witness additional automated speed cameras as the city broadens its speed camera initiative.
According to an NBC10 Philadelphia report, Philadelphia is expanding its automated speed camera program along Route 13 in West Philadelphia. The city has installed the cameras, and a 60-day warning period is expected to begin in mid-August.
City officials said they aim to reduce speeding, injuries, and fatalities on Route 13. This corridor is identified in Philadelphia’s High Injury Network.
According to a statement released by Philadelphia officials to NBC10, “The City is committed to making our streets safer for everyone, and speeding is the most common cause of traffic fatalities: speeding kills. The Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program is targeted and data-driven. Speed cameras are not placed arbitrarily and are not meant to punish people: They are meant to enforce the rules of the road and decrease injuries and deaths.
“Route 13, which includes Baltimore Avenue, is on the City’s High Injury Network, meaning it is among the most dangerous corridors in Philadelphia. New enforcement will make it safer and get us closer to our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities in the City of Philadelphia.”
City data from 2019–2023 show notable crash figures on Route 13, including fatal and serious injury crashes, speeding-related incidents, and pedestrian crashes.
Automated speed cameras are already operating on Roosevelt Boulevard, Broad Street, and Frankford Avenue. The newest cameras are installed on Route 13, which runs from Northeast Philadelphia through University City and onto Baltimore Avenue.
Drivers who speed on Route 13 will receive 60-day warnings before citations start. Fines of $100 will be issued once enforcement begins.
Public response to the cameras remains mixed. Some residents report noticing drivers slowing down, while others question the spending and expansion.
“I think it has helped a little bit. I think me personally I have slowed down because we got a couple warnings at the beginning,” Jesse Veiselatt of South Philly shared with NBC10.