With Roosevelt Boulevard having a steady decline in annual deaths since automated speed cameras were installed in 2020, Broad Street has become the most dangerous road in Philadelphia with over one fatality per month in 2024, according to Vision Zero's annual report that was released Monday.
Kelley Yemen, the director of city's Office of Multimodal Planning, said there have been an increase in severe crashes on Broad, especially North Broad. Meanwhile, the report estimated that more than 50 lives — about one per month — have been saved because of the devices on Roosevelt.
MORE: Speed cameras may be added along Route 13 in Philadelphia
"Until the speed cameras, ... (Roosevelt) was far and away the most deadly corridor in Philadelphia," Yemen said. "With the installation of those, ... we have seen that change."
The cameras flag anyone going more than 11 mph over the speed limit, and violators are sent tickets in the mail. The devices on Roosevelt were first installed during a pilot program and became permanent this year. City data shows the technology decreased speeding infractions by 93%, crashes resulting in fatalities or serious injuries by 21% and pedestrian crashes by 50%.
In 2023, 19% of severe crashes were speeding-related. That's higher than crashes from running a red light or stop sign, impaired driving and distracted driving combined, the report said.
The city hopes the installation of more cameras will help fatalities continue to decline, with 15 more planned to be mounted along North and South Broad Street in February after a bill from Councilmember Mark Squilla was approved earlier this year. Yemen said the city also plans to install medians along the street and work with Temple University for safety improvements around their campus, as well.
On Thursday, City Council approved a bill for cameras on Route 13, which cuts through Philly from Delaware County to Bucks County. Broad, Roosevelt and Route 13 are part of Philadelphia's High Injury Network, the 12% of city streets that account for 80% of crashes that result in serious injury or fatalities.
Overall, traffic deaths appear to continue to be declining from a high of 155 in 2020. As of September, 84 traffic deaths were reported in Philadelphia this year, which is on track to be less than the 123 in 2023. However, both totals are still higher than pre-pandemic numbers.
The report also found that most crashes take place during off-peak hours for driving, although traffic calming measures are often designed for the busiest times. The majority of deaths were pedestrians.