Traffic safety measures work. Why is Philadelphia so slow in implementing them? | Editorial

Philadelphia’s 2023 Vision Zero report arrives at an important conclusion: The traffic safety measures put in place throughout the city work. They’ve helped reduce crashes and injuries, cut down on speeding, and likely saved lives.

However, red tape and opposition on City Council means these steps have only been able to be introduced on a limited basis across Philadelphia, so road safety in many locations remains perilous — especially for pedestrians.

Mayor Jim Kenney and his administration deserve kudos for supporting Vision Zero and making city streets safer, but there is much left to do to reach the program’s goal of zero traffic deaths each year.

According to the latest Vision Zero report, the Complete Streets initiative, a way to reduce crashes on the city’s most dangerous stretches of roadway by taking such steps as widening crosswalks and adding protected bike lanes, has produced a 34% decrease in fatal and serious injury crashes compared with citywide trends. The city’s so-called road diets — which remove vehicle lanes and add safety infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists — have produced a reduction of 20%.

» READ MORE: Philly must get serious to prevent traffic deaths | Editorial

Additionally, city data show that neighboring streets did not see an increase in traffic, a frequent contention of road diet opponents. Roads with separated bike lanes produced a similar decrease in serious crashes, while also leading to a doubling of bike usage.

Red light and traffic cameras have also been effective in saving lives, with Roosevelt Boulevard cameras being credited with reducing fatalities and serious injuries by around 20%, a 95% reduction in speeding violations since the introductory period, and 50% fewer crashes involving pedestrians. For a roadway that has long been one of the most dangerous in the country, that’s a welcome shift.

The most significant safety improvements came from the city’s Neighborhood Slow Zone program. In these areas, speed limits are reduced to 20 mph, and community-selected traffic calming measures, such as raised crosswalks, are installed. These zones have reported zero fatalities or serious injuries since their introduction. Reported crashes of any kind have gone down by 75%.

The data make clear that these interventions are notably effective. Why, then, are there barely any of these slow zones in Philadelphia?

In a process some advocates have jokingly compared to The Hunger Games, neighborhoods were asked to go through an extensive application period in order to participate in the program. Ultimately, 33 neighborhoods applied for slow zones, six were selected, and only two have been built. With $220 million in federal funding available for traffic calming, this program should be expanded and expedited.

Another challenge for the city’s Vision Zero goals is the reluctance of some City Council members to support traffic interventions in the face of community opposition.

To be sure, some legislators have embraced road safety. Third District Councilmember Jamie Gauthier has moved ahead with multiple road diet projects. Councilmember Anthony Phillips, who took over for Cherelle Parker in the 9th District, sponsored a student safety bill that has already brought speed cushions to 50 schools. Other members, however, have been less willing to stand up for safety.

Most notably, 2nd District Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson first delayed and then scuttled a road diet proposed for his portion of Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia.

During Johnson’s first 10 years in office, the roughly one-mile stretch of Washington in his district had 208 crashes, 260 injuries, and four fatalities. Those figures were enough to earn it a place on the city’s High Injury Network — the 12% of the city’s roads where 80% of fatal and serious injury crashes occur.

Johnson, who is now favored to serve as the next Council president, framed his opposition to the city’s safety plan as simply being responsive to influential constituents who opposed the project over traffic slowdowns. What Johnson failed to appreciate, however, was how much his leadership on this issue could have bridged the gap between safety advocates and road diet opponents.

» READ MORE: Kenyatta Johnson should stop blocking Washington Avenue safety plan | Editorial

Peace between those factions could also lead to a saner traffic flow along the roadway — earlier this month, a man was hospitalized after being hit in an area of Washington Avenue without a road diet.

Of course, some of the blame for fatal and serious injuries from crashes belongs to automakers, who insist on building larger and heavier vehicles, which have been shown to increase the danger for pedestrians and other road users. Some responsibility also belongs to motorists themselves, whose behavior, studies show, has become more reckless since the onset of the pandemic. But surely a bit of culpability also belongs to elected officials who aren’t willing to have tough conversations to save lives.

Until that changes, Philadelphians will face higher risk of traffic fatalities than in other big cities. Per city data, Philadelphia has 7.4 traffic deaths for every 100,000 residents. That’s more than twice the rate in New York City (2.64) and Boston (3.23). Of the cities cited in the report, only Los Angeles — a city synonymous with suburban sprawl and endless highways — had a death rate anywhere close to Philadelphia’s. Residents can’t take advantage of our city’s walkable neighborhoods if they don’t feel safe crossing the street.

These deaths also don’t affect all Philadelphians evenly. While road diet opponents often disparage “bike yuppies,” it isn’t affluent young white professionals who are most likely to die on the city’s streets. According to city data, Black and Hispanic residents, children, and older Philadelphians make up a disproportionate share of road fatalities and serious injuries, with an average of five school-age children hit by a car while walking every week.

If we want to change this brutal reality, we need all city leaders to embrace proven street safety strategies across Philadelphia.