Speed Cameras Coming To 5 Philly School Zones

PHILADELPHIA — Drivers who ignore school speed zones in certain areas of Philadelphia will soon be facing consequences.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority Thursday announced the launch of its school zone speed camera enforcement pilot program.

This new program will be deployed across five designated zones. These zones were chosen based on crash data from 2019 to 2023, which recorded 10 fatal or serious injury crashes and 25 pedestrian crashes across these locations.

They are:

John B. Stetson Middle School — East Allegheny Avenue, A to B Streets

• 5 serious injury crashes
• 4 pedestrian crashes
• 1 speeding-related crash
• 2 crashes resulted in serious pedestrian injuries: one from 2021 and one from 2022.

KIPP North Philadelphia Charter School — North 16th Street, Cumberland to Huntingdon

• 1 serious injury crash
• 9 pedestrian crashes

Widener Memorial School — West Olney Avenue, North Broad to North 16th

• 1 fatal crash
• 5 pedestrian crashes
• 1 speeding-related crash
• The fatal crash occurred in March 2023 at 11 a.m. A pedestrian was fatally struck at the Broad and Olney intersection.

High School of the Future — West Girard Avenue, North 39th to North 40th

• 2 serious injury crashes
• 3 pedestrian crashes
• 3 speeding-related crashes

William L. Sayre High School — Walnut Street, South 58th to South 59th

• 1 serious injury crash
• 4 pedestrian crashes

PPA will first have a 60-day warning period, which begins on Tuesday. Full enforcement will begin April 20.

Tickets will only be issued when flashers are active during morning and afternoon school hours. Cameras will not operate on holidays.

"Our school zone speed camera program is about public safety and changing dangerous driving behavior," PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer said. "Our emphasis is on saving lives and protecting children. We have seen dramatic results with similar technology along Roosevelt Boulevard, resulting in a 95 percent reduction in speeding and a 50 percent reduction in pedestrian-involved crashes."

Philadelphia City Councilman Isaiah Thomas sponsored legislation renewing and expanding Philadelphia’s automated speed enforcement program. This new law authorizes a pilot program in up to five designated school zones simultaneously.

"Every student deserves a safe trip to school," Thomas said. "In a city where four children are hit by a driver while walking each week, we must make bold moves to bolster traffic safety on dangerous roads around our school buildings. As chair of Council’s Education Committee, the expansion of the city’s successful automated enforcement program to school corridors is an exciting development that will help keep students, families, and school staff safe. I was proud to get this legislation passed and am grateful to the experts at OTIS and the PPA for their hard work getting this program operational."

The PPA has partnered with the City of Philadelphia and the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems on the school zone speed camera enforcement program, as well as the life-saving red light and speed enforcement camera programs — active at several critical locations throughout the city. Violations will not result in points against a driver’s license.