PHILADELPHIA, PA — The City of Brotherly Love has secured significant investments from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Garnering $4 million from the Automated Red Light Enforcement (ARLE) program and a whopping $19.3 million from the Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) program, Philadelphia is paving the way for a safer future on its streets.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker underscored the transformative potential of these grants, emphasizing their role in enhancing traffic flow and prioritizing the safety of all Philadelphians. She expressed gratitude to both OTIS and PennDOT for their collaborative efforts in making this possible.
The ARLE funding is set to support four pivotal traffic safety projects across Philadelphia, part of an ambitious round of funding that amounts to $13 million in total, serving 39 safety projects across 35 municipalities in the Commonwealth.
These projects range from modifying intersections to make them safer for pedestrians, to expanding and upgrading arterial streets as part of the Information Traffic Systems & Fiber Optic Network Expansion program, to introducing the Speed Limit Signing & Measuring pilot program that aims to reduce speed limits on certain streets. The funding also allows for the substantial enhancement of the Bike Network Curb Separation program.
The buzz of activity surrounding these initiatives aims to advance traffic projects that prioritize safety for all modes of transportation, as highlighted by Mike Carroll, Deputy Managing Director for the City’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS).
Thanks to a generously extended ASE program in December 2023, five additional corridors and school zones in the city are set to benefit from ASE funding. This further backing from PennDOT implies a sweeping renewal of transportation networks throughout Philadelphia.
The ASE funding is channeled towards numerous traffic safety projects, including improvements to the Citywide Intersection Modifications Program, the Eakins Oval and Pennsylvania Avenue Redesign, the Safe Bus Stops initiative, the creation of Neighborhood Slow Zones, modifications for the 2025 Roosevelt Boulevard Route for Change Intersection, and progress in the Boulevard 2040 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Process.
In essence, these safety programs will breathe new life into Philadelphia’s transportation regime. Between the state-of-the-art traffic management system, the increased signage for speed limits, the expansion of safe biking routes, and the enhancement of intersections to facilitate safer traffic flow, these funds will ensure that Philadelphia remains on the forefront of efficient, safe urban movement.
As Philadelphia welcomes this much-needed funding with open arms, the city is making a significant stride towards becoming a role model for effectively balancing urban growth with safety considerations. By taking proactive measures to ensure that its streets are not merely passageways for vehicles, but rather safe and inclusive spaces that cater to the needs of all its inhabitants, Philadelphia is setting an example for other cities to emulate as they navigate the delicate balance between progress and public welfare.
For more information on the ARLE and ASE programs, visit PennDOT’s website.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.