Speed cameras to be installed along Roosevelt Boulevard

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - Extra eyes will be on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia thanks to new traffic cameras.

The change stems from the passage of Pennsylvania Senate Bill 172 on Tuesday, which legalizes automated speed enforcement on the boulevard and work zones.

Tuesday's vote of 47-1 in the state Senate comes after four years of deliberation. Lawmakers hope the speed enforcement cameras will reduce speeding and curb the number of deaths on the boulevard.

"This is a special victory for the residents of North Philadelphia who live near or drive on Roosevelt Boulevard," said Sarah Clark Stuart, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. "For too many years, this badly designed highway has allowed motorists to speed with impunity and cause fatalities that have wrecked families and communities."

As many as 14 people have been killed along the boulevard in 2018.