Neilson’s automated speed enforcement legislation passes PA House
Rep. Ed Neilson June 27, 2023 | 5:30 PM
Legislation authored by state Rep. Ed Neilson, D-Phila., chair of the House Transportation Committee, that would renew and expand automated enforcement programs throughout Philadelphia, passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives today with bipartisan support.
House Bill 1284 would eliminate the December 2023 expiration date of the Automated Speed Enforcement Program along Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia.
It would also expand the ASE program to all roads in Philadelphia, contingent on PennDOT’s approval and the city’s adoption of a local ordinance and make necessary improvements to the ASE program.
The ASE program on Roosevelt Boulevard in Philadelphia, first implemented in June 2020, uses cameras to detect and record motorists exceeding the posted speed limit by 11 miles per hour or more along the boulevard. Crashes along Roosevelt Boulevard have declined by 36% since speed cameras were deployed, while total crashes in the rest of the city, where there are no speed cameras, have only declined by 6%.
According to the Philadelphia Parking Authority, the ASE program has reduced speeding along Roosevelt Boulevard by a staggering 95%.
Finally, and most importantly, Neilson said, the bill would protect schoolchildren on their walks through busy school zones by making fixes to the current law that authorizes school districts to use automated school bus stop-arm cameras and establishing a five-year pilot program for speed cameras in active school zones.
The bill now moves to the state Senate for consideration.