Authorizing the Streets and Services Committee to hold public hearings to examine the social and economic justice factors involved in potential redesign options of the Roosevelt Boulevard, one of the most dangerous roads in Philadelphia and the country, to make the Boulevard a road where all Philadelphians can safely commute to home, school, and work.

WHEREAS, Over 10% of all City traffic fatalities occurred on the Roosevelt Boulevard prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic; and

WHEREAS, Traffic fatalities across the cities have jumped from 90 in 2019 to 156 and 133 in 2020 and 2021, respectively; and

WHEREAS, Black traffic fatalities have increased 20% in 2020 from the year prior and fatalities in neighborhoods where more than 70% of its residents are people of color have increased 17% between 2019 and 2021; and

WHEREAS, Hit-and-runs are higher in the first four months of 2022 than the first four months during the previous two years and more pedestrians have died than individuals in vehicles in the first four months of 2022; and

WHEREAS, Traffic fatalities along the Roosevelt Boulevard have not increased during the pandemic, the same time the pilot speed camera program set to expire in 2023 was put in place, which has reduced overall speeding along the Roosevelt Boulevard by 91% before the program’s implementation; and

WHEREAS, Federal officials have called for road designs to more comprehensively take into account pedestrian behavior and racial equity as well as made funding available for street safety improvements of the next five years; and,

WHEREAS, Street safety advocacy groups, such as Families for Safe Streets and the Tristate Transportation Campaign

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have lobbied and worked alongside government officials for reforms; and

WHEREAS, The City’s residents having all information available and government officials having a close working relationship with community stakeholders is vital to properly evaluating redesign plans of the Roosevelt Boulevard for a safer and more equitable method of travel for both pedestrians and drivers of all backgrounds; now, therefore it, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, That it authorizes the Streets and Services Committee to hold public hearings to examine the social and economic justice factors involved in potential redesign options of the Roosevelt Boulevard, one of the most dangerous roads in Philadelphia, to make the Boulevard a road where all Philadelphians can safely commute to home, school, and work.

End